3week old wont sleep on back

[Junosmum]

FTM. DS is 3 weeks old. He will not sleep in his crib (snuzpod) or Moses basket. If he falls asleep on the breast he can get transferred to them and will stay sleep for 20ish minutes.

So I've started bedsharing with him, something I'm really not happy with but it's the only way I've got any sleep. He won't sleep in the snuzpod, even if I'm practically in there with him. He'll also sleep on a chest or in your arms. I noticed that the difference is that on our chest, in our arms or when bed sharing with me he's on his side (he'll feed lying down whilst bed sharing and we'll both fall asleep, when I wake and he's come off he wakes if I roll him on to his back). He just seems to have an issue with being on his back, so much so that he's almost rolling over when in his crib! What can I do to get him happier on his back?

Have you tried swaddling? My baby had the same problem but once swaddled he slept better. Have a read online about how to do it safely and give it a try if you are happy with the idea.

I've got 3, and all mine preferred to sleep on their side. Roll up a towel, swaddled him (if he likes it), and prop them up against the towel. Good luck and enjoy your lovely snuggly newborn! (Sniffs baby head vicariously)

As mentioned by both posters above - try swaddling

I just cut a cot sheet in half along the short edge - to make two very long, thin rectangles. Perfect swaddle blankets with loads of material to wrap around baby.

Just 3 weeks ago your baby was tightly squeezed into a very enclosed, dark, space - your womb. The swaddle recreates that tight, secure feeling in the womb.

My boy was the same - he slept on his side in bed with me for the first 2-3 weeks. I got stressed about it too, but actually it was fine and all of a sudden he was ok with being on his back (4-5 weeks). Hang in there and it will probably change, but don't get too worried.

My solution was the sleepyhead, been great for us

Mine was the same, I'll probably get flamed but I let him sleep on his side. When I put him on his back he'd just go onto his side anyway. If they insist on it you can't really do anything

Junosmum - how did you and the babe do? Have you tried either swaddling or propping him against a rolled towel?

It's fine to let him sleep on his side. Mine did. It is actually recommended for reflux babies (like mine). You can try alternating sides if you are worried about flat head on one side.

Sleep him on his side or front. And bed sharing is great!

He absolutely hated being swaddled! So he slept on his side and I got 3 lots of 2 hours between feeds. He was still next to so need to try moving him in to his own bed! With the rolled towel, do I put that behind his back or to stop him rolling on his front?

DS spent the first ten weeks sleeping on me. He progressed to co sleeping/ sidecar cot. He's now flitting between our bed and a bottom bunk.

Put the roll in front of him - place it so that the top of it is about chest height, so he can lean on it and be able to breathe, but not able roll onto his tummy; he will be able to roll back onto his back, but apart from perhaps waking, he will be ok

Funny! I used to prop towel behind them, so they were tilted slightly backwards, and has plenty of clear air around the chops. I guess - as with all things parenting - it depends on the baby and child!!