Can't sleep, won't sleep - help!

[Noodlejuice]

I'm going spare! Can anyone help?

Before I start, I don't believe in CIO or CC - no judgement on anyone else, but it's just not an approach we're comfortable with OH and I are exhausted though - sleeping in shifts every night and awake for the entirety of our respective 'shifts' I didn't have this problem with my older two and am at a bit of a loss...we'd appreciate your thoughts!

Jasper is just coming up to 3 weeks and has barely slept in his crib since he was born. With the exception of two or three 45 minute long naps and one brilliant night when he woke only for feeding, he's only been sleeping for about ten-fifteen minutes at a time before seeming to fight sleep and waking up crying.

His routine isn't much of a routine - he has suspected colic and silent reflux (on infacol and aptamil comfort milk) but he's taking about 3oz every two hours. His awake times are pretty erratic and he's quite a sleepy baby, despite not ever settling in his crib - he'd like to stay asleep while being cuddled most of the time.

We keep him upright for a while after feeds and have raised the head end of the crib, we swaddle him, he has a slumber bear and a dummy...I don't know what I can do!

I've tried reading his sleep-cues, putting him down awake and doing shush-pat, but he really strtles/panics at the point of dropping off and often wakes soon after, if not immediately. With a demanding two-year old in the house with me I can't commit to hour-long blocks of shush-pat every day!

I can't carry him on me all the time; I have ordered a closer sling for unsettled days but this isn't an option 24/7 - I need him to learn to nap in his crib or sit in a bouncer happily every now and again so I can play properly with the older kids or prepare hot meals for them! OH and i also really need him to sleep in his crib for a while overnight too - three weeks of this 24hr 'ships that pass in the night' existance is making us both very, very fed up. Add PND to this and you've got two miserable parents!

Jazzybear is a nervous baby who startles A LOT, and I know at this age he needs cuddles...but does anyone have any advice for chilling him out a bit/helping him to learn to sleep in his crib?

 

[tu123]

Hi
My LO was exactly the same and my OH and i were doing the same things and WERE ships in the night.

Until we co slept one night. 6hrs straight through. We continued with it for a few more weeks and then moved her to her moses with the no problems.

I am still haveing issues getting her to sleep before midnight and during the day (she turns her head towrads my chest and shuts her eyes, yawns, gets that far out look in her eyes an dthen screeeaaaammmmssss becasues she is tired!), but at least we can all go to bed together!

We tried everything befor that-shuss/pat, rocking, cuddling, swaddling, stroking-nowt worked.

 

[Maybenextimex]

I'm in the same boat and my 3 week old won't sleep in the Moses basket. Once I do settle him (if at all) he wakes soon after. I've resorted to co-sleeping for the time being as it means we both get quite good night sleeps.

I do worry that it will make it difficult in the future, but also with a two yr old to look after, getting sleep now seems more important!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

This totally normal newborn behaviour and he will grow out of it. Ruby was much the same sleep-wise until 4/5 weeks old when she suddenly started sleeping really well. We co slept for the first few weeks as it meant we all got more sleep. Ruby then went into her moses basket no problem. Babies are not 'designed' to sleep alone really it's just some of them make less of a fuss about it than others, depending on temperament.

The sling is a good idea and don't lose hope with the bouncy chair, again Ruby didn't like hers until around 5/6 weeks old.

 

[kerrie24]

I would try co sleeping,you may be told your making a rod for your own back but at least it means you and oh get to stay in bed and get some sort of sleep.It doesnt mean the baby will never leave your bed at a later date.The only thing thats ever worked for us.

 

[stardust599]

I co-slept fully for the first 3 weeks and then on and off til 6 weeks. It saved my sanity. My baby now sleeps in her own carrycot and settles okay-ish xxx