I am just shattered please suggest solutions...

[oggybags]

My baby is just 3 days old and is a gorgeous happy healthy little boy, he is interactive as much ad they are at this early stage, feeds well (br f) and is happy being held by anyone.... BUT
he point blank refuses to sleep on his back anywhere flat alone ie Moses basket at nighthe screams for hours
I was in labour from a week ago anf haven't slept more than 2 hrs day since then
I am shattered
how / what can I go to get him to sleep even just 3 hrs night?
I've rocked calmed soothed etc
what trick am I missing??
He is still sleeping on me or dh sat up awake, clearly we can't
thanks so much

Have you tried co-sleeping? just for a couple of weeks, just to get everyone some sleep? If you're worried about space, perhaps your DH can sleep in the spare room temporarily, then you sleep with your DS. I always kept one arm out above DS's head so there was never any chance that I would roll on him, and I kept him under his own blanket away from the main bedclothes.

DS didn't like sleeping on his back much either - he would wail and wriggle - he much preferred sleeping on his side. And although some people swear by swaddling, he LOATHED it.

Hope you get some sleep soon!

Might sound patronising and useless at this stage I know, but it does get better. Like you I had a long labour (5 days) and very little sleep in the early days. It really is like torture. I was an absolute wreck! Co-sleeping is a good idea if you can manage to feed lying down, and take it in turns to nap/hold the baby. Try getting your partner to have the baby in a sling, they often sleep longer like that so you can rest more.

The best way to 'solve' newborn problems is usually just to wait a week and they'll be doing something different anyway. THIS WILL PASS. Hang in there.

Can someone else take over for a few hours while you're having some kip?

Co-sleep, do it safely and don't listen to anyone who tells you you're 'making a rod for your own back' or you're risking your baby's safety (hence why i said 'do it safely'). Babies that young can't form bad habits. My DS was uncomfortable on his back. We got no sleep until i co-slept (having previously said i'd never do it). Then, bliss!

I've got a 6 week old and remember this too well. You need to do whatever you can to get through this period and I honestly don't think you can embed bad habits at this stage.

I ended up co-sleeping with DS on and off, which relaxed him (= sleep!) and bought me a few hours, and he's now sleeping happily in his own moses basket. There were also nights where the only way he would drop off would be lying on DH's or my chest. Again - do whatever it takes to get yourself some sleep.

Is he eating? Once DS started feeding properly he stopped the screaming fits, so this may help.

And if you can find a relative who will come and take over for a few hours then do it.

Good luck.

Another one who backs co-sleeping here. Mine liked sleeping on their side, head on the crook of my elbow. One plus is no flat-head syndrome :)

I co-slept with DS1 for the first few weeks against my will as could just not settle him in that bloody basket! But it was fine, he's a great sleeper now on his own (aged 22 months) so no bad habits formed.

DD1 is now 1 week old and I'm co-sleeping for now as she cluster-feeds late at night - I'm just enjoying it this time around, it's so cute! And comfy feeding lying down too if you can. I think I got more sleep last night than I did in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy!!

PS wolfhound with DS1 I remember feeling terrified whenever a health visitor observed DS1's "lovely shaped head" - my HV's were quite militantly against co-sleeping, I thought they'd call social services or something!!

Loads of babies at this age will only sleep on you, so if you can, get someone to come over, hand baby to them and GO STRAIGHT TO BED. No cuppa, no chat, just go to bed. Visitor can sit and watch tv for a couple of hours with newborn on chest and wake you when it's feeding time.

Time will pass and you will (probably) survive. Apparently you forget this nightmare stuff although I am not convinced

Congratulations!

Are you swaddling him? That might help if you don't want to go down the co-sleeping route.
This book might help if it continues. It basically goes through the 5 s's to get babies to sleep - swaddling, shssing(white noise - have you tried that - hairdryer worked for my DS), swaying, sucking and side lying (holding your baby on their side as you rock them I think). Good luck.

I recommend swaddling too - it was the only thing that helped my dd1 to sleep in the first few months. There are great instructions here.

raisingchildren.net.au/articles/wrapping_a_newborn_video.html/context/825

Hammock ?

I do remember this stage with my first daughter - some babies just don't seem to want to sleep and people didn't seem to believe me about how bad she was. With her, I got a sling and she used to sleep in the day in that, being carried around all the time. At night, she did learn to sleep in her basket, but I had to put her down asleep and she'd wake up more often than not. It does get better though, I promise!

There are some good suggestions to try above. Have you tried him sleeping on his side, you can do this propped up by rolled up blankets? Some babies just don't like sleeping on their backs when little.

I hesitate to say this, but will he sleep on his front? If that's the only way he'll sleep, and it preserves your own sanity, then I wouldn't rule it out. There is a higher risk of SIDS, but I'd suggest trying it while watching him, and if it works, you could get one of those baby sensing mats to go under him for your peace of mind.

Also, what's the mattress like? My niece wouldn't sleep in her moses basket until my sister got a new, thicker mattress, that did the trick!

I hope this helps, good luck!