Getting/Keeping Baby Asleep

loveymay · May 2016

My LO is 5 weeks old now, and this week he has started fussing whenever I put him down. He is in a good mood in the afternoon/evening as long as he gets enough sleep during the day. If not, then he is fussy all evening until he finally falls asleep for the night. What's odd (in a good way) is that he sleeps good at night. He wakes up every 2.5-3 hours at night but goes right back to sleep after he eats. I keep the lights off when I get up at night and dont talk very much so he stays drowsy. Anyway, during the day he can sleep for hours while Im holding him, but if he is awake and I put him down he will fuss, and usually if I put him down once he is asleep he will wake up and fuss. Any other mamas dealing with the same thing? Any advice how to keep him asleep once I put him down for a nap? I figure the crying when I put him down is a phase that will pass, Im not too worried about that (its exhausting, but I dont mind getting all the snuggles), but I just want him to stay asleep when I put him down during the day. He is grumpy when he is overtired!

wildtot · May 2016

LO is hard to put back to sleep at night. Like you he'll fall asleep in my arms but wakes when I put him down. DH sometimes has the magic touch. But after feeding, burping, and the diaper changes (almost every time) it just wakes him up too much. I eventually resort to having him sleep with me so we all get some sort of sleep. I have no answers for you but I feel your pain.

redselig · May 2016

Have you tried baby carrying? I always manage to get LO to sleep if I put him in my Moby wrap. I like it because I get to move around the house and get some stuff done.

AmadorRose · May 2016

Ellie did the same until we bought a rock n play. She would sleep soundly on my chest but woke up the second I put her down. She usually soothes herself back to sleep at night as long as she's sleepy but not during the day. Best $80 I ever spent!

momofmanyinthemitten · May 2016

"The sleep whisperer solves all your problems" has been a great tool for me, as all of my children have had different sleep problems.

loveymay · May 2016

@redselig yes, I have the ktan wrap, Ive used it a few times but I dont like it that much. LO has to be super drowsy for me to put him in it facing my chest, because he hates that postition and cries. Any other way I try to put him in it, it just seems to squish him too much or the fabric covers his face. Ive practiced so many times and watched youtube videos, but no luck. im actually researching carriers right now, and Im leaning towards the ergo baby carrier 360. Wearing him will work, I just gotta get something he will be comfortable in.

@AmadorRose I have a rock and play too, he naps in it and until recently, he would sleep for hours in it during the day. He has been sleeping in it the last two nights too because he was getting too squirmy and fidgeting in his bassinet, even being swaddled. He likes to be rocked, so Im thinking about getting a swing so maybe he will stay asleep when I put him in it.

@kielpinskim what is the sleep whisperer? Isit a book? My MIL gave me a Babywise book but I didn't care for it or find it helpful.

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

AmadorRose said:

Ellie did the same until we bought a rock n play. She would sleep soundly on my chest but woke up the second I put her down. She usually soothes herself back to sleep at night as long as she's sleepy but not during the day. Best $80 I ever spent!

T sleeps in my chest every night and facing me in the boba wrap for every nap. We've tried everything we used with DD to get him to sleep in his bassinet with no luck. He absolutely hates being swaddled, but loves being held close. I'm ordering a rock n play as we speak. Another win for Amazon prime!

AmadorRose · May 2016

K&Elizabeth said:

AmadorRose said:

Ellie did the same until we bought a rock n play. She would sleep soundly on my chest but woke up the second I put her down. She usually soothes herself back to sleep at night as long as she's sleepy but not during the day. Best $80 I ever spent!

T sleeps in my chest every night and facing me in the boba wrap for every nap. We've tried everything we used with DD to get him to sleep in his bassinet with no luck. He absolutely hates being swaddled, but loves being held close. I'm ordering a rock n play as we speak. Another win for Amazon prime!

I'm hoping to transition her out of it because I want to get her sleeping in her crib full-time when we hit week six, but it's just SO convenient!

sarahufl · May 2016

AmadorRose said:

K&Elizabeth said:

AmadorRose said:

Ellie did the same until we bought a rock n play. She would sleep soundly on my chest but woke up the second I put her down. She usually soothes herself back to sleep at night as long as she's sleepy but not during the day. Best $80 I ever spent!

T sleeps in my chest every night and facing me in the boba wrap for every nap. We've tried everything we used with DD to get him to sleep in his bassinet with no luck. He absolutely hates being swaddled, but loves being held close. I'm ordering a rock n play as we speak. Another win for Amazon prime!

