Newborn only sleeps on me

[Goldleaf76]

My baby is 2 weeks old, I'm breastfeeding and he only sleeps on my chest or tummy, day and night. I can't put him down on my bed, Snuzpod or Sleepyhead. I try to stay awake at night but it's difficult and I'm so worried something unthinkable might happen when I fall asleep. Can't think of any other options than let him cry in his cot which is heartbreaking as he is only little and needs comfort and security. Don't know what to do. I get almost no sleep at all and not sure how long I can go on like this. Any advice?

Congratulations:) Both mine did this and we’re fine. I took care to follow co- sleeping guidelines - no pillows, baby was in sleeping bag, I had covers only up to my waste and wore long- sleeve tops. I can’t remember st what age I could slide either of them off me.

Hey.

I'm a new dad too and posted something similar last week.

We have a 10-day old son. We were exhausted after having to have him sleep on our chests but slowly but surely we've encouraged him on to his moses basket. We did this by 1) letting him completely doze off in our arms and then putting him in 2) white noise from a Bluetooth speaker directly under his basket (left on all night) 3) hot water bottle on his mattress before putting him in. 4) putting him in his Moses basket during the day whenever he is not feeding. Even if he's awake this seems to work as he's become far more familiar with it in the last three days whereas on Monday he absolutely hated it.

I'm inexperienced but can only say what's helped for us.

Good luck!

Thank you both very much, will try NuDad's method and also the long sleeve tops-didn't think of that myself.

Just seconding the suggestion of warming the mattress with a hot water bottle, made a big difference for us. Have you tried swaddling as well?

Oh and another suggestion is t have something that smells like you in the cot. Obviously nothing lose that could be a suffocation hazard though, so either the blanket you're using or something tucked in tightly over the sheet.

Why long sleeved tops?

To keep you warm and remove risk of baby getting smothered by blankets

I used to keep my duvet only up to waist height

Have to tried feeding to sleep on your side with baby on the bed and following the safe co sleeping guidelines. That way if you fall asleep they are in a safer position. It is more dangerous on your chest.

This is very normal btw! Co slept with my children (following guidance) for years and have slept better than all other friends with little ones.

I co-slept with both of mine, too. Your baby wants warmth and comfort. Google 'fourth trimester'.

I co-slept (baby born Nov) so had duvet to waist, long sleeve top & a large cellular blanket, did the trick as I always felt freezing!

Btw it's totally normal for a baby to want to be on/with you!

Yes, this is totally normal newborn behaviour and one of the things nobody tells you before you have one - that they might have no intention of sleeping in any of the things you have bought for them to sleep in.

We coslept and fed on side and I'd do it again - in fact I actively haven't bothered getting anything for dc2 due shortly to sleep in, because I expect them to be in my bed. I used to wear a longsleeved rugby shirt I could pull up to feed. Baby was in cot/Moses basket at 4mo.

Both of mine were exactly the same and I ended up cosleeping with them for the first 5 months.

I was always in awe of anyone who actually managed to get a little baby in its own bed! Good luck op

My dc2 is 3 wks old and is like this. me and dh took shifts sleeping for the first couple of weeks (also my mum helped when she could) while trying to put him in Moses basket/ sleepyhead every so often. He's now sleeping for longer periods in it ( only like 3 hours at night but hopefully it will improve).
He does sleep a bit in it in the day but not for long. Sleep patterns are up and down for the first 8 wks or so, so I have faith things will improve.

Swaddling tightly in a large muslin helps too.

The NHS don't like to admit it, and for some reason it doesn't fit in to our society anymore, but babies are designed to sleep on you. They are vulnerable and your job is to protect them. Look up safe co-sleeping guidelines and don't let people scaremonger you. Most 'co-sleeping' fatalities are from or following guidelines, such as trying to stay sat up, awake.

fanny Can you point me to the data on fatalities please? I ask not not be facetious buy it's something I requested from journalists a few weeks ago who reported stories on co sleeping fatalities but without pointing to the source data so it was hard to get a clear picture of what was actually the case.

I think the problem is, is that so much of the data us clumped together without differentiating. I've definetly seen it broken down, I'll keep looking to see where. The Isisonline bed sharing pdf does state the other factors but not statistics.

Could you try to feed lying down and let him fall into a deep sleep and then lift him into Moses basket/co-sleeper? Or just let him bed share if you're comfortable with that?

Safe cosleeping.

Thank you. I tried to breastfeed him in the snuzpod but found it really uncomfortbale and he started crying as soon as I got up. Same with swaddling, he was only happy being swaddled in the hospital for the first day but is very wriggly now. He also wants to be fed very frequently (all the time) as he nods off in the middle of the feed and wakes up for more as soon as I move myself.Maybe it takes him longer to get into the deep sleep stage. I have read the guidelines but they only seem to be about co-sleeping in the same bed, not baby on you so all the suggestions here are very much appreciated. I don't mind him sleeping on me, it's lovely to be so close to him, I'm just worried about safety. My husband sleeps in our bedroom and I'm in the nursery on my own so there would be enough space in the bed for co-sleeping BUT he even refuses to sleep in my bed. The consolation is that a midwife I saw told me he is such a relaxed little boy thanks to the security he has had and that co-sleepers tend to grow up more secure and independent adults.

Don't fall asleep with him sleeping on you. Can you try getting your oh to hold him for a few hours while you get sleep? He can wake you up if baby wakes for a feed? He might not always actually need a feed every time he wakes if it's really often