help - how do we get her to go in basket??

[halemon]

i am really struggling to get my 11 day old into her moses basket at night, she will doze off with me but i don't really want to get into that habit. being so very young, i'm not sure if she's just more awake at night and thus finds it hard to settle without mummy comfort and boob!! she also plays about more with feeds, fussing with boob, shaking head about and doesnt want to come off despite being no longer hungry. i realise all this is normal for a newborn and is to do with getting comfort etc but i need some sleep!!!

any tips or advice? im not keen to let her cry as it hurts my heart to hear her distressed!!!!!
i've made her basket a bit smaller and more cosy by dividing it off with rolled up blankets so its more cosy.

 

[Sherlock]

I think you are experiencing very normal newborn behaviour. I don't think there is any instant solution, just patience, sleeping when LO sleeps both in day and night and just to focus on baby and you and to hell with the housework and other stuff for a while.

Have family help out with housework if they want to be of help. You rest and cuddle baby

Don't forget that in the early days your baby will need to demand feed, usually little and often because a) their tummy is tiny and does not take much to fill it and b) to get your supply up to meet the eventual demand.

The fussing and shaking head might be needing to wind. Comfort sucking won't help her on your boob as she'll keep taking in more milk and adding to the wind.

I used to just go lie on the bed in the day, grab a magazine, tv remote and let LO feed as and when and nap when he napped.

And I'd not let her cry at all either Controlled crying doesn't work in small babies. They have no idea what is happening and only want to be close to you as its comforting to them. They are suddenly popped out and in the wide world and of course want familiar sounds and so on. Mummy being one of them.

It might be worth considering co-sleeping perhaps? At least in the early weeks so you can get some sleep.

All I've read from Mums on here, there seem to be very few babies who settle in their moses basket or crib from the off. It usually takes a fair few weeks if not longer. Breastfed babies will always need to feed more often than formula fed because formula is thicker and sits in the tummy. But get through the first few weeks of breastfeeding and it does get easier And it is a wonderful thing to do if you are able and want to.

 

[Emma58]

Try placing a rolled up bath sheet alongside her. Sam wouldn't settle in his basket either but, when we tried this it worked!!

 

[jennifer1981]

We rolled up blankets and padded them around him to make it feel like he wasnt just in a 'space' and that he would feel secure. Also try putting something of yours (which smells of you) in the basket with him (such as a top of something) so he can smell you.

My sister was advised to put a water bottle in the moses basket so it wasnt cold when little one first got put in it. NB obviously dont leave the water bottle in when LO is in it tho

 

[kalia]

DD would only sleep in our arms her first night at home. The midwife recommended heating the basket first and it worked a charm! For a while we would heat anything before putting her on it - moses basket, cot, changing mat We used a microwavable wheat bag or a hot water bottle would work too. Just take the heat source out and check the basket isn't too hot before putting baby in. Cuddles are warm, basket is cold

 

[halemon]

thanks for replies - we havemade basket smaller by padding and dividing with roled up blankets, will try the warming of it too. have been co sleeping a bit just lately and do seem to getmore sleep that way, however the little one does love the boob for comfort and its hard nt to let her play about!! I know i shouldnt as it will make me sore and her reliant on it but when your desperate!!!! i dont want to use a dummy and OH needs his sleep at mo as he is at work, i find rocking her or holding heragainst me is hard work as she just wants boob!!!

will persevere, just wish sleeplessness wouldnt affect us new mums somuch!!

do you thik that er night/day routines willl gradually begin to change so shes more tired at night?

 

[Charlie:-)]

Ditto what others have said it sounds like normal newborn behavior and will soon settle down. My LO loved to comfort suck and would only settle on me and I gave in on day 3 and gave a dummy after having only about 10 hours sleep in 6 days (after being awake for 3 days giving birth). This worked well for me and she took it well and gave me some well deserved rest, which I desperately needed for my boobie milk. The midwives werent impressed with me giving a dummy and showed me lots of techniques to help settle her which worked fine for them but not for me as she could smell my milk and just wanted boobie. Luckily for us Maia self weaned from the dummy at about 3 months but we had planned to wean her form 4 months anyhow but she saved us a job

I also used to wrap a worn t-shirt of mine around the moses basket mattress so she had my scent close to her, which worked well. Also when you put LO down do so very gently in stages and keep your hand on your baby, say under head, for a short while till baby falls deeper into sleep then gently remove your hand. Also swaddling worked for us as it gives the impression they are being cuddled.

Good luck hope you find something that works