I'm hoping to transition her out of it because I want to get her sleeping in her crib full-time when we hit week six, but it's just SO convenient!

DD loves her R&P. She has been sleeping in her crib since we brought her home from the hospital but spends her days in the R&P downstairs. I am probably going to start getting her to spend some time in her crib during the day for naps in a week or two.

momofmanyinthemitten · May 2016

@loveymay - It's a book and it really helped me with my first baby, who was extremely difficult (and still is).

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

AmadorRose said:

K&Elizabeth said:

AmadorRose said:

Ellie did the same until we bought a rock n play. She would sleep soundly on my chest but woke up the second I put her down. She usually soothes herself back to sleep at night as long as she's sleepy but not during the day. Best $80 I ever spent!

T sleeps in my chest every night and facing me in the boba wrap for every nap. We've tried everything we used with DD to get him to sleep in his bassinet with no luck. He absolutely hates being swaddled, but loves being held close. I'm ordering a rock n play as we speak. Another win for Amazon prime!

I'm hoping to transition her out of it because I want to get her sleeping in her crib full-time when we hit week six, but it's just SO convenient!

It will be here Sunday and I am stoked! Anytime I lay T down in his bassinet, he rolls right to his side and starts screaming. I'm hoping the RNP will keep him on his back. DD was such a good sleeper, I feel like a FTM all over again trying to figure this out!

imrachellea · May 2016

Have you let LO fuss at all? If it's just fussing or a little crying, let him be to see if he soothes himself to sleep. Obviously if he's screaming don't leave him longer than a minute or so (but sometimes that may be all it takes!). DD2 takes a morning and afternoon nap in her crib just fine (with some fussing and a little crying usually but she settles), but she's in the pack n play at night because it's just easier for me with nursing. She spent a couple nights in her room but she also has a habit of fussing several mins AFTER being put down, and walking back and forth across the house was getting annoying.

AmadorRose · May 2016

imrachellea said:

Have you let LO fuss at all? If it's just fussing or a little crying, let him be to see if he soothes himself to sleep. Obviously if he's screaming don't leave him longer than a minute or so (but sometimes that may be all it takes!). DD2 takes a morning and afternoon nap in her crib just fine (with some fussing and a little crying usually but she settles), but she's in the pack n play at night because it's just easier for me with nursing. She spent a couple nights in her room but she also has a habit of fussing several mins AFTER being put down, and walking back and forth across the house was getting annoying.

This is E. I wake up to every little sound she makes at night and a decent portion of the time I just lay there while she goes back to sleep.

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

imrachellea said:

Have you let LO fuss at all? If it's just fussing or a little crying, let him be to see if he soothes himself to sleep. Obviously if he's screaming don't leave him longer than a minute or so (but sometimes that may be all it takes!). DD2 takes a morning and afternoon nap in her crib just fine (with some fussing and a little crying usually but she settles), but she's in the pack n play at night because it's just easier for me with nursing. She spent a couple nights in her room but she also has a habit of fussing several mins AFTER being put down, and walking back and forth across the house was getting annoying.

Thomas is full on screaming. We're talking purple face, lip shaking, out of breath screaming. I'm nervous to even think colic, but it might be what we're dealing with. It's starting to seem that something just isn't right. He goes right to sleep in the boba wrap, though. It's almost instant. You'd think if he likes the tightness of the wrap, he'd like to be swaddled. Oh no, he hates it. It's also gotten much worse this week. Week 1 and 2 he would sleep in his swing during the day at least.

adifrog · May 2016

K&Elizabeth said
T sleeps in my chest every night and facing me in the boba wrap for every nap. We've tried everything we used with DD to get him to sleep in his bassinet with no luck. He absolutely hates being swaddled, but loves being held close. I'm ordering a rock n play as we speak. Another win for Amazon prime!

If the RnP doesn't work you may want to look at a cosleeper. I think our LOs are the same age (4-14?) and mine loves to sleep on us or be held. The pedi told us about the cosleeper, kind of a little makeshift bassinet that goes in your bed. It's been helping us, though we're not totally there yet.

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

Our RnP was delivered today. T has been asleep in it for 45 minutes. This is the longest he's gone without being held or screaming for literally his entire life. Oh please let this last!

momofmanyinthemitten · May 2016

K&Elizabeth said:

Our RnP was delivered today. T has been asleep in it for 45 minutes. This is the longest he's gone without being held or screaming for literally his entire life. Oh please let this last!

The RnP was the only new thing we got for this baby and he gives us a 5-7 hr stretch at night since he was a week old.

