How to help baby become a good sleeper

BumpCaitlin

You are probably no stranger to waking up around the clock whenever baby does, helping to soothe her back to sleep. It will most likely take her 12 to 24 weeks to start sleeping through the night (it’ll happen- we promise!), but you can start developing healthy sleep habits today! 

We called in an expert for the best advice on helping baby get to sleep on her own and stay asleep longer - so you can, too! Share your slumber-time successes or sleep goals you’re currently working on with your little one!   

mommiewee

My baby slept in his crib just fine for the first month, but then he developed acid reflux and now whenever we lay him flat on his back he spits up, coughs, cries, & screams because the acid washes up (all things that made me take him to his doctor & led to the diagnosis). I know he shouldn't sleep in his swing & I can't sit and hold him upright all night... Any recommendations on how he can sleep safely and comfortably in his crib again?

taykerslake

mommiewee said:

My baby slept in his crib just fine for the first month, but then he developed acid reflux and now whenever we lay him flat on his back he spits up, coughs, cries, & screams because the acid washes up (all things that made me take him to his doctor & led to the diagnosis). I know he shouldn't sleep in his swing & I can't sit and hold him upright all night... Any recommendations on how he can sleep safely and comfortably in his crib again?

There are wedges that you can put under his mattress or under him that will help elevate while sleeping. Have you tried that yet?

kwaldy

mommiewee said:

My baby slept in his crib just fine for the first month, but then he developed acid reflux and now whenever we lay him flat on his back he spits up, coughs, cries, & screams because the acid washes up (all things that made me take him to his doctor & led to the diagnosis). I know he shouldn't sleep in his swing & I can't sit and hold him upright all night... Any recommendations on how he can sleep safely and comfortably in his crib again?

DD sleeps in a rock n play next to our bed. It's at an incline so it helps with reflux.
Also, as PP said, the wedges for the mattress could be a viable option.

anagle379

Rock n Play is awesome. I highly recommend. Incline, vibration feature, easy to move from room to room.

Ceridwen77

RNP is great but read up on the risks of extended sleep in one - https://kckidsdoc.com/dear-fisher-price.html

I know many people here have used a RNP safely for extended sleep but it's good to be informed and always talk with your pediatrician.

HeatherFaye718

Ceridwen77 said:

RNP is great but read up on the risks of extended sleep in one - https://kckidsdoc.com/dear-fisher-price.html

I know many people here have used a RNP safely for extended sleep but it's good to be informed and always talk with your pediatrician.

Oh my. Thank you for posting this. Gonna transition back to his bassinet now.

angelinthepit23

We didn't do a RNP only because I was worried it would be harder to get him to sleep in his crib once it was time. So we have a small PNP in our room and then the PNP in our living room has a napper.

geologynerd

We have a five week old and have success at nighttime by swaddling and using white noise. But we cannot get a nap out of him. Except if we are driving or holding him. I can't hold him all day long.

hacharles

Ceridwen77 said:

RNP is great but read up on the risks of extended sleep in one - https://kckidsdoc.com/dear-fisher-price.html

I know many people here have used a RNP safely for extended sleep but it's good to be informed and always talk with your pediatrician.

Thanks for sharing. Granted I've only used the RNP for a week but I never felt 100% safe and checked on LO a lot more often because I felt the incline caused her to sink in her swaddle. It has provided relief and baby slept for longer periods at night but it could also be my LO maturing, gaining more body fat, better swaddle technique.
Either way transitioning her back to the crib tonight!

rachswi

So if I have to choose between rock n play and Zeke sleeping on his stomach, which is less dangerous? (Haven't gotten to try the rnp yet but now I'm not sure I want to)

Ceridwen77

rachswi said:

So if I have to choose between rock n play and Zeke sleeping on his stomach, which is less dangerous? (Haven't gotten to try the rnp yet but now I'm not sure I want to)

You said your pediatrician didn't approve of the stomach sleeping - did you ask about the RNP? I'm no doctor but until they can hold up their head with a lot of control/roll over I'd think stomach sleeping would be higher risk. But you're in such a tough spot you've got to make the decisions that are right for you & your family.

