The over-tiredness trap!

[skippingturtle]

Any advice gratefully received!

My 2 week old is (touch wood) sleeping well at night, waking only once or twice.

The problem is that she takes FOREVER to put to bed in the evening, and seems to end up overtired, screaming hysterically.

Today I've tried to be really vigilant looking out for signals of tiredness, and have straight away laid her down in her pram for a sleep, but she wouldn't settle. Tried walking with the pram, with her in a sling, and driving in the car. Each time she fell asleep, but only lightly.

I know I'm lucky in that she's doing well at night time, and I'm sure lots of mums would be really grateful for that, but I'd love some suggestions as to how we can get her over to sleep at bedtime, and how we can make her daytime sleeps more effective.

Have you tried swaddling her, my DD2 is 2wks old too and swaddling is really helping her to settle.

With DD1 I started using a plain blanket to swaddle but quickly realised that I am rubbish at it so we bought this and at the moment with DD2 in the warm weather we have been having we are using this because it is much thinner.

Hello there,
Yes, we are swaddling, using a swaddling blanket. I like the look of the one you've linked to that has a zip, our poor baby is outraged by the time we've got her into her Mothercare one!
She certainly sleeps better in it, so we've been persevering, but it doesn't help our calm evening routine!

Hi

we're having the same problem with our 3 week old. can't offer any help I'm afraid just empathy! I'm starting to wander if she has already decided she doesn't want to sleep before 11!

Was involved with a crying survey with our first child. Lon Uni were researching crying across the globe. The only thing they said really worked was swaddling.

Thanks for the empathy Malinii, glad to know someone else has the same problems! Still no improvement I'm afraid, although she now wakes up even earlier in the mornings.

That's interesting Indaba, although it's a shame there's no magic solution. Will keep wrestling her into her swaddling blanket.

And have posted on here b4 re this tip but.... I put a hot water bottle into the bed just b4 putting baby down, where you are going to put baby.

Babies often cry at temperature changes....they are nice and warm with you in your arms then you put them on cold bed.

Beware overheating etc and you must take bottle out once baby in, but really made difference for us. Bit like getting into bed with an electric blanket.

My DS2 is two weeks also and struggling to sometimes settle. He currently settles very well on his tummy. I realise this goes against SIDS guidelines but I have a breathing mat under the mattress for peace of mind (and my midwife had no concerns). It may work for you?

Sorry - the other things I would say are that:

• Assume your LO is tired after 1.5 hours of being awake and begin settling her after this time.

• After three yawns, make sure she is ready for a snooze.

• Do give her a chance to grizzle before being comforted again (grizzle, not cry!)? - I found with DS1 that if I kept picking him up I sometimes made it worse.

• Make sure she is not stimulated by mobiles etc in the place where you want her to sleep

• Perhaps, though, introduce 10 mins or so of stimulation after feeding such as a play gym (so long as it falls within 1.5 hours of being awake!)

• If settling is difficult in the evening, really try to establish a soothing, relaxing bedtime/bathtime routine.

HTH

Have you tried a bit of "white noise".

DS would fall asleep with me holding a hairdryer (in desperation) - he too struggled with overtiredness.

In the end we put a fan on in the room, and that did the trick (still does now and he's nearly 6!)

Some good suggestions here.

Many babies have an unsettled spell from 3 weeks up to 3 months or so. Often this goes with refusing to fall asleep in the evening until quite late. The development of earlier bedtimes is something which comes with more maturity - and happens later for babies with colic. See here for more on babies with colic.