Sleep for a 3 month old - out of ideas

[Misty1234]

Hi, DD is 3 months and sleeps a total of 8 - 10 hours out of 24....we know that its not enough and we've tried everything we know (FYI - 2nd time parents, first was a nightmare but took a dummy).

The issue is that she refuses to nap during the day other than in a sling on her mum after breast feeding for no more than 1hr at a time. Shes a great feeder but will wake up instantly if put down away from mum.

We've tried it all....Dummy & bottle feeding (won't take them), cot swing, arm rocking, driving in the car, buggy rocking, long walks, mums milk covered bra/smelly t-shirt, euan the sheep...nothing works during the day. White noise helps at night but not at day time.

DD sleeps not to bad at night, waking maybe every 2-3 hours. We use a sleepyhead (pillow crib) but may take 1.5 hours to get DD settled.

We thought reflux but been through the gaviscon and other treatments.

We'd welcome any suggestions....We're won't let DD cry much...so no long crying techniques :-) x

Thanks x

It seems to me that the issue is not that she wont sleep, it's that she wont sleep how you want her too.

If she's happy to sleep in the sling while feeding then just keep doing that?

My baby in the early days would only nap on me after been fed and would wake if I put him down. I think you just have to go with the flow at the start. It does get better.
At around 5 months m, he took naps upstairs and I fed and put him down. Then he stated self settling around 7 months.

Just do whatever works.

My son wouldn't nap in his cot til he was six months. Prior to that he'd only sleep in the sling.

I'd just let her sleep in the sling, at that age you should just prioritise sleep, however it comes!

Make sure she's not over tired which means going no more than 2 hours without a nap at that age. Don't expect too much from your baby. She's only 3 months old and wants her Mum. Both of you hop into bed and let her cuddle you and nap together. I wouldn't bother with any sleep training because the 4 month regression is coming and it all goes up the left then anyway.

thanks for sharing views and yes agree that sometimes one way is the only way for the first 6 months. our first barely slept longer than 1 or 2 hours at one stint for months but was more flexible in terms of options. DD is thriving whichbus the main thing...amazing with such little sleep xxx