Aaaarrrggghhhh! Co-sleep or no sleep!

[Juwesm]

How how how can I get 2 week old ds to sleep in his moses basket? He sleeps very happily in the bed next to me, but as soon as I transfer him to basket he wakes up and screams. I don't want to co-sleep; it worries me and I end up getting no sleep as it is so uncomfortable!

Help!

Hi,

how are you getting on?

My DS went through a little phase of this when my DS was a baby, but he was not always like that just at about 3 weeks old has yours always been like that?

I found that if I put the moses basket on the bed and peered in it settled him IYKWIM.

Also it sounds horrible but the chances are he may just be getting a startle and would be fine after a few minutes if you left him to cry but that is hard but good for both of you as he will get used to it and you can get a minutes peace

Could also try a cot mobile above him and just put him straight into moses basket instead of laying with you.

Congratulations on your newborn. Babies this young often have reflux (nothing to worry about, perfectly normal) which makes them less comfortable flat on their backs. We put DS on an incline and it made a huge difference. You can put bricks/big books under the legs of the moses basket on one end to get an incline. Alternately, you can hold him until he has been asleep for 5-10 min before laying him down. Also minimise the vertical distance you move him through when putting him down. E.g. sit down on your bed so the transfer is more horizontal IYSWIM.

DD was rxactly the same and we found that swaddling made a huge difference. We got a receiving blanket from mothercare swaddle

I agree with ches too, make sure he is absolutely asleep before putting him down & minimise the vertical distance (I still have to do both of these with dd who is now 3 months old)

Congratulations on your ds! Hope you find something that works soon!

Thanks for all the messages - gave up shortly after I posted and plonked him in our bed and he went out like a light!

Mamadiva - he's been like it since he was born. In fact, he slept in my bed immediately after he was born - I'd had a spinal and couldn't really move about so the hospital staff popped him in with me for the night. Obviously he liked it! I think you're probably right about leaving him to have a cry though . I will also try to hunt out a mobile that we can fix above he basket somehow.

Ches - I'll try raising the end of the basket, thanks! I have tried holding him for ages after he finishes feeding (as long as I can stay awake) - been trying to wait until he's gone through the fidgety arms-and-legs-waving bit of sleep and is into a good solid sleep, but he wakes as soon as I put him down - must be the temperature/ position change. Basket is right next door to the bed, so transfer distance is minimal.

Lulu - I do think swaddling might help - he has dreadfully fidgety arms and legs, but I was reluctant to do it as the MWs at the hospital discouraged it due to risk of overheating. I wonder if I can swaddle him in a muslin square - that should be reasonably cool I imagine.

Hiya Juwesm,

I had the mobile on the cot but the moses basket inside IYKWIM before that we had this, and he loved it he used to reach for it from about 5 weeks was v.cute

Also never thought of swaddling my DS also loved that I think I still have some of his cream cellular blankets if you would like them they seemed to be fine.

MWs at my hospital (last summer) swaddled the baby for you! We swaddled DS in a muslin for his first few weeks, really helped him settle and it was thin enough not to worry about overheating. I would give it a try.

juwesm - why don't you want to co-sleep? i only ask because DD2 was like this, just wouldn't sleep in her moses basket and so i ended up bf her in bed and we would fall asleep. some nights she would transfer into her moses basket ok in the middle of the night but inevitably most of the time we just ended up sleeping together and she fed in the night without even waking me...

personally at this early stage i would say do whatever you have to do to get some sleep. he is so young and too early to get into bad habits. by about 3 or 4 months when she wasn't feeding so much in the night I put her in her moses basket/cot and let her cry for a bit to settle herself. really was a very easy transition at that stage.

Hi,
Swaddling is definately the way to go. I have just ordered some large muslin squares to restart swaddling my 6 month old to stop him scratching his eczema but also he seems to sleep better. have a look here www.bigmuz.com
I swaddled with just a normal crib sheet until he outgrew it and I don't think he was too hot.

Mamadiva, Tinierclanger - swaddling definitely seems like it may be the way to go.

Amidaiwish - I just don't feel comfortable with co-sleeping. It's not something I ever planned to do. DH sleeps like a log, so I don't like having DS between us, albeit in a super-kingsized bed! I hate waking up and realising I have been completely conked out for the last 2 hours or so and unaware DS was right next to me. Although I suppose I may well have been aware, and only barely asleep. It's mainly the worry about accidentally covering him with the enormous duvet.

Starlight - love the idea of toy down bra! May go out tomorrow with a teddybear peeking out from between my norks! Pre-birth, I was sleeping with a little soft taggy-cloth, with the intention of making it smell of Mummy and act a a comforter. Now too worried to give it to him in the basket in case he manages to stick it over his head! PFB, I know, I know!

Jojo - thanks for the link - extra-large cloths will be ideal. I don't think the ones I've got will keep his powerful little legs in check!