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Sleep

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Original poster

3week old wont sleep in moses basket

18 replies

sjbarbs · 02/04/2010 18:12

Help - we have a 3week old who will only fall asleep on me. She will not sleep in her moses basket day or night. i hold her until she is flat out and then put her down but 9/10 she wakes witinh mins screaming. The only way to calm her then is by offering the breast, she gets in a right tis!

i AM CO SLEEPING AND MY PARTNER IS IN THE SPARE room, which is not ideal and we dont want to make a rod for our own backs - any suggestions?

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Fit2Burst · 02/04/2010 18:22

Have you tried swaddling? DS was exactly the same - he didn't like swaddling but that was one of the suggestions given to me. Another one is to put a piece of your clothing in the basket so baby can smell you or walk round with a teddy or comfort blanket so your 'smell' transfers! Afraid this didn't work for us either! Strangely (or not?!) DS finally settled when we tried him in his cot. So we ditched the basket very early on, basically unused!

Original poster

sjbarbs · 02/04/2010 18:28

tried swaddling once but will give that a go tonight again. I have a top of mine under the matress so she has my smell, plus both my partner and i havs sat with a comfort blanket on us so she has both of our smell. Its so exhausting.

OP posts:

SMacK · 02/04/2010 18:44

Can you put either a side cot by your bed, or a single bed there for your partner.

Imposible to make a rod this early.

Evidence shows bf mothers get more sleep and even more if co-sleep.

Concentrate on surviving and not much more for now!

Original poster

sjbarbs · 02/04/2010 19:00

cheers!! will keep trying....

OP posts:

Niallsangel · 02/04/2010 19:32

Agree with SMacK, just concentrate on sleep and try not to worry. My DD wouldn't even co sleep flat and only slept in her bouncy chair for a good few weeks. I wasted loads of time sitting by her basket with both her and I fretting. Eventually worked out she had silent reflux but even after that she won't sleep in the basket when it's on the stand (what a waste of money). Also if you can get a cot near you try her in that. Good luck.

AmazingBouncingFerret · 02/04/2010 19:37

Have you tried putting a hot water bottle in the moses basket so it isnt cold when you put her down in it.

MarsLady · 02/04/2010 19:39

It will pass. She still thinks she's inside. Try not to fret, she's only 3 weeks and it will pass. Congratulations on your DD by the way.

sweetkitty · 02/04/2010 19:43

I agree with others she is tiny and still thinks she is inside you.

I had the exact same issue with DD1 she would only sleep on me as well. I remember posting the "rod for my own back" thing as well and got told the same.

My advice is do whatever it takes to get the most amount of sleep at this stage, this time passes so quickly and she will soon be able to sleep on her own, does she sleep in the car/pram?

DD1 started sleeping fine on her own and we coslept for 15 months before she went into her own bed and room no problem.

With DD2 we bought a bedside cot and she coslept from the off.

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 02/04/2010 19:43

This is very normal at that age, our 2nd is 6 weeks now and still doesn't settle very well in her basket, though things are getting better slowly. There are some things you can try, but don't expect any "miracle cures" except time and patience! Things that may help a bit though:

Swaddling, as mentioned above
Giving a dummy (though there is a risk you may regret this later, if she starts needing it to settle but can't keep it in - we are doing lots of running up and downstairs re-plugging it at the moment...) or a clean, upside-down little finger to suck (i.e. with the nail underneath, so it doesn't scratch the roof of her mouth)
Warming the basket with a hot water bottle before putting her down
White noise such as a hairdryer noise, womb noises or just a loud repeated "shhh".

Good luck!

lal123 · 02/04/2010 19:45

DD wouldn't sleep in her moses basket - but would settle in a cot - go figure! Don't listen to anyone who mentions rods! At this stage just do what you have to to get some sleep!

obsessivereader · 02/04/2010 19:53

We started off the same and I ended up co sleeping with dh in the other room as it was the only way any of us got sleep. Plus I have to get enough sleep to be awake enough next morning to get up with our 3yr old.

She's now 14 weeks and spends the first half of the night in her basket then comes in with me. Time in basket is gradually getting longer so I figure we'll eventually manage all night and dh can come back!

I think they have been inside and effectively cuddled constantly for 9m so they need time to get used to being a little person in their own right rather than part of Mummy.

Hang on in there - thats what I'm doing!

mad4mainecoons · 02/04/2010 21:04

hi sj,
recognised you from our thread on breastfeeding. no advice really just wanted to offer some support and say im thinking of you.

as i type one handed with dd on my chest as she wont sleep 8n her basket either!

im just trying to not worry and enjoy the cuddles. holly is my last baby and she wont want to sleep like this for long.

go with it mate. enjoy

Original poster

sjbarbs · 03/04/2010 08:19

Thank you all, the only thing i have not tried is hot water bottle will give that a go x

OP posts:

dizzydixies · 03/04/2010 08:23

hot water bottle tried for me too but remember you're not needing it too hot - just so as not to put her down on cold sheets

have to say though this was only later on not at 3wks but it was a bit difficult snuggling in as I had her two older sisters to look after too - if she had been my first I would have used it as an excuse to all the cuddles I could get

on and btw, my first snuggly baby is now nearly 7 and would roll her eyes at me if I insisted she slept cuddling me so take the time to relish it now and sod everything else

EricNorthmansmistress · 03/04/2010 08:33

perfectly normal. DS wouldn't sleep in his for 3 months. He would sleep in the pram if walked, and we were given an automatic rocking chair which was amazing to get him to nap.

For the time being, just carry on with co-sleeping if it's working for you, don't worry about the 'rod for your back' thing, honestly, DS slept through from 4 months in his basket and has slept through more or less perfectly ever since, so early co-sleeping doesn't make that impossible!

I tried all the tips above and nothing worked. Some babies just hate being on their own to sleep at first. By all means try them but don't worry if you have to carry on co-sleeping for a while.

Bumbleconfusus · 03/04/2010 09:11

I agree with others when thy say use a hot water bottle, works for me. Also we have added extra blankets as our DD seems to hate the cold and the pathetic sized cover supplied with the basket just didn't help at all.

ChelseyW · 06/01/2017 20:56

Help!! My baby girl is 2 weeks old today and refuses to sleep in her moses basket. She is my first child so im new to all of this.

FATEdestiny · 06/01/2017 21:08

Hello ChelseyW

This is a Zombie Thread. You would be better starting a new thread for your problem.

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