How do you get your baby to sleep?

[gingajewel]

Just a nosey question really but how do you get your baby to sleep? Isla is ten weeks old and in the day I have to rock her in her pushchair and on a night I put her in her cot and stroke her head until she falls to sleep (on a good day 30-40 mins)
I have never known a baby to fight sleep as much as Isla!! She literally does everything so she doesn't fall to sleep!! And just when o think she is asleep she opens her eyes massively wide, or I will spend ages rocking her in the pushchair for her to wake up 30 minutes later-she really is a nightmare to get to sleep!!

 

[Cupcake9596]

My DD must think sleep is public enemy no.1 because she fights sleep like nothing else! Usually during the day, I swaddle her and give her the dummy and she'll settle. At night time she goes in her sleeping bag with her dummy again, and if she spits it out, I don't run and put it back in unless she's properly screaming. She usually self settles x

 

[Starlight32]

I am curious in the answers because I want to ask this myself. I feel I must she doing something wrong! My baby is five weeks and recently decided not to nap so that's been an issue too.

My baby has to be asleep before putting her in her crib. I usually walk or nurse her to sleep. If she wakes up, I have to walk/rock her to sleep and the entire process starts over. Sometimes her eyes spring open right when I put her down! I used a pacifier last night because nothing was working. I kept having to put it back in her mouth though. Then I had to bring her in bed to cuddle/nurse, then back down with pacifier. Napping has seemed impossible recently unless it's in the swing or my arms for a brief period of time. She won't sleep in her bassinet or crib for naps anymore! I'm exhausted and fear her sleep problems won't end!

 

[Smanderson]

Ds1 was awful for sleep (he had bad reflux which I think was the cause) the only way he would ever nap was either on me or in the swing. At night he would sleep on me till in a deep sleep then transferred to cot. Ds2 is a good sleeper BUT today he's been fighting it like crazy I'd say he's had a max of 30 mins sleep ALL day so tonight I've resorted to the swing. 15 mins in there and he's sparko. I love that swing! x

 

[gingajewel]

Hahah my little one has reflux and has been poorly with suspected cmpi for the past eight weeks so she won't go in her swing, play gym, bouncer etc! She gets so over stimulated that she just can't switch off so cries a lot when she is tired! My lo has a dummy also and generally needs that in! She no longer wakes in the night for a feed but wakes for me to put her dummy in at least four times!!

 

[Smanderson]

Aww bless her reflux is rough enough without cmpi n the mix! Hope she settles soon I'm sorry the swing isn't an option have you tried a poddle pod? I hear they are recommended for reflux babies? We have one and ds2 loves it x

 

[Rainbow82]

My DS self settled to sleep easily from birth till he was maybe 6 months but it doesn't mean anything when they are so young or at least it didn't for us because since then we have to cuddle him to sleep, usually it takes 5-10 mins but on occasion up to 40 mins+. If for some reason we skip his bath or story then I'm sure the whole neighbourhood knows about it and it takes forever to get him to sleep and has been the same since we started our night time routine. He also wakes a lot more in the night now than he used to and takes forever to get back to sleep then. Hopefully for you ladies who are struggling with sleep now it will get easier and know that even if it looks like other people have better sleepers younger than your vs it's it may not last.

 

[jessmke]

My Isla mostly puts herself to sleep. We have a good bedtime routine and an abbreviated version for a nap routine, after the routine is over I put her in her crib, turn off the lights, and leave the room. Sometimes she goes to sleep right away, other times she spends 10-15 minutes playing in her crib and chatting to her lovey before deciding to fall asleep. Falling asleep is never our problem, staying asleep is where we need help!

 

[ruby83]

My DS is not a great sleeper at all. I'll BF him to sleep and transfer to cot. For naps he will usually sleep for up to an hour max with no re settling but lately at night I've had to resettle him heaps, by either stroking his face or if he is really upset BF again! Usually by 9.30 i just bring him to bed with me

 

[laila 44]

Oh man I could have written this myself! My dd3 is an absolute nightmare to get to sleep. She fights it constantly and then gets overtired and cannot settle! She sleeps in my arms but the second I put her down she's wakes up and cries and we repeat. It's exhausting and I'm running out of patience. I have 2 other kids and clearly can't be rocking a baby to sleep 12 hrs a day. no advice here unfortunately I'm just hoping this ugly phase ends really soon!

