Monday, November 16, 2009

Advice Needed!

So we have been co-sleeping with Brynna since we brought her home (not in our original plan, but since she refuses to sleep if she isn't being held we really had no choice). Well, now it's time she at LEAST moves into her bassinet at the end of the bed, as my body just can't take her sleeping on me too much longer. But I'm at a loss on how to get her to sleep in it for more than 15 min stretches. She does fine taking her naps in her crib or bassinet, but when it comes to nighttime, she just flat out refuses!
Any ideas?

13 comments:

Crystal said...

Awww.... no advice here...but Bryer has also been co-sleeping...again, not our plan.. he didn't start until 6 weeks when he had a cold and wouldn't sleep alone! He had such a cough too it made me feel more comfortable if I was right there to sit him up! Now... I am having just as hard of a time thinking about transitioning to a crib as he is... Good luck, let me know if you find something that works!

Mama Bear said...

Do you have a Boppy? Noah was the same way with wanting to be held at night to sleep. He just wanted to feel surronded with comfort and security so the boppy provided that for him. Either in the bed next to me, the couch, or in his pack n' play next to my bed.
The bassinet was to small for him to sleep with the boppy and he also just flat out outgrew the thing(bassinet) within a month...But we also noticed it helped to elevate the mattress pad in the bassinet by putting folded recieving blankets underneath. We noticed he didnt like to lay flat on his back and thats why he wouldn't sleep for long periods in the bassinet till we elevated it.
It's worth trying dear...I hope that helps. and you find a solution soon!!

Christine said...

do you swaddle her at night?? She may just need to feel really secure??

Rikki said...

I agree with Kari about using the boppy. We did that with Brinley when she was that age. We also let her sleep on her side, we'd swaddle her and lay her right up against the rail of the co-sleeper on her side. She never slept well on her back so we had to compromise and do what worked. Good luck I hope you find something that will work for you.

Morgan Owens said...

For some reason Mason would do the same thing when we first brought him home and we realized he likes movement, so we put him in his swing next to our bed and off to lala land he would go! I hope everything is going good for you...can't wait for more pics!

Terri said...

Hey T,

I've got a glider chair you could try. It glides side to side or back & forth, with music. Mackenzie loved it, Hazie didn't much care for it.
Call me if you'd like to try it.

Terri from softball.

faedrake said...

Indra was the same way. I put a pillow under one side of the bassinet mattress to elevate it, and that seemed to help. We also swaddle her now every night, religiously. A bath before bed helps sometimes, but not always. I've also heard of leaving a worn shirt of yours, or breast pads, in the bassinet with them for your scent. I didn't try it though.

I'm not sure if any of the above did the trick, or if she has just grown a bit. She now starts off the night by sleeping 3 or 4 hours in the cosleeper next to the bed. Then, she does 2 hour naps thereafter.

Anonymous said...

I have no "on the job experience" but I think the boppy and swaddling sounds like an idea. I know my niece slept swaddled in this straight jacket looking thing in her boppy.

Hope that helps!
GL!

The Captain's Wife said...

Try a warm heating pad down on the mattress of the bassenet for several minutes before you put her down. You obviously don't want it "hot" but "warm" is good. Often times the coldness of the sheet startles them awake and immediately makes them tense in their location.

GL~

Happily Married said...

First, sorry for no commenting in FOREVER. I've been reading & LOVE Brynna's nursery & birth story! No BTDT advice for you but I did read a WONDERFUL book called "The Baby Whisperer" and she addresses all kinds of things, including this. It's a very reasonable, non-extreme, step-by-step approach. Hopefully it will help you out. Good luck!

Ash said...

No baby yet, but I have heard great things about swaddling. Have you tried it? There are also blankets out now, woombie,miracle blanket, etc that take all the guesswork out of swaddling.

Good Luck!!

Canelaw99 said...

I agree with the swaddling, if you haven't been doing it. She may like the tight, wrapped feeling. Sophia was good with it at first, but over time preferred her arms out so we stopped swaddling her. Also, you can try rolling up a couple of receiving blankets to put on either side of her and place her on her side to sleep.

Kriss said...

While the Boppy does work, please please be careful. The only reason is I did this with my son and it freaked me out one day when he somehow managed to scoot down. His head was no longer on the top of the boppy but at the bottom. I shuttered at the thought of him sufficating (he was only two weeks old). So please be careful using the boppy if your asleep. You would be better off elevating the end of the bassenet and using a sleep sack or wrap. -Kriss