Getting off to sleep at night

[clare55]

Hi,

We started EASY on Friday night with our 5 week old (that was terrible night - pat/shush over my shoulder failed to calm DD between 0000 and 0400 when she finally went off to sleep exhausted. Last night we did the wind down bedtime routine successfully, having had her on a 3 hr sched during day with lots of successful naps (presumably catching up on missed sleep from previous night). After feed and nappy change at 2300 I put her down in the bedside cot with v. low lights and lay on the bed next to her. She fussed and kicked on and off for about an hour but did not cry. As she didn't cry I didn't pick her up or do any other soothing. Eventually she fell asleep on her own. I was right next to her the whole time but did not intervene. A similar thing happened when she woke at 0300 for a feed (I b/f). Again, I put her down still slightly awake and didn't intervene. She didn't cry but did fuss and kick a lot. After about an hour she went off to sleep.

QUESTION am I doing this right? I don't agree with the Ferber method (and emotionally couldn't do it, even if I tried). What I did to cope with the long time fussing was to put ear plugs in. I could still hear her (she's right next to me) but the fussing didn't go through me and make me so anxious which makes me wound up when it comes to b/f. Am I OK to leave her to fuss for so long or shoudl I pat/shush - if I do this should I do it in her cot or pick her up?
Grateful any advice  :?
TIA
Clare

[Katet]

My ds used to fuss alot at night, best was 2 hours, by 8 weeks he stopped doing it for more than a few minutes, your lo probably doesn't know night from day yet & needs the longer time to settle... can take 6-8 weeks to settle the difference. If she is not upset & you know you have burped her properly & cuddling etc makes her more awake, then I would let her be, although I used to pat & sh Liam when he was in his basinette next to me, until we decided to move him into another room & that was heaps better & his fussing seemed to lessen too.
 Does she do the same sort of thing in the day?

[clare55]

Hi and thanks for your response 

She does fuss a bit during the day during naps but nothing like as much as at night. Last night she growled, grunted, cooed, snorted, did some leg kicking on and off and some rolling around.... but.... she didn't open her eyes at any point and she didn't cry either. I didn't really sleep cos I found myself worrying whether she was OK. She went from about 0030 thru to 0530 without rousing (tho I tried to feed her at 0400 cos I thought I saw hunger signs I must have misread cos she wouldn't wake and wouldn't nurse). Her 0530 feed was short and then she was back to the land of chunter and, I assume, sleep, until 0830 when she did open her eyes and have a good 25 min feed.

It's hard to see how she's getting a proper rest with all this movement during the night but then maybe that's typical for a young baby??

To be honest, I don't care if she continues with the zoo noises as long as she is OK and she is getting enough rest. She certainly didn't wake up cranky which suggests she did sleep. Oh and she had a load of dried dribble round her chin which is common after her daytime naps too.

 :lol:

[corrina01]

my lo does grunt and growl alot and to me thats when I know she is asleep