Sleep with a newborn

Just keep trying - mine was born 24.05.23 and would only co sleep until last night when I finally got her to sleep in the cot for the first time. I know it's hard but it's completely normal - it's all just so scary for them at first after being all nice and safe in your womb

I agree with just keep trying! Mine is 7 weeks now and sleeps in his next to me cot just fine, but for the first 2 weeks we co-slept as he wouldn't settle unless he was snuggled in. I think its just where they are used to being all cosy inside the womb, an open space is new for them! Have you tried swaddling? I didn't personally but have heard it can be a life saver for babies that want to be cuddled all the time x

Baby is used to being close to you as hasn't been out long so just keep trying they'll get there, look up lullaby trust for safe sleeping to beable to co sleep safely and get more sleep hopefully x

A great swaddle, follow wake windows, and practice practice practice. Routine and consistency helps too.

Aww she's sooo little still, it's pretty normal for them not to sleep long and to need lots of help sleeping. Is there a way for you to safely have the Moses basket ON your bed, like bed pushed up against the wall and basket on the wall side? Although we bedshare now, the first couple weeks we used the basket and unless it was ON the bed, she was very upset.

All my friends bed shared in the early days to get a bit more sleep and I’ve been trying that and reckon I’m getting an extra bit most nights now. I’m going to try a swaddle (not on the bed) as well I think. Will start with a day time nap. My husband and I have been doing shifts - I do most of the night for feeding and then I take him to my husband who gives him formula (we’ve been put on a feeding plan so have to do this anyway) and I get a couple of hours. I’m two weeks in now and have to say I think I’ve got used to the lack of sleep to an extent!

That was my biggest problem also when I had my baby in February. He is a perfect baby but facts are just facts that the newborns do not sleep long and don’t like being put down. I also thought something was wrong bc he would let me put him down to sleep in the day, but never at night. Make sure you are keeping sunlight in during the day and out at night so they can start recognizing the difference. I never ever once co-slept with my baby due to the worry of what they warn you about and now he’s 3.5 months and does not rely on to be held to sleep so it was worth it. I promise everything will get better around month 2. I asked for alllllllll the advice during those sleep depriving times and you just gotta stick it out momma. I know it’s hard 🤍

Use a swaddle, love to dream newborn swaddle worked wonders for our LG. Pop a hot water bottle in her moses before you place her in and place your hand on her tummy once laid down and gently rock her for a few mins. Also try white noise, it's not for everyone but was a game changer for our LG xxx

When people say co-sleep do they mean having the baby in the bed with them?

@Alissa yes

@Alissa sometimes. Sometimes they mean bedsharing, baby in bed with you, or sometimes it means baby sleeping beside you on a separate surface

We had the same issue. We tried every night to put her in her cot (next to me) for 1.5 to 2 weeks, we would try for 3 to 4 hrs. We tried everything, to put her down drowsy, asleep, tried putting one of my smelly shirts 😂, my husbands smelly shirt, I tried and my husband tried, we were going insane but we did it! 😅😅. My husband succeeded, my HV recommended my husband to do it after giving her a bottle of expressed milk because babies smell mums and they want to feed specially at night as the milk is sweeter and yummier 😋😂. So I tried my absolute best to stay away, it was hard but we did it. Before the night she stayed in her cot, we had a break of trying for 1 or 2 nights then we tried again and then succeeded!! Keep trying, you will get there. I don't think that there is one magic method that will work for every baby. All the best 👍

First, you’re not doing anything wrong. My baby was and still is the same way at 5 months. It will get better eventually, but for now do what works for you guys and the baby so you can all sleep soundly. I have noticed that my baby is more comfortable in her crib then she ever was in a bassinet. The bassinet did not resemble a real cozy bed for her.

Do you swaddle? That really helps my baby. Also like really making sure they are asleep before you put them down. I hold and rock my daughter until she falls asleep and then I put her down in her bassinet when she’s super asleep. She’s only a month old and that’s what I’ve been doing since she was born. It’s going to take time but you’ll get it she’s just little. You’re not doing anything wrong she’s only 4 days old they don’t really have a routine yet.

