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Parenting

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Chest sleeping? Baby won’t sleep next to me.

2 replies

Buzzbuzz34 · 06/06/2026 13:09

My baby is 1 week old and is already struggling with reflux. As a result, she won’t go down in her next to me crib or lay flat. DH and I have been taking shifts to stay up with her whilst the other person sleeps but this really doesn’t feel sustainable. We’re only managing 2-3 hours of sleep per night as she doesn’t always abide by our shift plan. I’m so tired that I keep having involuntary microsleeps, even in the middle of day. It feels scary and dangerous when it’s my turn to be up with her as it’s so hard to stay awake. I also have a 4 year old to look after so I’m really hanging on by a thread.

I coslept using Safe Sleep 7 guidelines with my eldest for 7 months but this baby isn’t a fan. She’ll fall asleep BF side lying but once unlatched, wake after 5 mins. Sometimes due to coughing and spluttering on vomit and other times I’m not sure why.

Last night I tried following Cosleepy on Instagrams guide for chest sleeping (propped up so that baby isn’t flat on tummy, no loose covers, pillows only behind you, hair tied up) for a small portion of the night and today is the most rested I’ve felt since she was born. I don’t feel overly comfortable doing it as I know it’s really not recommended but also I’ve always been such a light sleeper that every time she flinched, I woke.

Has anyone else done it? Or has anyone else had a baby that wouldn’t cosleep using recommended position that later accepted it? Ideally she’d sleep in her next to me crib but right now we just need more sleep to function safely.

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Lottie6712 · 06/06/2026 13:23

That's what I did with my first as it was the only way I got any sleep. My second slept on her back in the next to me cot just like babies are supposed to...!!! I wouldn't want to advise anyone how to get their baby to sleep, but I completely empathise with having a baby that doesn't sleep unless being held xx

Buzzbuzz34 · 06/06/2026 14:03

Lottie6712 · 06/06/2026 13:23

That's what I did with my first as it was the only way I got any sleep. My second slept on her back in the next to me cot just like babies are supposed to...!!! I wouldn't want to advise anyone how to get their baby to sleep, but I completely empathise with having a baby that doesn't sleep unless being held xx

I was hoping that my second would be like your second and that lightening wouldn’t strike twice but looks like I only produce velcro babies 😅

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