How do you calm an overtired newborn?

[Cardiffclare88]

Dd is nearly 4 weeks. Last couple days she’s been awake almost the whole day and takes ages to settle at night. Not sure what to do as I’ve tried feeding, rocking, singing, walking. She’ll doze for a few minutes but when I put her in here Moses basket she’s back awake with eyes wide open and starts crying. Poor thing must be exhausted, haven’t the slightest what I should be doing

Thank you for so many replies. Have not tried the sling, not sure that she is breathing alright in there? Instructions say I should be able to fit two fingers between her chin and chest but she hadn’t got much of a neck! How do I know she’s got enough room to breathe?

@Dimsumlosesum, what music was it??

She is EBF and we do loads of comfort feeding but I fear my nipples might fall off

I gave up and just let mine sleep on me when ever he wanted. Used to pop the TV on when he was asleep and watch some box sets or put him in bed with me and get a nap as well!

Watch for her signs of tiredness and get her down for a nap straight away. They don’t stay awake long that young. I second, 3rd, 4th (?) the swaddle.

Congratulations

What sling do you have? They basically mean make sure the windpipe is fully open. Babies don’t have the strength to lift their heads so if their head is slumped down it can close the windpipe and stop them breathing. Just tilt her head right back so she’s almost looking up at you and keep checking her head hasn’t moved. A different brand of sling may be better.

With the two fingers thing they mean you need to be able to see that her airway is clear. What sort of sling do you have? Wrapping Rachel and Wrap You In Love on YouTube so some brilliant how to videos with different types of slings. I fully agree to just do whatever works. If she’s asleep on you or asleep whilst comfort sucking then just go with it. She’s not realised she’s a separate human being yet and that her needs won’t be met instantaneously any more!

Spiegal im Spiegal, the Arvo Part version. I downloaded it and put it on repeat all night and when he would wake it would soothe him so much better than lullabys. My 4 year old middle child developed problems getting to sleep and I remembered it from oldest's baby days and put it on for her and now she goes to sleep within 10 minutes as opposed to 40. It's just a nice calming song :)

As you're BF, definitely try feeding to sleep lying down in your bed. It's moving her to a new surface that's waking her so eliminate that part.

Swaddle and a dummy?

Swaddle and leave for five minutes?

I realised with my 2nd ds that he only wanted to be awake and stimulated for about 1hr max. If that. So wake, eat, he was generally plonked on playmate or bouncer to watch me wrangle his big brother and he'd usually be asleep again by the time I went over to him. With ds1 I thought I needed to entertain him, tummy time, etc but actually he just needed to grow and have a nice calm time. Ds2 lived in the sling practically until he started crawling. (easier to chase toddler).
He also had a dummy.
I found one particular piece of music (different with both dc) would instantly quiet them from a screaming fit. With Ds1 it was Paul McCartney frog song, Ds2 it was Tee and Mo - Go to sleep.
Completely random but would stop a scream in its tracks.
But yeah for an already overstimulated baby, take to a dark, quiet room, feed and cuddle.

Try a dummy. The sucking is soothing for them, and gives your boobs a rest.

Overtired isn’t really a thing with babies. Stress in the mother fretting about them sleeping is likely to stop them sleeping.
Feeding is good and they’ll sleep when full and tired. Your nipples definitely won’t fall off.
Take the opportunity to lie down and rest when baby sleeps beside you on your bed. Read, drink tea just relax. Don’t feel you have to rush around doing things. It’s the joy of first babies.
Second and subsequent babies just have to get on with it and sleep wherever.

Hairdryer noise on YouTube and pat slide into Moses basket (prewarmed) and continue to pat

Over tired was definitely an issue with my dd, if she hadn't slept enough and was over stimulated it was like she was on drugs she was so wired! It was painful to watch actually, she would scream if I tried to bf / rock/ walk in buggy/ sing to or skin to skin. The only thing that helped was a dummy, swaddling and putting down in her moses basket in a dark room.

She has since been diagnosed with sensory difficulties so may not be typical but for some babies the normal things don't work.

Thank you- have tried a swaddle but she kicks it off almost immediately! Will have another try with sling.
@abbsisspartacus, what is pat slide?