@Sophie Interesting. I am not judging, I promise, but this scares the crap out of me! I’ve napped with my 2yo niece… but a newborn? I would just be way too scared. Scared of the blankets, scared of rolling on them, scared of putting my arm on them. I don’t think I could even consider it.

@Lauren 🤠 I see! Well those are just such entirely different things. And I am not judging, I promise, but personally, I would be way way too scared to have a newborn in the bed, but do intend on having my baby in a little bedside bassinet!

You are all amazing 🥹 It’s so nice to know I’m not alone in feeling this way. We do a lot of the things you’ve all kindly advised - we have newborn swaddles, I’m keeping to a semi routine as in feeding, bum change, into swaddle, cuddle then down into the Moses basket - she’s fine for about 5 mins then starts screaming. I’m too scared to co sleep so me and my hubby just end up staying up with her until she eventually allows us to put her down which is usually around 4am 😴 we have the Moses basket right next to our bed. Thank you all so much! I will persevere - these moments are so precious with her, I just need a tiny bit more sleep to appreciate them more 💕

@Alissa I’m scared of it too and haven’t tried it but it seems that it happens in a lot of families and i can definitely understand why

@Alissa I am/was the same as you, super scared, when we co-slept, my husband and I couldnt sleep even though we followed all the safe sleeping recommendations by the NHS and when we fell asleep we would wake up scared. With my arms I created a cot like shape around my baby and I would sleep with my legs bend so she couldnt slide down, my husband wouldnt move a muscle. It was awful, the fear was terrible and the midwives reminded us of the risks of SIDS, it was truly awful but my baby wouldnt sleep other wise. I was severly sleep deprived, so bad that one night I started to hallucinate, this scared me so much that I was terrified to sleep and to not sleep. We tried and tried to get our baby to sleep in her cot but she just wouldnt. We were so tired after fighting with her for hours that we would give up and opt for some sleep as to no sleep. At the end we got her to sleep in her cot and now we can sleep in peace. I hope your baby sleeps in the cot no problems 😃 🙏🙏

@M Taylor Oh wow. So thankful that she now sleeps in the cot for you! I can only imagine how stressed you must have been. These babies… the things they put us through. I will keep this all in mind. Thank you for the well wishes!

@Alissa it was very stressful and when I saw this post it just reminded me of the desperation to get her in her cot, it was awful! My HV always says if babies came with a book under their arms it would be boring 🤣😂 and she is so right! I am always trying to find out things in relation to my baby, its crazy 🤪🤯🥴. All the best 🙏

We worked shifts in those early days.. my husband would stay up with him from 10 til 2ish, waking me whenever he was hungry. Then I'd get up with him for 4-5hrs where, if I felt I needed it, I'd go back to bed for an hour or so after. We'd also nap during the day if needed. They still think they're part of you at this stage so separation is hard for them. We didn't get our little boy into his crib at night until 5/6 weeks, but he still won't be put down during the day! You're not doing anything wrong, hang on in there as the sleep does get better. Just do what works for you all at this early stage, I think my mother's intuition told me when to start really trying with the crib overnight and the moment I stopped trying to force it it seemed to click 🙌🙂 xxx

I was losing my mind with lack of sleep when my little beb stopped sleeping n her next to me.. at about 3 weeks 🤷🏽‍♀️ she started off fine then got clingy so she's been safely co sleeping in bed with me for about 2 weeks or so and its been a game changer! I was super terrified at first and never thought I would try it, but partner has been kicked onto the sofa that's in the bedroom with us..Duvet nowhere near babe, no Pillows near, and she usually sleeps for about 2-4 hours at a time! I couldn't have went on the way things were. I plan on getting her back into her next to me gradually when she's ready. Do your research and don't let propaganda and HV scare you about co sleeping x

I was really scared to admit to the midwife that I had been co sleeping but she was really supportive. She said that nhs guidance had changed in the last few months and it's no longer frowned upon as long as it's done safely.

Awww it should get better once she learns day and night. Even at 4 months I still need to let my LG fall into a deep sleep and then transfer her to her crib. It sucks at night when she wakes up hungry as I then try to stay up an extra 20-30 minutes before transferring her but she's pretty good about staying asleep in her crib now. I know I'll miss the extra cuddles one day ♥️