Pat/Sshh on back?

[swv]

As advised by all SIDS guidelines, I put my 7 week old baby to sleep on his back. I would like to use Pat/Sshh, but first of all, how on earth are you meant to pat a baby on the back if they're lying on it? Rolling him over seems pretty pointless, and would only encourage him to go to sleep on his tummy.
Secondly, how is the pat/shhhh method any less of a 'prop' than feeding him, or rocking? Admittedly, easier on the back than racking, but even so?
If my little one wakes up in the middle of the night and is sucking his hand and tries to get down to the breast as soon as I pick him up, then how can I NOT feed him?

[Isom'smom]

Try just laying a hand on his tummy while you shush, or rubbing his head.  The thing about pat shush, is once they stop crying, or you can tell he's trying to settle himself, you stop, and let him work it out.  After a week or two, there is minimal pat shush when you put him down.  I lay Isom down now, pat his bottom a few times, and leave.  Sleeps great!

And at seven weeks old, I would DEFINITELY feed him when he's waking up hungry.  Isom didn''t sleep through till he was 12 weeks, and we still have an occassional night feed when the growth spurts hit.

[swv]

I meant the last question rhetorically - of course I feed him, as he's obviously hungry. But the impression I get from both the books and Tracey's sleep interviw is that she sees night feeding as a 'crutch' - even at an early age.
His body tells me that he's hungry - MY body says that it's time for a feed - how can it possibly be a crutch? I could spend hours patting him down, and sure he may eventually learn not to cry at night, but if he's hungry he should be fed. I can't help feeling that her attitude towrds young babies' sleep is based on the sleep needs of parents, not on the physiological needs of babies.
And how do you pat your little one on the bum if they're asleep on their backs?

[Jays Mum]

Hi my Lo is nearly 6 wks old and I use shh/pat. If he starts to get a bit grizzly we usually 'swaddle' him and then shh/pat him on the back whilst holding him. He settles quite quickly but can take a while sometimes, depends on how 'mad' he's got !

If he cries again in his crib, then I turn him on his side which is easier to do when he's swaddled and shh/pat his back making sure he can hear the shh- you have to get down their level within earshot. When he's settled, we turn him back. If that hasn't worked, we go back to holding him and shh/pat again until he's fallen asleep.

As regard to patting LO bottom, on previous post, I think their probably patting whilst holding LO. Can't see how else they can be doing it?

good luck, hope this helps.

[shem2005]

well I don't know why but i have never been able to coordinate patting on the back. I find it hard to lay on the side and the try and pat on the back.

Since i have been use pat shush i have always done it on her chest. If she is out of the cot and we are calming her it is on her back but once in the cot it is on her chest. Works well.

With my daughter we often have to shield her eyes from distractions and i have no idea how you can manage that if you are holding them on their side and patting as well.

[jade's mum]

Hi, i put my 9 wk lo on her back to sleep as well and when I do the ssh/pat, I just pat on the side near the bottom/thigh area.... it works majority of the time, just a matter of getting them use to it.

[GraysonsMommy]

It probably depends on how your lo is comfortable, but from day one, I've been putting Grayson on his side to sleep, using a sleep positioner.  Now, he is 16 weeks and likes to be so far on his side that he is resting his tummy on one of the cushions of the sleep positioner.  This allows his top leg to fall over the bottom leg and it exposes most of his back for the sh-sh-pat.  It's true too, you really have to get down to their level to sh-sh properly and do it loud, loud enough that it is over whatever sounds they are making.  I can tell that volume matters when we do it. If I'm timid, he keeps fussing, if I do it loud, he calms easier.  It's strange to me, but it must mimic the sounds of the womb or something.  I wouldn't be albe to sleep with someone yelling sh-sh in my ear, he he.  Oh and be careful not to do it right into the ear, make the sounds past the ear so you don't perforate the eardrum.

Jessica

[CaedensMama]

First - I would agree with who ever said - if he wakes hungry - feed him! I think until he starts waking at the same time every night and doesn't really eat well you are okay feeding him when he wakes. I know I do - Caeden wakes twice a night (we haven't been doing DF) but it varies between 12-2 and 3-5, so I know he is waking hungry cause it is varying - and he always eats really well. Plus- he eats and is back to bed within 20 minutes, sometimes 15 so it is really not that bad.

As for pat/shush - I have found shushing and just placing my hand on his chest works well for us - a little bit of pressure so he can feel it and that is usually good. I have also done the stroking down the side - shoulder to arms, to hip and down leg - always just stroking down when he is really upset. Someone told me, when stroking or rubbing - rub away from the heart to relax and toward the heart to stimulate...... just something to keep in mind when you are trying to put to sleep!
Also, for Caeden - even when he is getting upset I have to just keep doing what I am doing and he usually responds. It may take a few minutes, just keep doing till he responds and the next times down the road it will hopefully get shorter! When I kept changing what I was doing he got more frustrated and upset.

Hope this helps - I am by no means and expert - just still learning with you all thru trial and error!