WiseUsagi · May 2016

K&Elizabeth said:

Our RnP was delivered today. T has been asleep in it for 45 minutes. This is the longest he's gone without being held or screaming for literally his entire life. Oh please let this last!

We got one last night and put LO in it for bed. I've only had to get up with him twice throughout the night last night. I think I might cry with joy! He slept for over 3 hours the first stretch. He never sleeps more than an hour anywhere except his car seat or our arms. It's a miracle!

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

@kielpinskim @WiseUsagi he slept from 9-12 in it last night. It was glorious! My oldest would sleep anytime, anywhere so this little guy is definitely teaching me that all babies are different.

myla14 · May 2016

With LO1 he slept in his PNP bassinet and then the elevated PNP platform. My new guy will only sleep in our bed or the RNP (he can go from 9/10 til about 1:30 am in it). Why are we not supposed to use the RNP for sleep?

jonesl12 · May 2016

My LO has reflux and has to sleep in her bouncer since it elevates her.
if I lay her flat she pukes and won't sleep all night .
she can't sleep in a bouncer forever so I dunno what I'm going to do when she gets too big for it

AmadorRose · May 2016

jonesl12 said:

My LO has reflux and has to sleep in her bouncer since it elevates her.
if I lay her flat she pukes and won't sleep all night .
she can't sleep in a bouncer forever so I dunno what I'm going to do when she gets too big for it

I've heard of people putting pillows underneath the head of the crib mattress to elevate it. Does she puke any time she's flat or can you keep her up after you feed her, then lay her down?

imrachellea · May 2016

Is there really some kind of voodoo magic with the RnP? DD2 isn't a terrible sleeper, but there could be some room for improvement. We do a dream feed sometime between 10-11pm, and once we got a 6 hour stretch after it, but just once...we were getting 4 and last night we still only got 3. She currently sleeps on the raised mat in the PnP, I'd love to think the RnP could have magic...or maybe at least during the day. She only naps in her crib with a LOT of work to make it happen, or nurses to sleep on me. With my 2.5 year old wrecking havoc its just gotten rough...

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

@imrachellea I've only had the RnP for 2 days, but DS is currently napping in it so I'm convinced it is magical. I still have to nurse him to sleep first, but just the fact that I was able to lay him down is progress.

AmadorRose · May 2016

imrachellea said:

Is there really some kind of voodoo magic with the RnP? DD2 isn't a terrible sleeper, but there could be some room for improvement. We do a dream feed sometime between 10-11pm, and once we got a 6 hour stretch after it, but just once...we were getting 4 and last night we still only got 3. She currently sleeps on the raised mat in the PnP, I'd love to think the RnP could have magic...or maybe at least during the day. She only naps in her crib with a LOT of work to make it happen, or nurses to sleep on me. With my 2.5 year old wrecking havoc its just gotten rough...

Yes. The RnP is all sorts of voodoo magic sprinkled in unicorn glitter and fairy dust.

jonesl12 · May 2016

AmadorRose said:

jonesl12 said:

My LO has reflux and has to sleep in her bouncer since it elevates her.
if I lay her flat she pukes and won't sleep all night .
she can't sleep in a bouncer forever so I dunno what I'm going to do when she gets too big for it

I've heard of people putting pillows underneath the head of the crib mattress to elevate it. Does she puke any time she's flat or can you keep her up after you feed her, then lay her down?

I keep her up 20 min after eating and if I lay her flat any time she hiccups and throws up

my dr have me the third degree about letting her sleep in a bouncer and told me to not buy a rock no play as they are unsafe as well.
im all sorts of paranoid now

shawnacrest · May 2016

jonesl12 said:

My LO has reflux and has to sleep in her bouncer since it elevates her.
if I lay her flat she pukes and won't sleep all night .
she can't sleep in a bouncer forever so I dunno what I'm going to do when she gets too big for it

My LO has the same issue and would only sleep in his swing until I got a crib wedge. No more puking when I put him in the crib,cheap and effective

momofmanyinthemitten · May 2016

AmadorRose said:

imrachellea said:

Is there really some kind of voodoo magic with the RnP? DD2 isn't a terrible sleeper, but there could be some room for improvement. We do a dream feed sometime between 10-11pm, and once we got a 6 hour stretch after it, but just once...we were getting 4 and last night we still only got 3. She currently sleeps on the raised mat in the PnP, I'd love to think the RnP could have magic...or maybe at least during the day. She only naps in her crib with a LOT of work to make it happen, or nurses to sleep on me. With my 2.5 year old wrecking havoc its just gotten rough...

