Baby wont sleep unless being held

[KoalaMumma]

Our DS (7 weeks) will not sleep anywhere apart from in our arms. He has a bassinet, a bedside cot and a cotbed but wont sleep or even relax in any of them and just switches back and forth between fussing and screaming.

We have tried all of the standard recomendations: putting him down drowsy, putting him down awake, putting him down already asleep, dummy, no dummy, silent room, noisy room, white noise machine, bassinet in front of washing machine, swaddled, not swaddled, blanket, no blanket, light muslin as blanket, mobile, no mobile, warm room, cool room, bath before bed, item of mummys clothing in there for smell. Nothing works.

We have a family history of skeletal and spinal problems so one of the best ways to make sure he doesn't develop any problems in the future is for him to sleep on a firm matress now but we can't get him to at all.

Theres nothing wrong with him (food/nappy/wind) because as soon as you do pick him up he is fine and happy.

We thought it might be reflux but he will sleep fine in a laid back posision when in our arms, its just no good for his back.

We have tried leaving him thinking he will fall asleep eventually but right now his record for screaming to be hald is 3 hours because thats how long he has between feedings, then he has a change and more food and we put him down and he starts again. We have also tried the method of returning every 10 mins and the other of coo'ing and fussing him as he drifts off. He just doesn't. If I pick him up and cuddle him he is asleep in less than 90 seconds so he is clearly tired but we just don't know what to do next.

Any ideas?

Have you tried swaddling? Or cosleeping with him in a thin sleeping bag on his back with your arm around him? If you breatfeed lying down you might be able to get him to fall asleep like this

Don't worry about holding him to sleep at this age (if you can bear the lack of sleep)

Sorry I mean side lying breast feeding and then fall asleep like then then roll him onto his back

Try the bottle top up first before breatfeed

You will hate me saying this, but having been there recently, please please listen! Some babies are like this. It doesn't last forever but it feels like it does especially when you are desperate to have the baby off yoy as you just need space. Mine started sleeping beautiful in his own cot at about 5-6 months and became easier generally when he could sit as he hated lying down. Please believe me!

Ps. I didn't E believe all the people who told me what I've told you. I was desperate

He's just being a baby. It's shit at the time but they do go better.

That's a ridiculous statement. Parents are supposed to get sleep too you know.

I absolutely didn't sign up to hold my baby 22 hours a day, I'd lose my mind. Ignore comments like that OP, you are allowed to be a human being and have your own needs such as sleep.

If he will go down for 3 hours at night but not always sleep and only occasionally cry then I would continue to do that and give it some time, I have found that consistency really is the key but it's also difficult when you're so tired.

Also, have a look at his sleep during the day. Look up wake windows and try and avoid either sleeping too much during the day or over tiredness, both which can make it extra tricky for babies to sleep at night.