8 week old refusing to sleep in bassinet in the day

[Newmum29]

Has anyone else had this? Baby was sleeping well for naps in the day in her bassinet (3 max for about an hour in the morning, 2 hours at lunch and 2 hours in the afternoon).

At about 5 weeks she started to scream every time she was put down. Assumed this was the leaps (using the wonder weeks app) but now we can’t get her to nap in the day without rocking her in the pram or putting her in the sling.

Even when we transfer her asleep to her bassinet she wakes screaming and is really upset. Before anyone suggests I’m trying to sleep train too early this really isn’t for my benefit.

I can follow her signals and know when she’s tired and wants to sleep but she really fights it. Ruled out anything else (too hot/cold, nappy, hungry, gas).

Is this just a phase that will pass? Normally I would just let it go and put her in the pram/sling but I’ve been warned about the 4 month sleep recession and don’t want to have to many aids we have to take away.

Sounds like mine. Refused to sleep except when the pram was moving. Woke as soon as it stopped. I'm afraid she still refuses to nap at almost a year, and she now won't nap in the pram either.

She does sleep through the night though - obviously needs it! I'm afraid that's probably no comfort as I remember how exhausting it was on mat leave.

One of mine hated the bassinet as soon as he became more aware of it. Some babies just don't like them I think (google to see).
It might be that she needs somewhere quieter? Darker?
I'm guessing not but can you watch her in her crib in her room or use a monitor?
Or have you got a travel cot you could move downstairs?

Sounds like she just wants to be close to you though. It's hard I know but maybe just go with it, it'll be done in the blink of an eye x

Yeah my went through a stage of this.
I waited 20 mins till he was in a deep sleep before putting down.
LO may just want you close, have you tried white noise?

Yup using white noise and a monitor. Thanks for the advice though.

I always just used the buggy or sling for naps. They usually outgrow the bassinet pretty quickly so I didn't bother with it.

I’m planning on moving her into the cot but she’s too small for it for now, I think she’ll probably be in the bassinet for another 2 months minimum. The thing is I know she doesn’t hate it as she’s fine in there at night. Definitely wants to be close to me which I understand.

Mine stopped liking the daytime naps away from me around this time too, refused the Moses basket, pram, Snuzpod etc, but continued to sleep well in her Snuzpod at night 🤷🏻‍♀️ I bought a sling for her daytime naps. She’s back to happily snoozing solo in her pram again. Good luck - it will pass!

I just feel so sad for her; she’s either feeding or crying when she’s awake until we can lull her into a sleep

I have a 4 month exactly like this and has been since he was 6 weeks, will either nap on me or go in the pram

Sounds standard to me.

They are not 'refusing' as they don't have any conscious plot, they just feel nicer near a person or with movement.

Welcome to the nightmare that is motherhood....fanfair!

Mine rarely napped in the day until she was about 7 months but she slept like a dream at night so I kind of had to deal with it. She slept better on her tummy though and I know that's not advised but it worked for us.

I’m sorry that a word choice didn’t sit well with you… I’m well aware that babies don’t make conscious decisions and that they prefer to have contact naps, hence responding to the post with my own experience of using a sling until my baby was happy to sleep in her pram again.

Thanks though…

At the moment I just do whatever will give her the most sleep I feel terrible seeing the little bags under her eyes. Is physically tough on me though to always be moving and I’m trying to maintain my weight as I have post partum hyperthyroidism.

It was really hit and miss when my baby would sleep in the moses basket, we ended up getting a swing you can flatten out/sit up and she'll sleep sleep that for an hour at times!