Newborn will only sleep on me!

[LL308]

Hi guys,

Just looking for some advice.. I have a 4 day old baby boy and completely understand that there is no such thing as a routine at this age!

But it’s weird, baby will sleep during the day and only really wakes up for his feeds. He will also happily be placed into his snuzpod crib during the day and will sleep in there.

However! Night time is a complete different story and i’m unsure as to why. I will feed him, change him etc but as soon as I put him in his crib at night he fusses and cries until I pick him up. He will sleep during the night but ONLY if he is on somebody’s chest or laying in their arms.

Any tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

He's only been out of your womb for four days. He's used to hearing your heart beat, your stomach rumbling, every little noise through you.

Do you BF? Get a comfy pillow behind you and practise side lying, this will save your sleep at nights.

Good luck OP, congratulations on your little sleep thief bundle of joy.

That's lovely! Have you read about the fourth trimester?

DD1 would not accept any other bed than someone's arms or chest. DD3 is the 3rd baby to sleep in my arms. And actually I have mostly a good night sleep.

There are some things (like long sausages, a baby nest?) you put around the baby and may comfort them

I know that’s very true - I think it’s just going to be a case of sleeping as and when I can these next few weeks!

Breastfeeding has been a nightmare and I’ve spent the majority of my day today in floods of tears.. Milk came in yesterday and the first couple of days (colostrum stage) was agonising. Felt like needles being pushed through my nipple whenever he suckled and also he was never ever satisfied after. He just wanted to feed non stop. So out of desperation I did turn to formula, I’ve tried mixed feeding breast and formula yesterday and today but today he would absolutely not latch on at all. He would scream and refuse to take to the nipple. I think I may have caused confusion now between nipple and bottle.... which has really upset me as I desperately, desperately want to try breastfeeding again. So any tips there would also help! I would do anything for him to latch.

Verrry common problem there. Difficult when you are trying to sleep at night though with the fear of falling asleep with them on you.
Only thing I can suggest is try to sleep a lot in the day if that's when baby will sleep away from you.

Please just him sleep on you! It will not form an unbreakable habit and he needs it now. Enjoy your lovely baby!

Get your other half or anyone you can bubble with to take baby for a walk in the pram while you get a rest. It's absolutely draining the first few weeks.

BF is tough to start sometimes and is not helped by sleep deprivation.
If you want to continue there are websites and people who can help. La Leche League often have helplines you can call for advice. Google your local BFing consultant, see if they can examine for tongue tie. My first born had it and was excruciating.

But if you don't want to BF don't beat yourself up, and look forward to your other half helping out at night!

Thanks everyone, honestly these last few days have been the best most amazing yet most challenging of my life!

He was born emergency c section and I hate to be one of them to complain and make it all about me but it was really traumatic and I already had 2 nights no sleep even before he was born due to the labour.

So no sleep along with the breastfeeding issue has made me very emotional! I think i’d feel better if he latched on and was satisfied but I think I may have to accept that breastfeeding just isn’t for him.. he absolutely loves his bottle now after just a day! But I will seek advice and see if there is anything I can do (thank you for pointing out tongue tie too - I will get this checked).

Never thought I’d be so desperate for baby to feed, before he arrived I thought I wouldn’t like breastfeeding but it really is the most magical bonding experience and I don’t want it to end.

My little girl is 9 weeks now and we had the exact same sleep issue. We had to look up safe co-sleeping and go with that and actually slept really well. I didn’t want to but we needed to sleep and it seemed the safest option. Now we’re in the transition period where I can get her in her bedside crib most nights from about 10.30-4.30ish so it doesn’t last too long.
With breastfeeding, have you tried shields? I used them because of the pain when she was about 4 days old and she’s never weaned without them. It’s not ideal BUT, as someone reminded me, it enabled us to keep breastfeeding and we’re still feeding now so maybe give that a go!