How to get a newborn to sleep somewhere other than on you?

[teeah22]

Hi ladies, looks like I'll be hanging out over here more, DS2 was born on Monday

DS1 would sleep anywhere so this is new territory for me.  DS2 will sleep in lovely 2-4 hour stretches if he's being held.  He'll sleep for 30 minutes max if we put him down somewhere; most of the time he wakes up immediately after putting him down.  We've tried the RNP, bouncy seat, car seat, newborn napper attachment for the PNP; we've tried these all with and without vibration, and with and without the swaddle.  He slept just fine in the little baby box in the hospital, up to 6 hours, but basically as soon as we got him home he decided he was done with that.  Help!

[sporklemotion]

Hang in there! I can't necessarily help, because we had the same problem. I watched lots of Netflix. My only advice is to keep trying stuff-- one day the swing didn't work, and the next day (and beyond) it did. Eventually, the crib started to work, and it works well now (for now...).

[lolo]

I would wear him.

[teeah22]

The only thing we haven't tried is the swing. We hauled it up from the basement yesterday, we just need to wipe it down. Fingers crossed.... I don't mind holding him during the day but the co sleeping at night makes me nervous. Plus I'm currently going through the postpartum night sweats  :?

[Jalapeñomel]

Just time.

[Deleted]

Congrats! I'd hold him and reevaluate in a week or two.

[gibbinator]

Congratulations!
Time helps. Ds slept on me day and night for about 2 weeks, when he suddenly, magically started sleeping in the bassinet one evening. We didn't do anything differently.
Unfortunately he was a crap catnapper until his first birthday. His naps tended to be about 30 minutes unless we were driving or walking, and he pretty much always had to be nursed to sleep.

[AlpineSlide]

Congrats on your baby! Are you using loud white noise? I know you mentioned a swaddle, but make it really tight. Have you tried different types of swaddles?

[chicago]

My dd was that way too. Wearing her in the ktan helped a lot because then my arms were free. It lasted about five or so weeks for us, if I remember correctly, then she wanted nothing to do with it. After that it was only the swing. Now she doesn't love that either. She's always throwing me for a loop.

It'll get better!

[teeah22]

We're using SwaddleMe wraps. He's pretty strong though and even busted out of the nurses swaddles in the hospital, and you know how tight those are. It's really no big deal during the day, we have three adults here right now so we're just passing him around. I'm just really uncomfortable with him sleeping on us at night from a safety perspective.

[dragonfly08]

Congrats!

DD #2 went through a phase where she'd nap in the crib, swing or bouncer but at night would only sleep if someone was holding her. The only thing I was able to do was wait it out. Eventually she got over it and started sleeping in the PNP/crib again but it was a rough few months. I tried to make it easier by using our Bjorn, since at least that way I had my hands free.

Just like most things with kids, the days seem long but the years are short. It doesn't feel like it, I know, but this too shall pass, I promise!

[Deleted]

Jul 19, 2014 11:42:29 GMT -5 incogneato said:

DD1 was like that. I just wore her and sat on the couch a lot. It just took time.

Same. DS1 only slept being held, being worn or bedsharing as a newborn. I wish someone had told me this was normal. He eventually outgrew it but it was exhausting.

Hang in there!

[jeaniebueller]

Jul 19, 2014 12:23:40 GMT -5 teeah22 said:

We're using SwaddleMe wraps. He's pretty strong though and even busted out of the nurses swaddles in the hospital, and you know how tight those are. It's really no big deal during the day, we have three adults here right now so we're just passing him around. I'm just really uncomfortable with him sleeping on us at night from a safety perspective.

What about a Wombie?

[chickadee77]

Swaddlemes and regular swaddles (including the nurses'best double-swaddles, lol) do jnothing for DD. The Miracle Blanket and Woombie have worked, though. Sleep has been a battle for us, too - what works one day doesn't always work the next and vice versa.

While wearing her may work, that doesn't help for when *you* want to get shuteye. Hang in there!

[littlemisschatty]

Jul 19, 2014 10:39:55 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Just time.

Yeah I was gonna say this also. Sorry

Congrats!!!!

[teeah22]

I have a Halo sleepsack somewhere but the others I'd have to buy. He actually just woke up from a 2 hour nap on the couch, go figure. Maybe I should try the crib? The swing got us 45 minutes earlier.

I guess since DS1 would sleep wherever, it never occurred to me that this could happen! I know with newborns that things can change from day to day so we'll see, I'll just keep trying. DH has another week off but I worry about him after that; Easton and I may have to camp out on the couch for a while.

[ringstrue]

Dd needed the classic combo of white noise and swaddling (just with a receiving blanket) and when I laid her down it was on another receiving blanket since the cool sheet woke her up. I also had to make sure I didn't lay her down too early after she fell asleep or she'd wake right up.

[bugandbibs]

Congratulations!

I used a rice heat pack to warm up the surface of wherever I was putting the baby down. It seems to help with the transfer.

[jamer]

I'm having exactly the same problem and I'm going crazy. Dd is 5 weeks old and I'm wearing her or Holding her about 22 hours a day. I swaddle, white noise and rock and lay down and she wakes up right Away or within an hour. I'm desperate for her to sleep on her own. I keep trying swing, rock and play and nothing is working. I even gave up dairy hoping that would solve it and so far no....so just wanted to commiserate with you. Hoping we turn a corner soon!

[karinothing]

I just had to wait it out honestly. I think around like 2.5 months he decided it was fine to sleep on his own. I tried everything (warming the bed, getting a vibrating bed, reaching way down so he was against my chest until he touched the bed, EVERYTHING). I think he just finally got big enough where he was okay with it. Sorry, it sucks.