I am new to mumsnet - I have a lovely little 8 wk old daughter who is challenging me with several sleep issues and I and look forward to any advice/suggestions that anybody may have. I feel like nothing I am doing is working and am getting desperate! Here is a bit of background:
Days: She can ONLY fall asleep if being rocked for ages or, especially, if she breastfeeds until she falls asleep. As soon as she is put down in her moses basket, cot or bouncer chair, she wakes up, if not instantly, within 5 minutes and cries, and she is still obviously sleepy. She has never been able to fall asleep on her own accord - she gets very close, but without fail, she wakes herself up as soon as her eyes start to droop. She absolutely hates her pram and carseat - she has never been able to fall asleep in them and instead screams blue murder as soon as she gets tired. The only place I seem to be able to get her to sleep without breastfeeding her is in a sling.
Nights: She is currently sleeping pretty fairly well during the night, (going to bed at 7pm and waking for feeds around midnight and 3am and then up around 5.30am), however, again, she needs to be breastfed and then placed in her cot when she is in a deep sleep. I have tried putting her down awake and it has worked a few times at night, but more often than not, she screams and instantly wants to go back on the breast.
I suppose the days are a bigger issue because I feel housebound and like all I do is spend the entire day trying to get her to sleep which is exhausting for the both of us!
Has anybody had these problems?
Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get my daughter to settle herself to sleep when she has not ever been able to do it up to now?
Has anybody tried using a sleep consultant/specialist, and if so, can they recommend anybody? (I am in SW London).
I look forward to your responses!
Mx