GoogleMD

rachswi said:

So if I have to choose between rock n play and Zeke sleeping on his stomach, which is less dangerous? (Haven't gotten to try the rnp yet but now I'm not sure I want to)

Since he likes to belly sleep, have you considered getting the sensors that monitor HR and oxygen level. They are a bit pricy, I think around $100 at baby r us. If his HR or oxygen dips below normal it will go off to wake you. It might let him sleep on his belly, but give you piece of mind.

They probably have something similar on amazon.

rachswi

Guess it doesn't matter- borrowed a rnp and Zeke hates it. We looked into the monitors but the ones that would be able to be used when he's on his belly and actually have good reviews are too much for us to afford right now with me staying home. But we did find there's a breathable mattress topper that if a kid manages to bury their face in, he will still be able to breathe. That's only $70 and much more doable so we're investing in that

taykerslake

@rachswi I'm so happy to hear that you've finally found a way to get him to sleep without you!

MargaretC5

GoogleMD said:

rachswi said:

So if I have to choose between rock n play and Zeke sleeping on his stomach, which is less dangerous? (Haven't gotten to try the rnp yet but now I'm not sure I want to)

Since he likes to belly sleep, have you considered getting the sensors that monitor HR and oxygen level. They are a bit pricy, I think around $100 at baby r us. If his HR or oxygen dips below normal it will go off to wake you. It might let him sleep on his belly, but give you piece of mind.

They probably have something similar on amazon.

Our LO was in the Nicu and pedi ward, both doctors said they do not recommend these monitors. They said they go off with false alarms too often so if something really goes wrong parents ignore it or the are always panicking over false alarms. I never asked, both drs told me on their own because parents are tempted to buy them after seeing their LO hooked up to the monitors in the hospital.

BP1979

geologynerd said:

We have a five week old and have success at nighttime by swaddling and using white noise. But we cannot get a nap out of him. Except if we are driving or holding him. I can't hold him all day long.

I'm dealing with the same thing with my 6 week old. Sleeps great at night, but will only nap during the day if I'm holding him. Have you found any solutions?

tyrannis

My baby only falls asleep on my arms, but once she is snoring lol I can put her in her crib and sleeps through the night. She is 2 months now as sleep 6 hours, she also has reflux but we added a small platform under one side of the crib, she loves it.

ambreias

My LO is 7 wks old, and during the day he will only nap if I'm holding him or he is in his swing. During the night though he will only sleep about 20 minutes in his bassinet before waking up and crying to be held. If I allow him to sleep on my chest he will sleep 5-6 hours, but I'm not a huge fan of bed sharing because now that he's getting more mobile I don't want anything bad to happen. I don't know how to make him comfortable enough to sleep in his bassinet alone.

Shellie123

I was struggling to put baby down at night and have started using the Gina ford method. Up at 7am and down at 7pm. He sleeps 7pm-10:30; then 11-4; then 4-7. 45 min nap in the morning, 2 hr nap midday and 15 mins in the afternoon. He's 9 weeks now and not ready to sleep through just yet but the night feed is getting later.

I swear by the colic granuals. Use that an infacol now and again but the granuals have helped the most. We were also making the mistake of rocking him to sleep initially and bedtime became a 2+ hour process and we weren't having an evening. With him down at 7pm we enjoy evening meal and tv. Then I go in to feed him before bed. Much better. But getting up at 7 doesn't always happen. Sometimes it's 8/8:30. He's totally breastfed as well. Sometimes bottle fed babies sleep through a bit quicker.

thefithuntress

BP1979 said:

We have a five week old and have success at nighttime by swaddling and using white noise. But we cannot get a nap out of him. Except if we are driving or holding him. I can't hold him all day long.

I'm dealing with the same thing with my 6 week old. Sleeps great at night, but will only nap during the day if I'm holding him. Have you found any solutions?

Baby wearing, y'all! My little lady loves her wrap. I got a cottony, cheaper version of the moby on Amazon called the Innotech.