Yes. The RnP is all sorts of voodoo magic sprinkled in unicorn glitter and fairy dust.

It's true.

loveymay · May 2016

Why is th RnP considered unsafe? LO sleeps like a dream in it. The first few nights at home after he was born, I put him in it to sleep because I felt uneasy putting him in his bassinet. i was used to the small bassinet he slept in at the hospital and his bassinet just seemed so big. Some nights he is too fidgety in his bassinet, so i put him in the RnP and it helps him not be so squirmy. I just bought a new one that auto rocks and its the best thing ever since sliced bread!

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

I also feel like T is safer in the RnP than in his bassinet. When I lay him down in the bassinet, he rolls straight to his side. In the RnP, he stays on his back.

MrsZko · May 2016

I don't know that it's because it's unsafe vs the fact that on their back on a flat surface (crib or bassinet) is proven to be the safest. I had similar issues with DS1 and used the swing and even car seat on a couple occasions. I needed sleep and he did too. I will say they outgrow the discomfort of being on their backs even with reflux or just spitting up. I always keep DS a bit vertical after he eats for at least 10 minutes and don't put him down if he has hiccups because he'll definitely spit up. It seems to be working for us but he also seems to like to be on his back. Hang in there mamas...it will get better.

AmadorRose · May 2016

K&Elizabeth said:

I also feel like T is safer in the RnP than in his bassinet. When I lay him down in the bassinet, he rolls straight to his side. In the RnP, he stays on his back.

E goes straight to her side any time she's put down, swaddled or not. I just angle her so that her face will land against the mesh part of the bassinet if she does turn too far, but so far it hasn't been an issue. Early on I put a rolled blanket under her knees but now she's too wiggly for me to feel safe doing that. Once they can roll, it doesn't matter if they sleep on their stomachs as long as they aren't swaddled, right? Because otherwise I'll have to stay awake 24/7 to watch her sleep.

K&Elizabeth · May 2016

AmadorRose said:

K&Elizabeth said:

I also feel like T is safer in the RnP than in his bassinet. When I lay him down in the bassinet, he rolls straight to his side. In the RnP, he stays on his back.

E goes straight to her side any time she's put down, swaddled or not. I just angle her so that her face will land against the mesh part of the bassinet if she does turn too far, but so far it hasn't been an issue. Early on I put a rolled blanket under her knees but now she's too wiggly for me to feel safe doing that. Once they can roll, it doesn't matter if they sleep on their stomachs as long as they aren't swaddled, right? Because otherwise I'll have to stay awake 24/7 to watch her sleep.

If they roll on their own, it's supposed to be fine to leave them that way. The theory is, if they were strong enough to roll, they're strong enough to roll back if necessary. However, t has been rolling to his side since the first time he was laid down (getting weighed and measured in the hospital) so I really doubt he's actually doing it on purpose. And like you said, i can't watch him 24/7 to keep flipping him back over.

Eta: typing while nursing is hard

Brandi81012 · May 2016

They do make wedge inserts to put under the crib mattress to elevate the head, we had to get it for DD1 because I was a paranoid FTM. My pedi recommended DD2 sleeping in the RnP next to our bed. When she asked where baby slept at our weight check at 3 days old and I said RnP she was wa alike that is a good place for them to sleep safely.
It is crazy to hear all these totally conflicting Dr recommendations.

jonesl12 · May 2016

I think my dr doesn't like the rock n play because it's not supposed to be for sleeping at night just day napping ? She said its bad for spine development and can cause a flat head as well . The dr I work for said the rock n play was awesome in moderation for his 4 kids. He
also suggested she not sleep in it at night tho.
honestly I'm just gunna do what works for her.
i put her in her bassinet and elevated the mattress pad very slightly so we will try that tonight and see what happens
i just tested it out and she seems to be ok with it

redselig · May 2016

@kielpinskim I've started reading 'The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems' and it is a sensible read with lots of useful info. I like her baby investigation approach in trying to understand what type of baby you have and consequently how to interpret their cues. I recommend this book too.

mybigfatgreekfetus · May 2016

redselig said:

@kielpinskim I've started reading 'The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems' and it is a sensible read with lots of useful info. I like her baby investigation approach in trying to understand what type of baby you have and consequently how to interpret their cues. I recommend this book too.

I like this book too, but I get the feeling it's catered to formula fed babies, since she mentions how many ounces to feed, etc. She also expects babies to sleep much longer stretches at night than most BFed babies can in the early months. She has great tips for scheduling and bedtime routines. I also like her personality description. My boy is a mix between textbook and spirited!

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