settling newborn

[GBLiz]

ok after my HV visit i'm not put off co-sleeping completely, but my LO is very clingy to me already and I dont want to get to the stage where we can never get her to sleep alone. So what I've decided is that we will put her in her basket at the start of the night and bring her in with us after one of her feeds, the plan being gradually she will spend more time in the basket/cot.

BUT- altho she will sleep ALL DAY as soon as i put her down at night she's crying and wants to be picked up! Then she stops crying until we put her down again in the end i just took her in with us still.

im not sure whether we should try to keep her awake a bit more in the day so she's tired by evening, or what?

 

[GBLiz]

ok i'll try that, i know its early days and i should expect unsettled nights! just want to make sure i start things off in the right direction cos i know for a fact i was a nightmare clingy baby myself and ive got my mum warning me not to let her sleep with us too long now aswell!

the good thing about her being unsettled yesterday evening was when i did give in and let her come in with us, she was so worn out only woke once the whole night

 

[valentine]

I was always told that you can't spoil a newborn baby - for the first 5/6 weeks, their brain pathways aren't fused together enough (or something) for any kind of memory to be able to form. So cuddle, co-sleep, feed on demand etc for that time and just enjoy your baby! Plenty of time to worry about getting into routines and not getting into bad habits in a few weeks.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Babylicious]

harrisons the same now, i must admit i enjoy him being clingy

 

[GBLiz]

w000 bonus lol ... hope it keeps up like it ...hows the breastfeeding going?

going good! the first week hurt but it doesnt now. She still only spends 5 or 10 mins feeding but she put on 5 ounces in first 10 days so i guess she's getting enough!!

My cats miaowwing sends my boobs crazy leaking but my babys crying doesnt

 

[GBLiz]

I was always told that you can't spoil a newborn baby - for the first 5/6 weeks, their brain pathways aren't fused together enough (or something) for any kind of memory to be able to form. So cuddle, co-sleep, feed on demand etc for that time and just enjoy your baby! Plenty of time to worry about getting into routines and not getting into bad habits in a few weeks.

Valentine Xxx

interesting! well what i will do then is put her in the basket first, but if she doesnt settle right away i'll bring her with us , without feeling like im teaching her how to manipulate us.

 

[leckershell]

she's far too young to understand that she's being clingy i really wouldn't worry about that, she just wants her mummy

if she cries when you put her down have you tried swaddling? worked wonders for us.

 

[Babylicious]

swaddling works for us too

 

[MattM]

Another vote for swaddling. It makes them feel cuddled and snug and also stops their flailing limbs from waking them.

Luke has smacked himself in the face more than once.

Also, try and put your baby down when she's sleepy but awake and soothe her to sleep rather than waiting for her to be asleep before putting her down. She'll be less scared this way when she wakes up and you're not there.

 

[Gem & Leland]

nor me mids , god if i was to dare put his arms inside a blanket they'd be trouble to play , he wants them hangin out the crib


but i am one for putting him down awake . if u put them down awake and the fall asleep then wake up there in the same place so will feel ok and prob go back to sleep , if they fall asleep with you then wake up in there cot they wont now where they are and will prob cry the house down . hope that makes kinda sense lol

 

[clarey]

My cats miaowwing sends my boobs crazy leaking but my babys crying doesnt

 

[annem]

for the first few weeks i walked around non-stop with my LO and we let her sleep over our shoulders most the time. My OH did night duty but now i'm in a routine its great, But i agree its too early to doa routine. You just have to go with it.

Babies don't connect crying and attention for some time i was told. They only cry for a reason. I got a fab dvd called the 'happiest baby on the block'

good luck

 

[GBLiz]

i think the reason mine cries is because she doesnt like being put on her back. When she sleeps with me she sleeps on her front on my chest with her head turned to the side, but i darent put her in a basket on her front.

 

[kazlin]

I was always told that you can't spoil a newborn baby - for the first 5/6 weeks, their brain pathways aren't fused together enough (or something) for any kind of memory to be able to form. So cuddle, co-sleep, feed on demand etc for that time and just enjoy your baby! Plenty of time to worry about getting into routines and not getting into bad habits in a few weeks.

Valentine Xxx

That's interesting

 

[MattM]

Luke was the same, Liz. He much preferred to be on his front than his back. I guess if you consider how they are in the womb, it makes sense.

He spent the first three weeks sleeping on us and would scream the house down if he was put on his back in a bouncer chair or crib.

He's getting a bit more settled each day and now happily sleeps on his back.

 

[littlepip]

Ryan slept in my bed for the first week and i found i got a great nights sleep! but i decided to put him in his crib and he will drink his milk and fall asleep in my arms then ill lay him in the crib and he wakes up! but i just leave him to winge and he falls alseep with his hands hanging out the holes in the crib lol and in the morning when hes awake and i want an extra hour i let him lay in my bed cos he always seems to fall asleep!! we didnt wake up till 12.15 midday last thursday lol