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Original poster

newborn sleep nightmare, officially desperate

443 replies

ExistentialistCat · 05/10/2010 08:32

2 week-old DD2 just won't settle in her crib at night at all. She'll sleep in her moses basket during the day quite happily, though. I've tried all the usual tricks (warming the mattress, swaddling, making a little nest out of a rolled-up blanket etc etc etc). We end up co-sleeping out of necessity but I don't want to, I don't get any sleep like that, and I'm not sure it's safe because DH and I are so extremely dopey now.

I'm averaging 2 hours sleep a night (not all in one chunk) and I just don't know how I can continue like this. I also have a 15 month-old DD1 and it's so unfair on her that I'm a permanently bf-ing zombie during the day.

Does all this settle on its own at the magic 6 week mark or is there something we could do to encourage DD2 to sleep in her crib? How do I survive the next 4 weeks? How much of an influence might bf-ing have, and could a night time bottle of formula help (I ff DD1 and don't remember the sleep issues being quite this bad in the early weeks)?

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Cosmosis · 31/01/2011 11:11

Silv, yes have been trying distraction, it does often work, nappy change and lots of violent bouncing (which he loves, not as some sort of punishment!).

SilverSky · 31/01/2011 14:45

Lol at violent bouncing! I wish I had a magic wand.

I went to bed when ds went to bed. He woke at 1 but he had woken up before that but DH had seen to him and he went back to sleep. So not sure what all that was about. He then woke about 6. So maybe we are getting back on track but we are out Saturday night so that will bugger everything back up again.

Cosmosis · 01/02/2011 08:53

well we had a much better night last night, so feel a bit better.

SilverSky · 01/02/2011 11:19

Hurrah for better night. Anything significantly different happen yesterday?

Cosmosis · 01/02/2011 18:30

he did text book Gina Ford naps Grin oh and I put a long sleeved vest on not a short sleeved one. Today was swimming so hopefull we'll get another decent night.

SilverSky · 01/02/2011 19:46

Fingers xd!!

We've perservered with swaddling and we are almost back to normal albeit 40odd mins later than should be. Hey ho all progress.

1lumpor2 · 01/02/2011 20:07

we've had 2 really bad days :( DS will only stop crying if i hold him and bounce, then he'll fall asleep (he's shattered), if i stop bouncing or put him down he wakes and screams. he wants to suck on my boob all the time but i dont think he's that hungry. i thought the colief was working as he seemed so settled over the weekend but then come monday it was hell again. im beginning to think he prefers his dad, hence being happier at the weekend :( i tried to explain to a HV that i had to continually bounce him and she pretty much made out that he was going to be a spoilt child, i try to put him down but i cant ignore his screaming, he's only 7 weeks old. i dont know what to do and im so tired, i just feel like complete and utter shit.

Cosmosis · 01/02/2011 20:48

first thing you can do is ignore the HV! it sounds horrible though, but it will pass honestly. and of course he doesn't prefer his dad :( have you tried a dummy for the sucking?

SilverSky · 02/02/2011 02:59

Sometimes I think with bf babies that being held by a man just calms them as being held by their mum makes them think of milk/boob/comfort sucking.

Your HV is a silly cow! How ridiculous!!!

Have you tried a miracle blanket and/or White noise?

I used Infacol with success tho takes a week to get in system.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 02/02/2011 08:13

bleuurrrrrghhh!

sorry to hear that there have been no miracles for any of you.

I am at my wits' end. dd2 is waking hourly. yes hourly. every night for a week.

I think the issue is that she is able to break free from her swaddle. I did try her unswaddled in a grobag for a nap yesterday, and she screamed for an hour (with me picking her up and calming her back down in between).

Despite this, i think we might have to persevere with the grobag anyway, and endure the screams, as i can NOt not Not get up every hour to reswaddle. i can hardly get back off before she has broken free again. i can't see straight anymore.

1lumpor2 · 02/02/2011 09:18

unfortunately DS has decided he doesnt like the dummy, the HV was also very helpful with that and said good :( it did work a treat to settle him too. we're back with the swaddling but he does keep waking up, even when swaddled, and screaming. i did see a woman yesterday with an app on her iphone that was white noise which she used to calm her DD, it was brilliant. if only i had an iphone! i tried the hoover today but he was having none of it. we did try infacol for a month but he was still getting worse hence giving colief a try, docs wont prescribe it though as its too expensive. charlotte have you tried a double swaddle? someone else had posted on here that they use a muslin first, folding one corner down to make the straight edge for the neck, then they swaddle in a sheet, she said it was the only way to stop her DD from getting her arms out. its so nice to come on here and get some support, the HV made me feel really bad, i dont like her.

Cosmosis · 02/02/2011 09:44

if you pm me I have a white noise cd I can send you if you want? it does work.

1lumpor2 · 02/02/2011 12:43

will do cosmosis, thanks!

SilverSky · 02/02/2011 23:43

lumpy I have the White Noise app. It's been great!! I really hope the Cd works for you and don't be afraid to have it loud enough.

charlotte the double swaddle with a muslin sounds a good tip!!!

1lumpor2 · 07/02/2011 19:32

hows everyone getting on? DS is actually doing some sleeping from 8ish til 1am, 2am if im lucky so some progress. unfortunately he still fights sleep for the rest of the morning and the whole day and does not want to be put down, tearing my hair out. he's always so agitated and winges constantly in between crying, we're trying colief and infacol at the moment to see if that helps otherwise im considering a trip to the doctors, it cant be normal. i just want to cry at all the baby groups when i see everyone else's babies so calm and happy :( clearly 8 weeks old is not the magic-changing-to-a-happy-baby time.

1lumpor2 · 05/04/2011 19:00

god, do you know DS is now 16 weeks old and just the same :(

Absofrigginlootly · 25/11/2014 23:25

Hey any of you still out there??? My 4 week old DD is very similar....will sleep for 3 hours on you, but rarely in her bed nest or mosses basket :(
Its very hit and miss depending on what sort of day she's having (fussy/windy/ unsettled day. Vs nitemare won't be put down kind of day) but never goes longer than 3 hours (usually 2 at night!)....

As this thread is from 2010/11 what happened? Did they grow out of it? When? What did you do? Or still nitemare (none-!) sleepers??? how did u cope?!

Ab87 · 02/04/2017 20:44

Try the sleepyhead pod. It's helped me a little bit with newborn. Snug and secure.

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