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marleysmom
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Newborn sleep tips?
marleysmom
member
We're settling in at home and trying to cut ourselves some slack these first few days with Connor, but we don't want to get stuck with any bad habits. Our nighttime sleeping arrangement is the same as it was with Jocelyn - Moses basket on a stand next to our bed. However, for our first two nights at home he has really only slept at night if I've held him. Although I admit it's lovely to snuggle with him, not only do I not want him to get used to it but it's not safe. Every time I try to lay him down in the basket, he fusses and cries until picked back up. I tried laying him down awake, asleep, havining prewarmed the pad, with a hand on him, etc. Not sure where to go from here. During the day is has been sleeping without a problem in the swing. Do I try him in a bouncer or swing just to get him out of the bed, or stick to my guns until we make the basket work?
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Re: Newborn sleep tips?
That was T from day one. He wouldn't sleep anywhere but on us.
You're not creating bad habits yet and truthfully, with T, it wouldn't have mattered if we stuck to our guns or not. He just would not sleep unless he was held. The only thing that we found that worked for us (eventually) was the 5 S's from The Happiest Baby on the Block, especially the super tight swaddle with a Swaddle Me.
It still took us nearly 5 weeks to into a decent sleeping "routine" with him sleeping 2-3 hours at a time, swaddled, in his swing. Hang in there!
N was like that as well. We finally figured out it was because of her reflux. Everytime we would lay her in the bassinet she would wake up and cry. She would sleep in her swing or bouncy seat. We finally got her to sleep in the newborn napper part of her pack n play because it was angled.
Just a thought.
Exactly this. Exactly.
Ditto - I honestly believe that you can't create sleep habits (either positively or negatively) this early.
ITA with everything Laura said.
DD was the same way. She's never been a good sleeper but it did get much better after about 3 or 4 weeks (I know that seems like forever when you're not sleeping). It was a very long month for me because I refused to sleep while holding her or with her in our bed (though I do that now).
Personally, I don't think you're creating bad habits right now but I do think you should try to continue putting him down awake. You have to remember that he's been in your womb up until now and it's got to be a big shock to suddenly have such a big change to your environment (sounds, the movement, etc). When laying him down awake doesn't work, I would just use whatever he'll sleep well in. It sounds like you already have plenty of baby gear but I would highly recommend the FP Rock N Play sleeper. They carry it at Target, BRU, and lots of other places. It sits at an incline but doesn't have a bunch of padding, plus the sides are made of a breathable mesh. It made me feel like it was safer to have her in this vs me holding her. (She never took to the swing but it would have made me nervous to have her in it overnight because the one we have has a lot of padding). The RNP was one of my favorite baby related items and I would have paid far more for it because of how much it improved my sleep.
Good luck!
Mother's Day, 2011
This was us. Andrew couldn't be on his back b/c of reflux too. He couldn't do the swing or anything b/c it compressed his stomach too much. We were helpless and basically held him uprigth 24/7 for at least a week and then some for a 2nd week.
After about 2 weeks, we got the reflux under control, got a mattress wedge for his crib, and a sleep positioner (not recommended anymore but I kept mine) and he slept in his crib just fine from then on.
The first few weeks are hard but I think you have to do what works. We did not worry about habits at that point - it was surviving and somehow getting sleep
You know, reading through these responses triggered my memory - I totally think I posted nearly the same question when Jocelyn was a newborn just 2 short years ago. I also remember giving lots of other new moms the "you're in survival mode, it's too early to worry about creating bad hapbits" advice plenty of times. So funny how quickly all that newborn parents knowledge flies out the window!
We did end up using a wedge with Jocelyn as well - thinking about it, it does seem like laying flat is probably what he hates about the basket. I don't know that he has true problematic reflux, but we have just had some issues with getting him to burp and him spitting up when we lay him down, so now it seems like a duh solution to have him sleep on an incline since he doesn't have issues in the swing, boppy, etc. See, that's why I love this board
Thanks for gently reminding me of the obvious and not making me feel silly for asking!
I'm feeling that way with pregnancy! I've done this before, so why on earth can I not remember what's normal? I have a feeling I'll be a total newb again when LO#2 is a newborn.