On my knees- 9 week old sleep...

[ellangirl]

She just doesn't sleep! She has maybe 3 naps a day but approx 45 mins max and usually in someone's arms. She will sleep for longer in a sling. She screams in car seats and her pram( haven'y even bothered trying pram for a few weeks to be honest- too traumatic ESP in a public place! Most evenings she screams, I think with over tiredness. There's nothing which makes me worry there's anything else going on. night time for the most part is bearable, but only because I have taken to co sleeping which is not something I want to do, but it's the only way I get any sleep at all, and then she usually wakes 3 hourly. I Am so tired, and it's hard on my 3 yr old DS too as he doesn't get much time with me without DD. HV just says she'll be getting all the sleep she needs and all babies are different. I know that of course, but is it really possible for such a young baby to be ok with about 10 hours sleep in 24??

This sounds so like my DS, a few weeks ago. Nobody seemed to appreciate how difficult it is to have a baby who hardly sleeps in the daytime - our nights were ok, he would sleep in his Moses basket ( although still wake every 3 hours to feed). But I'd spend my days tied down with a grumpy baby who wouldn't sleep. It must be even harder with an older child to look after.

At around 13 weeks he started thumb sucking, which helped massively. (He refused a dummy). He still wakes every 4-6 hours at night, but it's a massive improvement. And all of a sudden, at 17 weeks, he has started taking longer daytime naps in his Moses basket. Sometimes even 2 hours!

I stressed & worried about what to do, even started reading up on controlled crying for naps, but if I'm honest he just figured it out in his own on his own time - it's like he had to learn how to sleep. I don't know if anything I did made much difference, but I did keep trying to put him down when he looked tired, in his sleeping bag, in a darkened room, with white noise. (White noise definitely helps him). If he was still crying after 10-15 min , or if the crying escalated, I got him up again. Eventually it just seemed to click. I hope your LO does the same.

I second the idea of white noise. My DS was much like you've described yours as. The hair dryer was mist effective, although not practical! You can download white noise things into your iPhone if you have one. I have an app called sleep machine, it's brilliant.

I feel your pain, it's so hard. I hope it improves for you soon x

I do use white noise app, it does help a bit. Spaniel face- she really is trying to suck her thumb I think- hope she works it out soon! She won't take a dumny- just gags! My DS is a big thumb sucker which did help him sleep better. It's hard to spend time getting her to sleep in cot with des around as he gets bored waiting and starts trying to 'help'!!