Night Time Expectations of a BF Baby?

[MissAnnabelle]

Hi all

My LO is just over 3 months old and does not like to lay flat. Some backround - the first two months were really hard for us, so we co-slept. From 2-3 months she was sleeping in her newborn napper of her pack and play. She is too big for it now so I spent 4 days trying to get her to lay flat in the pack n play bassinet - which did not work out. I tried folding a towel under one side of the mattress to elevate it and placed a rolled up recieving blanket on either side of her - still didn't work.
So, now she is sleeping in a rock n play beside my bed and napping in her swing - swaddled in both. I nurse her 2-3 times a night still, so I like her in our room. The advice that I keep getting is to CIO and rice cereal to get her to sleep through the night and nap in her crib in her room. Does everybody really do this? Is there an alternative way to teach your baby to sleep in their own room? I don't want to give her rice cereal at all - how long will she need to eat this often during the night for? The rock n play is just a temporary fix because I don't want her to get a flat head or anything. It does seem like she has gas and mild reflux, but gripe water or mylecon before bed don't seem to make a difference.
I'm just confused and want to do what's best for her.

 

[CupcakeBaby]

We have a mattress wedge for DD. really helps her sleep.

And no. You don't need rice cereal.

I think it's very popular in the US but I don't know anyone in the uk who puts it in bottles.

 

[MissAnnabelle]

I lowered one end of the crib mattress. I just cant get her to fall asleep in the crib.
My mil thinks I'm nuts for not wanting to do the rice cereal. I read there isn't any nutritional value to it. Plus I'm breastfeeding. I'd have to pump my milk in order to give it to her. It makes no sense to me.

 

[CupcakeBaby]

You're right. There's no nutrition in it at all. You're taking up space in her tummy that could be filled with vitamins and antibodies and fat instead.

My DD won't self settle. We put her down once she's asleep.

Also due to get reflux she had to sleep in a bouncy chair until about 3 months.

I wish we could get the rock & play sleepers here.

 

[emmalg]

I had terrible problems with DD sleeping. She ended up sleeping on my chest to begin with, wouldn't sleep flat at all. Wouldn't sleep on her side... eventually I put her on her tummy and it really helped, she was still in a cot next to me - I know it's against all current advice but it was that or die from lack of sleep.

As for the milk+cereal, DD's doc kept recommending it and formula. It drove me mad as he's brilliant in all other respects. Anyway at 5 months I tried it and gave up. Sometimes she slept 6 hours, other times we were feeding lots of times a night. Each long night was a bonus!

 

[Mrs-G]

My feelings are if they're hungry, they're hungry. IMO (not wishing to offend) those adding rice cereal are doing it to benefit them not the baby - babies sleep through when they are good and ready so all you can do is relax about it and go with the flow. My dd never slept through until at 10 months I did sleep training as I was going back to work and needed the sleep, my ds on the other hand has slept from 9-10ish through to 6am - I have done everything the same, he's just a more contented.

Don't have any expectations, every baby is different and will do as they please! Good luck

 

[bananaz]

My LO slept swaddled in her rock'n'play at night until she started sitting up in it at 5 months. She didn't get a flat head. I don't think sleeping in the RnP poses any more risk of plagiocephaly than back-sleeping on a regular mattress. My LO's pediatrician wasn't concerned anyway.

Only waking 2-3 times at 3 months is great. Introducing rice cereal is a bad idea for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it probably won't improve her sleep and may in fact make it worse! CIO also isn't appropriate or helpful at this age. Just keep doing what you're doing. It will get better

 

[MissAnnabelle]

Thanks so much ladies you've made my day. Breastfeeding is hard enough and not having support from people makes it harder. My friend was telling me to start CIO with her now because later her feelings get hurt by it and so that when they are teething they sleep better. Isn't western industrialized civilization the only people in history who have believed that babies should be independent and self soothe. Nothing against people who take these approaches, but why do they make me feel like I'm not doing what I should for her by choosing alternative methods?

 

[MissAnnabelle]

Bananaz - how did the transition go at five months? Was it easier later on because your lo was more ready? Did you swaddle in the crib?

Mrsg- how did the sleep training go at ten months?

 

[bananaz]

Bananaz - how did the transition go at five months? Was it easier later on because your lo was more ready? Did you swaddle in the crib?

I did the transition gradually and it went pretty well. I started with naps and I kept her swaddled. At first I tried to recreate the feel of the rock'n'play by making a little nest of towels under the sheet that went around her sides and under her bum and also elevating one side of the mattress slightly. I only did that for a short time in the beginning though, and only during naps since I could watch her on the video monitor and make sure she hadn't rolled.

After she was doing well with that I dismantled the "nest," and when she'd adjusted to napping in the empty crib then I worked on weaning her from the swaddle. I kept her in the rock'n'play at night until she was sleeping well unswaddled because she had room to roll in the crib and that wouldn't be safe if she was still swaddled.

 

[MissAnnabelle]

Okay, that sounds entirely doable thanks so much for the great advice! Right now she only naps in her swing, so for now I guess I will work on getting her to nap in the rock n play and then transition to the crib for naps. On another note, can you recommend an activity jumper?