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Sleep

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Original poster

How do I get my baby to sleep on its back

10 replies

esthermate · 16/10/2009 19:39

Ever since my ten week old baby has arrived, she has taken an instant dislike to sleeping on her back in her moses basket. Every time I put her down on her back (after she has drifted off to sleep) she instantly becomes very fidgety, then wakes herself up and then finally starts crying.

The only way I can get her to sleep is either to let her sleep upright in her car seat (which I was doing until I found out that this is extremely bad for their backs) or let her sleep on her front which obviously brings and increased risk of cot death.

I would be greatful for any tips that people have?

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Besom · 16/10/2009 20:53

I think this is a really common problem. My dd hated the moses basket anyway and I never got her to sleep in it.

We used a wraparound sling during the day for her naps and a swinging crib at night. We used to put a hot water bottle in it and then take it out just before putting her in.

The other thing to think about is co-sleeping. You can google guidelines about how to do it safely. There has been stuff in the news about it recently but imo it's a lot safer than baby sleeping upright or on back.

You could also try swaddling? Although she may be a bit old to take to it now.

Also try white noise machines/music or anything to calm and soothe her.

I also have a friend who swears by those ambi nest thingies.

BellaBear · 16/10/2009 20:56

my Ds didn't sleep on his back till he was over a year and still rarely does it. it was horrible, as his sleep was so so awful. he had reflux as well, so sleeping on his back was painful for him.

After him sleeping upright on someone all night until he was 10weeks old, we got him to sleep on his side using something to prop him up. I was so so happy when he learnt to roll so he could sleep on his front. (about 5-6mo)

BellaBear · 16/10/2009 20:56

my Ds didn't sleep on his back till he was over a year and still rarely does it. it was horrible, as his sleep was so so awful. he had reflux as well, so sleeping on his back was painful for him.

star6 · 16/10/2009 21:00

We let our ds sleep on his front from just 3 weeks old and used an angelcare breathing monitor and checked on him all the time. But he slept magically better this way. Neither of us smoke, the temperature of hte room was fine and he had good head control.

InSync · 16/10/2009 21:05

My DD didn't like lying flat on her back as she had a bit of reflux. We put a folded up towel under the head end of the mattress in her moses basket to raise it slighty so she wasn't completely flat and this helped.

benfmsmum · 16/10/2009 21:10

I was going to say the same as InSync! We tilted my ds's matress as he had reflux too. As soon as my ds could roll over though he slept on his tummy and has pretty much done so ever since - he is now 4yo!!

I think you can buy shaped matresses the are higher at the head end too.

mcflumpy · 16/10/2009 22:54

We bought a foam wedge and swaddled whch helped a lot.

Original poster

esthermate · 18/10/2009 23:07

I have had some success after your advice! I have put a towel underneath her matress in the moses basket, so that it is slightly propped up at one end. This seems to have made a real difference as she is now sleeping on her back, but the sleep is still quite restless.

It is tempting to let her sleep on her front though, as the quality of her sleep seems to be much better, but I would only consider doing this if I have a baby movement alarm.

I am going to keep persevering with it, and hopefully the sleep shoudl become more restful.

Thank you so much everyone and it is heartening to know that I am not the only one going through these things!

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Original poster

esthermate · 24/10/2009 19:11

I have found a new trick that seems to work. If she won't settl eon her back, I put on her front. She quickly goes to sleep and after about 15 minutes I flip her onto her back and she's good to go!

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Picante · 24/10/2009 19:14

Don't stress about it. I know it's against guidelines, but if you haven't got any other risk factors then let her sleep on her tummy. DD has slept on her tummy since about 4 weeks, she's now 9 weeks and is so settled on her tummy. She just won't sleep on her back, full stop, and I'm not about to spend hours and hours of trying to make her.

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