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Original poster

3 week old fighting sleep HELP

21 replies

Lj199024 · 30/06/2020 17:50

I have a beautiful 3 week old DD and for the past week she fights her sleep and naps and I don't know what to do.
She is clearly tired and I spend maybe 30 mins EVERY nap and sleep time getting her to sleep. Sometimes she will sleep for a few hours (in my arms) sometimes for 45 minutes. If I was to put her down she would wake up. I have read about awake times etc and try and not keep her up so she's overtired. I am just at the end of my tether. Nighttimes are exactly the same. She wakes up so many times a night unsettled. Wanting rocked etc to sleep. Someone help please.

OP posts:
firstimemamma · 30/06/2020 17:56

I'm really sorry op but it sounds like totally normal newborn behaviour to me. Are you able to watch tv while your baby naps in your arms? That's what I did, the cleaning etc had to take a backseat. Wish I had any advice for nighttime! Well done for getting this far, it's really hard in the early days Thanks

Wingingthis · 30/06/2020 17:57

Have you ruled out reflux?

Wingingthis · 30/06/2020 17:58

Also a dummy? I was against one but has worked brilliantly with my 10 week old!

OverTheRainbow88 · 30/06/2020 18:02

My 17 month old still fights his sleep!

Original poster
Lj199024 · 30/06/2020 18:04

@firstimemamma thank you for replying. It's my third baby believe it or not and I've never had one like her I just felt like I was doing something wrong. I guess housework etc will have to wait like you say. Its so hard Its got to the point I dread her waking up as know a little while after I will have to start the whole nap time crying match again xxx

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Original poster
Lj199024 · 30/06/2020 18:07

@Wingingthis I did wander about reflux. She's not a very sicky baby but does have hiccups ALL the time and Is clearly unsettled. Wonder if it's worth making a GP app. The dummy has been a godsend ... Until she spits it out Sad xxx

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Original poster
Lj199024 · 30/06/2020 18:08

@OverTheRainbow88 oh no. I actually think I would combust if I had 17 month of this xx

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Persipan · 30/06/2020 18:09

Have you tried a sling?

firstimemamma · 30/06/2020 18:10

@Lj199024 oh sorry if I worded my post wrong - I didn't realise dd is your third! I hope she starts to sleep for longer stretches soon.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 30/06/2020 18:33

We had this with DS!! FIrst of all, you aren't alone in struggling with this. It was awful!

Have you considered silent reflux? We struggled with this for a while, but we still had problems getting him to sleep while upright.

We used a stretchy wrap for daytime naps, and I used to walk several miles a day to try and facilitate his naps, 45 min is a sleep cycle btw. Evening sleep was in our arms, in the wrap, or on the couch while we sat awake as sleeping on pillows or cushions is against safe sleep advice. They even advise against that, but there were days I got so touched out I just had to put him down!!

We sleep trained at 6 months and its helped massively, DS is 21 m9nths now and sleeps fairly well

Original poster
Lj199024 · 30/06/2020 19:15

Thank you so much. It's nice to know I'm not alone. I have read a few posts re silent reflux and she does have the symptoms. Which treatment worked for you?

Yes we have a sling. She does fight her sleep even in that but she eventually goes to sleep and I do find it easier having my hands free.

Sounds like I will just persevere and do similar to yourself. Anything to get her to nap. I just get alot of comments ... Spoiling her, making a rod for my own back rocking her all the time. But it's literally the only way she will sleep and she's still very little xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Lj199024 · 30/06/2020 19:15

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

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Zebrasinpyjamas · 30/06/2020 19:23

Dc3 would not be out down for the first few weeks. She did grow out of it (still loves cuddles now) so hang it there. It was such a shock though as she slept a lot but only on.me or dh and dc1 and 2 weren't like that. We had rotas of holding her including the evenings!! I found a lot of my friends whose DC were older were so willing to hold during visits too but that was before Corona!

Persipan · 30/06/2020 20:20

I just get alot of comments ... Spoiling her, making a rod for my own back rocking her all the time.

You can't spoil a 3 week old baby. These people are talking drivel, ignore them.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 30/06/2020 20:48

Ranitidine, I BF so gaviscon didn't work for us. It helped DS to sleep for a few hours at a time, something he didn't do till about 4 months old. I know there are supply problems with ranitidine just now though, if you are FF one of my friends babies had great success with gavuscon.

What we had was definitely not typical newborn behaviour, the times I watched my friends babies just drop off for a nap in their car seats or prams while all the other mums had a coffee after sensory classes while I paced around trying to get DS to nap, or have them complain that their baby had been up 3 times in the night when I'd only had 4 hours of broken sleep and had already walked 6 miles that day to get DS to nap.

Sorry, don't get dragged into my pity party here, DS is an amazing toddler now, will be 2 in September and while he's an early riser he goes down with no crying or complaints at 7.30pm and he wakes us with gurgles and singing anytime between 5am and 6.30am. He also naps in the cot at lunchtime and is a fab child!

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 30/06/2020 20:50

Also Yes, as Persipan has said, you cannot spoil a child with love and cuddles

Cassy1985 · 02/07/2020 09:24

I am dealing with a similar problem. Have a 4week old baby girl. Early during the day she's settled but as the day progresses she's super active n nights doesn't sleep at all. Feeding too is a problem late evening. She's super gassy n struggles to feed crying continuously n then wen tired falls asleep in my arms for few minutes. Have tried all colic relief meds available. Nothing helps.

Original poster
Lj199024 · 02/07/2020 12:00

@Cassy1985 we are th exact same. She was so overtired she cried for 2 hours last night. She would eventually drift off in my arms and then within a few minutes her eyes would be open again. It's hard work. We've tried various bottles colief etc to see if it's that but not really seeing any improvement. When she's feeding she's squirming the entire time. She spends her days just so tired off napping so little and seems so miserable. I also can't put her down at all she's such a light sleeper. My partner farted and woke her up Grin I've got to laugh otherwise I'll cry xxx

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Cassy1985 · 02/07/2020 14:55

Seems like V both r sailing in the same boat. So I m not the only one experiencing this.

Cassy1985 · 06/07/2020 11:25

My 5 week old baby's belly bottun hasn't healed yet. It's just oozing out some fluid. Is anyone having same problem with baby

OverTheRainbow88 · 06/07/2020 12:32

Try and keep it very dry for the day but if it’s still doing that by tomo I would give your Hv a ring?

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