Baby Not in Bed - Help!

[MysticalGemini]

My baby is 5 weeks old and I am having a TERRIBLE time trying to get her to stay in her bed at night. I was able to do it for a few nights, and now she doesn't want to be in there at all. She screams and fusses for a long time and then as soon as I bring her into bed with me or put her in her swing she is quiet. Any advice. FTM here and needing desperate help!

[britmum]

Mrmm I am the co-sleeper type so not much advice... have you tried a good swaddling blanket?

Sounds like she likes to have mama close

[Mum09and11]

ya I am a co-sleeper too, we did for around 10 months and it was great. He sleeps really well in his crib now. The only way I could do it before is only putting him in the crib when he was already fast asleep.

[MysticalGemini]

Mrmm I am the co-sleeper type so not much advice... have you tried a good swaddling blanket?

Sounds like she likes to have mama close

Unfortunately she HATES being swaddled - I guess she is like me as she likes to have her feet and hands out of the blankets and nothing on them (if I would let her).

I enjoy co-sleeping, but as long as she is sleeping in our bed, my DH is sleeping in the other room to get a peaceful sleep. He can't sleep with her with us as he is paranoid about rolling on her and he also wants her in her own room.

[Findabhair]

My baby will not sleep unless I hold her - what do I do? | BabyCenter We had the same problems. Sometimes we put her swing beside our bed and she slept in that. Good luck!

[Mum 2 Alyssa]

I never thought I'd co-sleep with DD and because of super bad gas, that's how it was so she could sleep on top of my stomach (the pressure helped her). DH slept in another room for 4.5 months. We started putting her into her crib after that and with some adjustment, she was fine and in fact, slept better than my nephew who did not co-sleep.

No real advice other than, I'd go with the flow for your sanity and hers Honestly, DD is 5 now, and I'm SO glad I had that special time with her and don't regret it a single bit!

[Mommymanda]

We had a bassinette in the room. I was the one who never had any sleep while DS was in the bed. DH would snuggle DS until he was in a deep sleep, than move him into the bassinette. When he woke i didn't have leave the room to settle him again.

There were also exhausted nights where I slept on the couch while DS was in a swing for a couple nights just to sleep.

At that tiny age there really isin't much that can be done. It does get easier eventually.

[lhastie]

Can you side-car the crib? Bassinette? Co-sleeper? Something to get her close and make your husband comfortable enough having her in the room?

She is definitely very tiny and they don't feel secure on their own and takes time for them to get used to that.

In terms of swaddling, does she wake herself? You says he fusses and screams, I presume she is waking sooner than you expect? I'd watch her and see, some struggle against being swaddled, but can't sleep without it as they flail and wake themselves up! If while rocking her to sleep, as she gets sleepy, will she let you swaddle? Just a thought

[angela]

babies are made to want to be near mama! she spent 9 months curled up in your belly safe and secure....we co slept during that time and slowly when the baby was ready he would spend more time in his crib. now at 8 months he manages much of the night if not all in his own bed!
do what you need to to get through the night and i say let her in your bed...if hubby feels better sleeping elsewhere thats ok too!
good luck!

[Spots]

Try forcing a swaddle. Swaddle her tight even if she cries. Comfort her any way you can but leave the swaddle on. Stay committed for at least 10 minutes.

I did this for my middle at 7 weeks old and he was SO MAD to be swaddled. After much protesting he eventually fell asleep. For the first time since he was a newborn when I set him in his crib he didn't wake-up. I was floored. Everytime he was swaddled he fussed less and less until he looked forward to it. Swaddled was THE ONLY way he would sleep on his own until he learned to crawl. At that point he freaked out when he woke-up swaddled and it was a rough but quick transition to sleeping swaddle free.

He had both a strong startle reflex and was constantly on the go. He just didn't know how to let himself fall asleep. I suspect he would have been a tummy sleeper if I would have let him.

I've heard similar things from other Moms. It's worth trying. You can look-up how to swaddle with a receiving blanket on the internet or invest in a Miracle Blanket.

[elliesmom]

honestly I was anti co-sleeping with my daughter and worked IMO too hard to get her to sleep on her own. With ds I just got him sleeping in his own crib, and that is now due to safety reasons.
my dh was super concerned about rolling on ds too. We got one of those co-sleeper things that go in the bed. After that he put my huge body pillow beside him and as soon as he rolled on that he knew he had to roll back.
With dd tho she slept in a bouncer chair for 8 months as she hated her crib until that time.
Good luck. I never intended on having ds in my bed so long, but honestly I miss him like crazy now

[ChinUp]

I co-slept with both kids in their room. DH slept in the master. It was much easier to nurse at night and we all slept better.

Babies need their Mama's. If DH sleeps in another room for a few months - year, it's a short period over the course of a lifetime.

[britmum]

You can look-up how to swaddle with a receiving blanket on the internet or invest in a Miracle Blanket.

Miracle Blankets are the bomb, I have one if you or anyone wants to borrow!

[MysticalGemini]

Miracle Blankets are the bomb, I have one if you or anyone wants to borrow!

What the heck is a miracle blanket? Sounds interesting!

[Kaisa]

I co-slept in the beginning too. DS would sleep for the first few hours in his bassinet beside me. As soon as he woke up (around 1 am), he would only fall asleep if I brought him into bed with me. I fought it for a few nights, then gave up and just brought him into bed with me.

By 8 weeks he would sleep from 8-5 or 6 in his crib, then I brought him into bed with me for another 2-3 hours.

By 4 months, he slept from 8 - 6 or 7, nurses and then I can lay him right back into his crib for another couple hours.

I was sure in the beginning I was going to cosleep with him forever. But we were able to pretty quickly transition to sleeping in his crib all night.