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Sleep

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Original poster

4 week old wont settle upstairs??

12 replies

cezza30 · 21/02/2012 05:13

my 4 wk old baby waking up every hour in moses basket upstairs if i get up with him he settles fine in moses basket downstairs....i know its not good bringin him down had a few nights were he slept through upstairs no prob but past few days hes having none of it! any help/advice would be great

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Petesmum · 21/02/2012 05:18

I'm afraid the only advice I can offer is not to be too hard on yourself or baby with this. They're only 4 weeks old & want the reassurance of having mum / dad nearby. There's plenty of time to get them used to independent sleeping in a few weeks (am sure lots of MNers will disagree!)

mathanxiety · 21/02/2012 05:19

Perfectly fine to bring him down and do whatever works to settle him. There are no rules.

Gigondas · 21/02/2012 05:21

Agree with cezza but does he sleep in Moses basket in day? If not try that as may not be used to it and may settle better if isn't just napping upstairs.

Both dd1 and dd2 (same age as your ds) never esp liked Moses basket tho (dd1 settled beautifully when moved to a cot).

mathanxiety · 21/02/2012 05:21

The first three months are sometimes called the fourth trimester, the reason being that babies need closeness to a warm body still.

south345 · 21/02/2012 05:27

Is it dark upstairs and lighter downstairs? Maybe try a night light if it is?

vvviola · 21/02/2012 05:39

Could it be that it's too quiet upstairs compared to downstairs? Some white noise/music might help.

That said, DD2 slept in her carrycot downstairs for all naps and at bedtime until she was 4 months. I used to just bring her up to bed with me when I went. We gradually changed it over the course of 2 months, and now at nearly 6 months she settles in her cot with no problem at all.

Original poster

cezza30 · 21/02/2012 08:54

its hard coz bein told diff things like shud settle him upstairs then some ppl say doesnt matter at this stage? also there seems to be diff opinions about nursing baby to sleep read an article sayin u shud take them off breast b4 thy fall asleep but i thought ur meant to leave them on till they unlatch?/ baby fell asleep at 5 am after feed then woke at 7 for cuddle might take lamp up to bedroom tonight c if that helps, thanks for advice everyone.

OP posts:

undergroundernie · 21/02/2012 11:18

Agree don't be too hard on yourself or the baby, try to ignore the articles and try and listen to what the baby is telling you. At 4 weeks all of mine did that but settled fine upstairs at a reasonable bedtime between 4 and 5 months, I think that's when bedtime routine starts to make a difference. I read so many books and articles with my first, tried to follow the advice and felt like an horrendous mother when it didn't work. I know it's really hard at frst but try to have faith in yourself and beleive that you do know your baby better than the books. Also feeding to sleep is fine.

FaithHopeAndKevin · 21/02/2012 11:31

At 4 weeks I'd be cluster feeding on the sofa with my feet up and handing the baby over to DH for winding and cuddles since he'd not had any all day.

Flisspaps · 21/02/2012 11:42

At 4 weeks we didn't take DD upstairs to bed until we went upstairs to bed, and then she went into the moses basket right next to the bed.

She fed for as long as she needed to, and fell off the breast once she was full.

Really, your DS is so tiny that I'd not worry about settling him upstairs yet. At around 6 weeks he'll probably have a growth spurt where he'll spend almost all of the evening cluster feeding, so will be on you for most of that time anyway.

Worry about settling him upstairs for 'bedtime' later. Stick the articles and books away, and do what you feel is right :)

mathanxiety · 21/02/2012 19:15

There is no harm showing the difference between night and day at four weeks, so I would say don't use a lamp, let him get used to lighter day vs darker night.

I agree with Flisspaps that trying to put him upstairs at this early point is not really what the baby wants or needs and will not work smoothly. At this age feeding and short naps at roughly two hour intervals is the name of the game. Make it less bright downstairs as evening comes, but keep him with you. Time enough to try to establish nighttime separation and a bedtime when he is about 4 to 6 months (though there is sometimes a feeding and growth spurt at 4 months that might interfere at that point). Sleeping for long intervals is unusual at 4 weeks and might have a negative impact on milk production.

Also agree - throw out the articles and books.

BellaCB · 23/02/2012 21:23

I'm no expert at all as my DC1 is also only 4 weeks old, but for the past week we have been swaddling her and she is settling so much better upstairs (though we're still having the problem like you of getting her to sleep in the first place). I think she was waking herself up when she moved her arms or legs! We actually only started the swaddling for the daytime naps as she wasn't having any at all, but then we tried it at night and she has slept phenomenally better. Could be worth a try?

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