7 week old - will not sleep on her own

[mimi21]

Still having problems :-( very tired mummy now :-(

[mycatmonet]

Hi mimi fwiw my dd was appalling with naps unless being held and at night we resorted to co sleeping which I hated and we went to a sleep school at 13 weeks. She was also touchy spirited esp about sleep. Anyway at sleep school....They said swaddle! We also thought she hated being swaddled and she always broke out of it, but it made a difference after we persevered with it. Ended up with woombies so she couldn't break free and she had these until she rolled....anyway with swaddling and sssh pat we got dd sleeping in her own bed... which was a miracle at the time. Maybe it's worth trying swaddling again? Hugs with the sleep deprivation xx

[mimi21]

Maybe will give swaddling a go again - can't hurt to try again.

Just use blanket or buy one?

[mycatmonet]

It was summer here so we just used muslin before needing to upgrade to a woombie because she'd escape the wrap... its worth a try? Hope it works anyway. It really helped us, and I was SURE dd hated being wrapped even at less than a week old. Oh and at first when swaddled and being sssh patted and even rocked/held she did cry, but was a lot of ot in there adding to the mix. So maybe if she cries don't immediately give up on the swaddle?

[mimi21]

Thanks will give it a go - we couldn't swaddle when born as she had a big bruise down her arm and it hurt her to be wrapped tight.

I've a swaddle pod, will give that a go.

[mycatmonet]

Good luck! Hope it helps to get everyone some sleep! It really helped my dd. For my next bub I have already stocked up on woombies and similar so can use from birth if bub keeps escaping regular swaddling! That's how much it helped us lol

[brummum]

We tried swaddle pods but little man could still get a good wriggle on and get his hands out the top, the only thing that worked for us was the miracle blanket. He had to be fully restricted, any wriggle room and he hated it but when properly wrapped it really helped his sleep and he didn't resist it.

[mimi21]

So we've been swaddling and it's not really making any difference, but will keep trying.

I have been reading Tracys sleep book and one of her suggestions is too use a pillow to get to sleep, first on your lap and then move to floor and stay with her, then get her nearly to sleep and place on pillow on floor and use sush pat  to get her to sleep again stay with her. Then to place pillow in cot, using sush pat her to sleep, staying with her until she is fully asleep
This sounds ideal as she currently sleeps on pillow on our laps and then on her pillow in her chair. Am thinking of trying pillow in cot tonight but I've always thought that nothing should be in cot with baby, what are your views please?

Tracy says that after a week we should be able to remove pillow and place straight down in cot.

[brummum]

SIDS recommendations are nothing in cot until after 12 months. Sorry! you could do this for naps though if you are going to stay with her and maybe use at night but move her once in a deep sleep?

[mimi21]

That's what I thought - maybe won't go down that route.

[TB9]

Dd2 hated the swaddle as well, and it took her awhile to get used to the jolts.  But once she got used to them and we weaned the paci she turned out to be a much better sleeper than dd1 at the same age!  When she was young it worked for us to let her fall asleep in our arms then when in a deep sleep put her into the crib.  That way she would jolt but be nice and cozy in our arms so she didnt wake fully.

[mimi21]

We tend to let her fall asleep on the pillow on our legs and then move her to her chair until last feed between 10 and 11, it is after this feed that is the problem. Even if we get her to sleep in our arms and then move she wakes and if not straight away then in an hour.

its been very tiring with one of us sitting up with her. She is currently swaddled in her chair downstairs with dh who will do dream feed and try and put her down at which point I will take over as he has work.

reading the sleep book she should be able to get from dream feed to 4ish can't see that happening for a while.

[TB9]

So the feed at 10 or 11pm is a dreamfeed?  Have you tried not doing a dream feed?  DD2s sleep was actually interrupted by itand she never settled well after so we dropped it and she started sleeping better.

[mimi21]

Well, tonight dh fell asleep and ID didn't wake until 1, her last bottle was at 6.30 - asleep by 8, she done very well, woke starving and necked her bottle. About to try and put her down - fingers crossed.

[TB9]

Fingers crossed!