 

[karlilay]

Poppy generally goes down on her own, she's not overly keen on being held to sleep.
Although there are times she gets so overtired she can't switch off then we have a nightmare few hours of alternating between bottle, dummy, cuddles etc. Until she gives in. I found the best way is to make sure she's asleep within an hour of being awake, else she gets so miserable.

 

[Natasha2605]

It depends. If we are in the house she often feeds and then falls asleep and I put her in her basket. If we're out, as long as her tummy is full she just falls asleep in the pram. At night she feeds and then goes in her crib and falls asleep. If she gets overtired she whines and cries on the boob.

 

[minties]

I used to swaddle Thomas and spend upwards of an hour either rocking him or sitting with him bouncing on a gym ball. Sophie was a lot easier, swaddle and dummy, but she woke a million times more often than Thomas did at night.

 

[Tesh23]

My little boy has never troubled me when it comes to sleep suprisingly!

From the beginning I would swaddle him, den rock him, And when his eyes began To close slightly (he was still awake) I would gently put him down And he would do the rest.

With him I notice swaddling really works, And once he's asleep if it's too hot I open up the swaddle a bit so he is more comfortable. I think he got used To not having too much interaction when being put To sleep And feels it's normal To go To sleep by himself.

On a day where he is a bit crabby I pop the pacifier in his mouth or give him a bit of boob And he will put himself To sleep bless him.

He has had a night or two where he has been really fussy (usually when he has had too much stimulation with people And being out for a long time) And I have had To rock him until he fell asleep then put him down. But once he's down he is out.

So, swaddle, pacify, boob, rocking, And also sometimes just humming or shushing does the trick for me. Also if he stirs just a light patting motion on his bottom also works.

I read not To put them down until they are a proper 8 or 9 on the scale between being awake And fully asleep.

 

[babyjan]

Mine falls asleep on the breast... Don't think he knows any other way. He does sleep when out in the car or in his pushchair but at home he not a great sleeper during the day

 

[gingajewel]

Thank you ladies, it's mostly naps that are driving me insane. Her night sleep is brilliant but in the day it's so hard too get her to sleep and then ten minutes later she is awake! It drives me mental!!

 

[babyjan]

Yep mine doesn't sleep much during the day either :/ if I'm holding him he'll sleep perfectly but the min his put down his up.

 

[Marumi]

My lo was such a bad sleeper around 3-6 weeks! He would wake every 10-30 mins. Since his reflux is almost gone (thanks to probiotics, no dairy, gluten and lefax) he stays asleep better at least. He does sometimes find it hard to settle but with a few tricks sleeps okay.

When he is cranky and sleepy I play Black Metal (we prefer Lightfox177's channel on Youtube) and thanks to the white noise he falls asleep within a minute often. It is the funniest thing, often he will be quiet as soon as the music starts playing.

I keep rocking him for a bit more and then sit down holding him for a bit. I use pillows for support. After 30mins to 1 hour he will be in a deep sleep so I try to place him down. He takes two 4 hrs naps early during the day and then shorter naps in the evening.

When he is ready for the night and sleeping soundly I will lay in bed first and then my husband places him next to me. Then he sleeps a stretch of 5-6 hours (almost too long, I worry about my period returning), nurses in his sleep, continues to wake every 2 hours.

My first would always nurse to sleep but this one is not as easily soothed (yet). Maybe when he is older

 

[Bevziibubble]

Naps drive me insane too. He fights them so bad and just doesn't seem to need a lot of sleep in the day but I need to time the afternoon right so that he's not fighting bedtime too much.
He will sometimes feed to sleep if he is really tired but otherwise he will often just cry himself to sleep in my arms because he just won't switch off!