Can't get baby back to sleep after night feed

[Bluberry]

I'm so tired. My 5 weeks old usually goes to sleep at midnight and wakes about 2 every night. From 2-7 it's a constant battle trying to get her back in her Moses basket!!!! She'll fall asleep whilst feeding (I'm bf) then as soon as I try to move to put her in her basket she'll start stirring so I wait again until I think she is in a deep sleep and place her down. Within a minute or so she is screaming. I know it's 4th trimester stuff but just having two hours sleep a night is really getting to me. Baby won't sleep in it in the day either. She'll only sleep on us.

I don't want to co sleep.

We've tried the hot water bottle to warm it up before she goes in, rolled towels around the edge , my tshirt for my smell, raising the basket slightly at one end. I'm exhausted.

Any ideas? The hv is coming today so I'm hoping she can help.

Ah well maybe you don't want to co-sleep but your baby does! Some babies settle when they are by themselves and some don't. As you already know about the 4th trimester thing, so it looks like you are going to have a battle on your hands.

I'm laid here in bed with a very fast asleep 6 week old baby on my chest after a 4am feed but if I try to move her away from me she's going to go off spectacularly! So I won't bother.

Sorry I'm not more help

Have you tried swaddling ? We used to wrap ds up in a big large muslin and used to keep him wrapped up all night so he always used to think someone was holding him even when we put him down in his basket.

Conversely we also found he slept better in an actual cot rather than his basket. I think maybe it wasn't so noisy when he moved or something.

I didn't want to co sleep either and haven't with either of my children. The way I've done it is a combination of swaddling, pick up and put down technique (pick up when unsettled, put down when they are), keeping room completely dark and no talking and not letting them sleep longer than 2 hours in one time during the day, preferably no more than 4 hours in total.. and I always fed on demand (formula fed) to try and get them well fed during the day especially so they weren't hungry during the night (obviously if they woke up I'd offer a feed).

Might sound mad and I may have been lucky but both mine slept through from 8 weeks ish (one 9 months, one 9 years! )...

Same here. I really didn't want to co sleep. But often I lose that battle of wills.

my ds is 6 weeks old, im finding he likes to fall asleep on the breast. im having to go back to work in 2 months so its not something a childminder will be able to do this! i cant cosleep due to night terrors. i was reading a book the other day which said babies who fall asleep on the breast are in a very light sleep so wake when you put them down. with this in mind i swaddle him then cuddle him for 5 to 10 mins to help him drift off in to a deeper sleep then carefully put him in the moses basket. this works with varied sucess but worth a try. i wont be able to rely on the swaddle for much longer tho .
he too doesnt nap through the day as much as he should which leaves him overtierd when its bedtime. im now reading 2 books on babysleeping so will share if i get anymore tips. hang in there though, ur not alone...

My DD was awful at going down in her Moses basket in the early days so I can sympathise. I also have never wanted to co-sleep. My DS (4 weeks) is better but this time I've been taking the mattress out when I'm feeding him and sitting/lying on it! Warms it up to 'cuddle temperature' and smells of me I guess. I also feed him wrapped in a blanket and then put him down still wrapped up and that seems to help.

just got my ds to nap by rocking him in his pram basket. i feel like singing for joy but am shhhhhing everyone including the cats!!!