D.C. Area Babies

Newborn Sleeping Help

Hi Ladies.

 I just wondered if anyone has been through sleeping problems with their newborn. E is only a week old, but she's still not sleeping in her crib (or anywhere except on us). My DH is going back to work on Monday, so we'd really like to try some new tricks. Luckily my parents are coming tomorrow to help.

Let me know if there was something that worked for you...between needing to hold her almost all day and nursing, we're a bit tired. Luckily, she will sit in the swing for periods of time.

 Thanks!

Re: Newborn Sleeping Help

  • Do you swaddle her?  We used the swaddle me blankets to put the girls to sleep and they were just wonderful. 
  • a week is really really really young to hope for normalcy....at that time we were just swaddling and praying really.  ; )  she slept in her boppy cradle in comfort bouncy seat A LOT.  and napped during the day in the swing (which is on our main floor so i could keep an eye on her.  she really didn't transition into the crib fully until at the earliest one month.  hang in there, it gets better.
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  • My DD is two weeks old today and she's a great sleeper (knock on wood!) and really only wakes up when she's hungry which at this point is every 2-3 hrs at night but oh well.  We used a Swaddle Me for a few nights but she kept getting out of it.  I bought a sleep positioner at Babies r Us because we were concerned with her getting on her stomach.  She likes to nap on her side or her stomach (only when she's laying on us, never alone) but the last few nights she's slept soundly on her back.  I put her in a sleep sack and with the sleep positioner she can't move much.  She likes to sleep with her arms up by her head and I think that's why she tried to break free of her swaddling. 

  • Both my girls loved sleeping in the boppy. Swadling should also help like pp said, but it is still a bit soon to have any sort of routine.
  • We LOVED the swaddle-me.  We also used a white noise maker (we have the sleep sheep that plays several different kinds - rain, waves, etc., but there are lots of different kinds)  A week is really early for normalcy.  I don't think we settled into a routine until about a month.

    Also - maybe the crib is too big.  Babies are used to being really closed in tight and secure.  If swaddling doesn't do it, maybe try a bassinet, or a sleep positioner or a moses basket inside the crib.

    Good luck!!!

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  • Zach was a horrible newborn sleeper.  Nothing worked at first -- not the swing, swaddling, white noise, the bouncy seat, the bassinet, anything.  He would only sleep when we were holding him.  Then I discovered the Hot Sling, and he'd sleep for hours in that.  Granted, I was still holding him, but at least I had free hands.
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  • Swaddling was the key for us.  We've used both the Swaddle Me and the Miracle Blanket.  She hated the swing at first, but it did help her fall asleep when she was around six weeks.  Before that she'd just cry when we put her in there. 

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  • Thanks everyone - we have been using the swaddle me, swing (which works sometimes) and a sleep sheep (white noise). Just today she has napped a little in her pack 'n play with the vibrator on. It's funny, but I just imagined she might sleep in her crib at night if even for a couple of hours at a time. I think I'm more concerned for my DH since he has to go back to work on Monday...I guess I should get used to "working" the midnight shift! My parents are coming this week and then DH's the following, so maybe a couple more hands will help us get in a nap here and there.
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