Getting baby to sleep at night

[Hann376]

Our 1 week old newborn can only sleep when held - we have just about managed to get her down for daytime naps in her Moses basket which is progress but between about 10pm and 6am she won’t go down for more than a few minutes before she realises she’s not being held and cries.

What can we do to help her settle at night and sleep in her Moses or next to me?

So normal, so hard. This lasted about six weeks with my daughter.

We cracked it by popping her down when she was absolutely out for the count (floppy arms and legs), then I'd sleep with my arm around her in the next to me crib. I'm sure you've already been told about warming the crib, putting in a shirt that smells of you, etc etc. For us this didn't work, but worth a go.

Highly recommend researching safe co sleeping and chest sleeping, in case you need either. They can be a godsend and help you get a precious few hours of kip in those early weeks.

You're doing a really good job. Trust me, it will pass.

Cosleep.

Lots of babies don't want to sleep on their own till they're much older, so you can either have a long battle, lose, and cosleep anyway.... or just start the night that way.

It can partly be that they have night and day confused at this age. It takes a bit of time for a circadian rhythm to develop but you can try to expose them to natural light in the mornings and keep everything dark at night.

Have you tried swaddling? We loved the Love to Dream ones. Other than that keep trying putting them down when they are in a deep sleep and warm the cot etc.

DH and I took turns sleeping in the early days. Investigate safe cosleeping if you want otherwise just keep persevering. 1 week is so young and a lot can change quickly with babies. Some will start to sleep alone while others will take much longer and it’s too soon to know which type you have.

Cosleep!! Ds is going eight hours strong and still sleeping, he wouldn’t settle last night and I like him close anyway! He does go into the crib some nights so it’s not all or nothing.

Is baby swaddled ? Put a hot water bottle in the crib and take it out once you're popping them down . I have to rock mine for at least 30 minutes before trying to put her down doesn't always work but the hot water bottle trick seems to help

Agree it could be that they don't realise day and night yet so not that tired. It's all so normal, I'm just coming out of these days with my second and it will pass, I find it helps just to lean into it. I tried to solve baby sleep with my first and second time round I just know that it will get better (and then worse and then better on repeat lol) so you can just go with it.

On a practical note can you take shifts with partner? You sleep with baby while they watch you and vice versa?
Or what I would do is just stay up all night with baby in front room watching telly eating snacks etc, baby isn't bothered by it at this age and will help you stay awake

Gosh it's only been a week, mine slept only on me or next to me for the first three weeks at least. It's totally normal.

However my one piece of advice would be, when you put them in the cot if they are fussing but not crying or distressed then leave them to it. This can actually be themselves settling themselves to sleep. DD2 used to toss her head from side to side (so much so she got a little matted patch of hair!) and then just drop off perfectly fine.

A week might be a bit early for this, DD probably did this from about three weeks to 4 months

its so hard but it is normal apparently as hard as it is and this doesn't make it any easier
, my daughter only started to sleep in her bed at about 8 weeks she now 4 months, still only sleeps in there at night not in the day,
I personally would take turns to hold her to sleep if you can with ur partner, I personally tried to not co sleep but I always set my bed up for safe co sleeping incase I fell asleep, as once I fell asleep breastfeeding sat up and it scared the hell out of me as I was so sleep deprived I didnt notice falling asleep

I did have to co sleep a few times in the early days as I genuinely got 0 sleep and had no-one to help, if I didnt I wouldve fell asleep holding her which is so dangerous

follow the safe 7 looks at lullaby trust safe co sleeping on there

Not for everyone but as long as you practice safe sleeping then co sleep. It will pass eventually but she's so brand new and used to being near you, she just needs comfort and right now that's you 💕