Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

My 3 month old will only sleep at night on me

2 replies

amchugh17 · 02/09/2017 06:36

Hi

I'm having trouble with my 3 month old. The last few nights whenever I put her down to sleep at night after about 20 minutes she starts kicking, wriggling a lot, fussing and just won't sleep. I have to pick her up and either feed her again to settle her until she falls asleep on me or she just automatically falls asleep on my chest. I then put her down again and the same thing happens all over again. I do this 4 or 5 times a night where I get to the point I give in and end up letting her sleep on my chest as it seems to be the only way she will have consistent sleep without waking. Also her bedtime seems to be around 11pm where as I'm reading a lot of babies going down between 7pm and 9pm. I feel like I'm doing something wrong. I hope someone can help

OP posts:
crazycatlady5 · 02/09/2017 08:00

Would she sleep next to you cuddled up rather than on your chest? That way you might get some rest too hopefully - otherwise has she eber had a problen sleeping on her back? Sounds like it could possibly be disconfort to me - silent reflix perhaps. You could tilt her cot? If its more to do with wanting mummy i would advise cosleeping if youre ok with it - if not, leave somethong thaf smells of you in the cot and try warming it with a hot water bottle. Of also try waiting until in a very deep sleep!

Sorry, essay over!

FATEdestiny · 02/09/2017 13:59

Was she previously swaddled amchugh17? Because a swaddle is very useful through this arms/legs flaying flying around stage, as a way to calm and still baby. It's ok to carry on swaddling past 3 months, however it is unsafe to start swaddling at this late stage. So if you didn't swaddle before you can't now.

If not swaddling you can use your hands to still and calm her. One hand on her legs and one holding her hands at her chest. A dummy helps in doing this, so baby can be comfort sucking while being calmed and stilled.

Without a dummy you may well just end up trying to pin down a screaming baby in doing this, which is no good for anyone. The dummy helps to calm, sooth and quiten though.

Sleeping on your chest is very dangerous at night. Sleeping next to you (cosleeping) can be done safely.

Without something to suck when going to sleep (nipple or dummy) you are likely to get some crying. So it becomes about balancing your priorities.

Cosleeping and feeding to sleep is usually low on crying and effort. Longer term expectations need to be set.

Dummy and a sidecar cot (1 side removed off a normal cot and wedged to your bed) is better for more independant sleep - so baby can learn to go to sleep in the cot on own. Ususlly lower on crying but requires more effort than above.

Sleep training methods where you stay and comfort baby in the cot will definately involve crying, possibly a lot. About the same overall levels of time and effort as sidecar cot cuddles and dummy methods. But also requires high levels of consistency and determination to follow through.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.