WILL ONLY SLEEP ON MUMMY OR DADDY!

[Shaz]

Hi Girls - only been a Mum for 3 days and already need help!!

Baby Boy and I came home yesterday and my milk has just started to come through - I'm desperately trying to breastfeed but Connor suckling across both breasts for up to an hour at a time and still seems hungry.

We topped him up with formula last night to get a few hours sleep (I hadn't slept since the emegency C-Section on Sunday morning) and even the Midwives at the hospital couldn't passify him and brought him back to me after an hour of trying to settle him.

Problem we have is that he WILL sleep after feeding even if only for a short time (he slept for quite a long time after the bottle), but only on me or Daddy - he simply will not go into the moses basket, he hates it and he hated the cot in the hospital.

We've out our clothes in with him for our warmth and scent, we've swaddled him, we've tried putting him in awake, putting him in asleep, dark room, living room - nothing seems to work. Within about 5 minutes he's awake and screaming. We thought after the bottle (because that's the first proper feed he'd had) he'd just conk out but no good.

We just need him to sleep in the basket for at least an hour after feeding so we can just get a few zzz's ourselves.

Any ideas!!??! Midwives just say "give it time" but I'm so tired and OH feels so helpless 'cos I'm trying to breastfeed all the time.

 

[skatty]

Leorah was exactly the same. She couldn't settle on her back at all and hated to sleep on her own. I gave in a co slept but by six weeks she was ready to go into her own bed in her own room. It must be hard for a new baby to suddenly have to go into a bed of their own after being all cosy inside you. Can you not sleep if he lies on you? I found it quite cosy. Can Dad take care of him while you get some proper rest? My DH used to fall asleep on the settee watching football with Leorah so i could get an afternooons kip.

Congratulations by the way, your LO will settle in soon

 

[Shaz]

He slept on Daddy for two hours last night while he was watching tv at 2.00 in the morning, but you hear such horror stories about cot death.......

 

[swan1]

Have you tried putting him on his side rather than his back? some babies just hate being on their backs, and i know you shouldnt put them on their front but when Charlie was really tiny it was the only way he would sleep so i gave in. He now sleeps on his back at 4 months.

 

[sam96031]

When Emma was in SCBU she used to sleep fine and when we got her home she was ok, but on boxing day she caught a really bad cold and the only way she could sleep and breathe was in bed with us, everyone was giving us a row and it felt horrible putting her at risk but recently we persevered at putting her in her own moses basket and eventually she settled she still wakes up every 4 hours for a feed but that is slowly going to 5 then 6 then...... All I can say is good luck and keep at it

 

[Hypnorm]

Just a question - was the birth traumatic? did they have to use forceps or anything like that to get LO out?
Some times they can have a 'headache from instruments used, and i have heard mums swear by cranial osepopathy as it realigns all the growth plates in the head and relieves the tension.
Some babies will find that sucking help ease the pain in their head and so suck alot.
Might be worth a chat with a MW, also as your milk is just getting its self going its best not to use forumula, or if you do use formula make sure you express from your breast what you would have fed other wise you breasts will reduce the amount of milk they have.

 

[skatty]

Its not supposed to be dangerous to have baby sleep on you, it actually helps regulate their breathing and there have been studies that show premature babies that sleep on their parents grow stronger quicker.

Leorah always slept on me or on her side from birth and then when she was six weeks i put her to sleep in her own cot on her tummy with a Tommee Tippee breathing moniter. She used to nap on her back in the pram but since I have changed her travel system into a pushchair she naps slightly upright and is napping much better. Some babies just can't settle on their backs.

I wouldn't worry right now because as your midwife said give it time and your LO will get used to the world and will start to be able to spend some time near you but not on you if you know what I mean!