Baby won't nap anywhere but in arms/on people

[blueberrypudding]

She's six weeks old and hasn't been able to nap in her Moses basket since she turned 4 weeks!

It's so odd as she sleeps in the basket absolutely fine at night.

We've tried putting her down when she's already asleep but she just wakes instantly, screams and won't go back to sleep again, even if she's overtired.

It means while DH is at work I'm constantly chained to the sofa or rocking her to sleep in her pram or in arms. We've even tried a rocking base for the basket and it worked for one day and then never again. We've also tried baby carriers and wraps but she hates them!

Is this normal? I'm getting to the point where I'm just accepting that she needs to be on me to nap and that my days are dedicated to being a human cot.

I'd say it's entirely normal for a 6 week old. They just love their mums :)

If she's settling reasonably well in her basket at night I wouldn't worry too much at this stage about day time. Might be worth persisting with a wrap though as it will make your life easier if you can have hands free and move around while she snoozes. What ones have you tried?

Yes normal!!

Just enjoy it. She will nap on her own when she is ready!

Completely normal, just go with it

Dd1 was like that in the early days.

I eventually managed to get her to drop off for short periods in a baby swing.

dd2, on the other hand, settled perfectly in her carrrycot,then her cot, for daytime naps.

I just always had a good book to hand....!

Yes normal. I used a sling for these times, kept me sane.

My LO is 8weeks and I was in your shoes at 6weeks. She would fall asleep when in the pram if it was nap time so all this week we've been taking her out in the carrycot on the pram around the block until she falls asleep then either wheeling into the garden or house and she's been napping really well.

As it was raining today, DH rocked in arms until calm then put in and pram and wheeled around the ground floor, she's asleep!!

Our aim is to wean her down to a quick rock then nothing as she is at night, we'll see...

Ds was like this. I watched a lot of telly while he slept in my arms. It doesn't last forever, he's six months now and won't sleep in my arms at all, which is a bit of a pain in a way...if I'm out visiting I have to come home for nap time or he gets really cross.

Just to update, wheeling pram working well, the post lunch nap, she actually started getting comfy while I was fannying around getting ready to go out. Still not much luck with the last catnap of the day as she's more grumpy tired but happy for one cuddly nap a day!

My 8 week old is currently doing all his naps in my arms - I've only just cracked actually getting him to sleep regularly so I'm taking it one step at a time - sleep location can come next!

Your so lucky. Mine slept in it in the day but not at night.

Thanks all! I took your advice and persevered with the sling. Managed to get her into it yesterday - she whined a little as I put her in and settled her.

I then rocked her to white noise and she seemed to settle. She then slept for two hours! So not quite the moses basket I was hoping for but at least now I've got my hands free. :)

Mine did this for months and month. Fantastic sleeper at night, rubbish sleeper during the day. I admit we just gave in and went with it - I watched a lot of telly and read a lot of books and walked a lot! In the end I missed it when she grew out of it.

As everyone kept saying to me when DD was that age, as long as you've got ok nights then you can put up with anything during the day. I think that's generally true.

I found knowing that I was going to curl up on the sofa with DD asleep and so getting a snack and some water and the remote ready made it easier.