Where to start!

My daughter is 8 weeks old and I'm having a terrible time getting her to sleep at night. Ever since she was born she has hated going in her moses basket (I had to wait until she was dead to the world and then half the time she woke up as soon as her head touched the mattress) I tried to establish a bedtime routine ab couple of weeks ago as she was very unsettled at night but she was having none of it.

The only thing she will sleep in is her baby bouncer/chair which has now become a habit and I can't help but feel like I've totally messed up allowing this to happen and now I don't know where to start in reversing this situation and getting her into a routine at night which in time will help her sleep through.

So now I'm sleeping on the sofa every night with her in her chair. I try and try to get her to go in her basket and also her cot incase she just doesn't like being enclosed in the basket but she just screams and screams and doesn't stop!

What makes it worse is that my eldest daughter was going to bed and sleeping through at 6 weeks and I naively thought this one would be the same.

Family and freinds say that I should let her sleep in her chair if she's happy but it seems wrong somehow and the longer I leave it the worse it'll be to get her to go to bed. Also, the last few nights she's been so unsettled in the evenings we can't do anything with her. Even the chair doesn't help! I've tried taking her upstairs to get away from the distractions of lights and TV downstairs but to no avail.

Please can someone help me in beginning to get out of this situation? My husband and I are so miserable

Thanks

Hello hun, welcome to the board.

Tough call! A lot of people will say its only natural for a child to not settle for ages, but I know (like yourself with your first child) that its not true, they can settle quiet early.

Take a look at her chair... can you pinpoint what it is she likes? Maybe if you prop up the mattress a little it might mimic the chair, place a rolled up blanket under the mattress might give that curve which she likes... is there anything else which you could try? Does her chair give lots of free space, or is it narrow and "hugging" her?

Also, have you tried swaddling? This worked a treat on my LO, he seems to like the restriction of movement because he used to startle so easily! There are also books on the market which you could try, lend them from the library for cheapness!

HTH
Janie xxx

Janie

CL for babes 0-1

CL for Mums Due Oct 2009

Hi,

Ronan didn't like the moses either so we started using the carry cot off the pram as the mattress can be elevated so its not flat. We have a Mamas & Papas navetta carry cot which fits on the moses stand as well as having its own fold out low level legs.

He's now growing out of it so we are thinking about getting him a hammock http://www.amby.co.uk/ I don't know if you know anyone that has one for you to try to see if it works for you too?

Alternatively why not take the chair upstairs with you? why do you need to sleep on the sofa? 

Is it possible she might have reflux? as laying flat doesn't work very well if they do, as the stomach acid can easily "slosh" back up their throat. Another option to try before forking out for a nest which ARE lovely, but expensive is to get her a wedge http://www.babyreflux.co.uk/products/Baby-Lift-Safely-Cot-Wedge.html# or a free one - stick a hardbacked book/phone directory under the legs at one end of the cot (looks a sod, but who's looking?!) just make sure they are the same thickness ;o)

hope you get some better sleep soon xxx

she might not have reflux, just might prefer the semi upright position to sleep in.

Jo xxx

Proud co CL of Mums Club July 09 and Mums of Babies 0-1

   

 

 

Hi hun

You have my sympathy - Josh is 14 weeks and still cannot go to bed awake and settle himself... although, saying that, we haven't tried for a long time as he goes to sleep in our arms quickly then stays down thank goodness. But he was a 'high maintenance' baby until recently (still has his days!) and I know how hard it is cos you have all the intentions of not setting 'bad' habits, but when your baby is screaming you do what you can at the time to make him peaceful...

Firstly, stop worrying about this bad habit. There are ways to 'fix' it, but they take perseverence and things are often worse before they are better. Have you ever seen The Baby Whisperer (Tracy Hogg) programs on Home&Health, or read her books?

I really think you should have a look - she has brilliant ways to change 'bad' habits... we haven't had to use her habit-changing techniques yet, but when the time comes to teach Josh to go to bed awake we'll be reading up the BW books for sure - she doesn't advocate leaving the baby to cry, don't worry!

K xxxx

Is the situation any better???

Janie xxx