Settling in cot

[Jamily]

Hi everyone

I know this has probably been covered a hundred times, but I am trying everything to get my 9 week old to settle in her cot - unless she is SOUND asleep she just won't stay in there. The minute she wakes she starts crying even if we are standing right next to her - she won't even have a kick when in there.

Any tips on how to get her to stay without letting her cry it out would be great.

Thanks!

Claire
p.s. she won't take a dummy

[jembelina]

i just popped bub in when he outgrew the bassinette and never gave it a second thought and he was fine... but.... another mum i know who was having trouble getting her bub to settle in the cot put the basinette in the cot for a while first to familiarise bub - worked for her :)

[Tea Lady]

Hi Clairet,

I was going out of my mind with frustration when my baby was about the same age for the very same reason. We went interstate for a holiday when she was 10 weeks so I decided not to bother too much till we got back, but I found at 11 or 12 weeks I was able to start getting her to settle in her bassinet rather than always putting her down asleep. By the way, you might not want to pay too much attention to me on this topic, since I'm now back to square one and rocking my 7 month old to sleep again so maybe my advice isn't up to much! (That's more to do with her having suddenly decided she hates her dummy though - things were fine until about a month ago).

It did take a reasonable investment of time and effort for a few days, but I found her sleeping improved, so I felt it was worth it. I didn't have any magic tricks or anything, but I basically did whatever it took to keep her happy in the bassinet and eventually she'd fall asleep. I found it helped to stroke her head and make a shhing sound (sh sh sh sh shhhhhhhhhhhh worked for me) and pat her thigh. She also had a dummy though, but it seems to depend on the baby for that one and I know you said your bub doesn't take one.

My husband found that she'd fall asleep playing with his fingers, and then when she got a few weeks older she liked holding a rug over her face (needless to say, I took it off her face when she was asleep).

I found it took about 20 mins to get her to sleep initially and then about 4 days later it was prob only 5 mins or so. Obviously you make sure they're not hungry or anything like that, and if she started really crying I'd pick her up.

I have just finally managed to get my baby to sleep in her cot this morning (first time in about a month - I am soooooo happy!) and I found it helped to make a na na naaaa sound in a really croaky voice (the things we do!). For some reason this works better than a normal voice for me. I also jiggled her hip fairly firmly.

Anyway, I don't think much of this makes any sense, but I hope you can use some of the ideas. I know how frustrating and exhausting it is!

BTW I have found it helps to make sure the baby is really tired. I know you're meant to follow tired signs etc but I find it works better for Jo if I wait till she's reeeally tired - I have spent many a frustrating hour trying to get her to sleep because she gave tired signs but obviously wasn't tired enough.

Anyway, best of luck. Let us know how you go.

Lucy

[Harmony83]

Hey Clairet,
We had the same problem, we ended up going to 'sleep school' at Riverton to overcome it!! I got alot of helpful advise from them and by the second night he was settling in their fine! When we got home though it went a bit 'haywire' as things do.
So we tried a few different things, what worked for us was, when he'd start grizzling I'd just wait a little bit longer, maybe showing another tired sign (usually rubbing eyes) then I'd wrap him up tightly and rock him until his calm and pop him in bed with his dummy, then I'd leave the room for a couple of minutes, just stand outside the door, and see how he goes if his just grizzling I'd leave him, if he does start to get quite upset I go back in put his dummy back in and pat his tummy saying sshhh or humming a lullaby (don't look in their eyes, they think its playtime!) then when calm again I wait outside the door and so on... After about two weeks I could pop him in his cot and he'd go to sleep on his own (I was so proud!!) occassionally I'll have to revert to helping him settle, but only maybe once a week! You could still do this without the dummy. Hope this helps and Goodluck!
P.D If bubs won't settle, give another cuddle until calm and start again or stroke between the eyes or around head, (usually calms our little one right down!)
:D

[Tea Lady]

Yes! Harmony reminded me about that fantastic reflex the little ones have - when they're getting sleepy if you stroke from the top of their head down to the bridge of their nose they close their eyes and with any luck keep them shut. I was sooo disappointed when we lost that reflex!

[Jamily]

Hi Ladies

Just wanted to say a BIG thank you for all your responses and tips - I managed to get Emily down awake for the first time and could have cried!!!!!

LuWa - that reflex tip is amazing. I have passed it onto a few other friends with newborns and they think I'm a guru :)

[IAdoreYou]

I USE the "tickle head' NOW ... I used to get my husband to that to meeeeeeeeeeee :D and tickle my back ..

Lucy is right though - I DO all the same shhhhhhhhh techniques and stroking her thigh .. Brooke doesnt' take long to settle then!

good luck.