Advice/success stories for settling over tired bubs!

[Kikisa]

Gee whiz - parenting sure is tough! My DD is three weeks old. Some days - is easy to settle, other days like today (and partly last night) she has been a nightmare. Currently I am positive that she is overtired. She is just screaming! We have been really trying to follow her tired signals all day and put her down - but to no avail! She hasn't really settled all day, after a so so night. She is a real sucker, so we were advised by our CYH nurse that a dummy would help her, as she would be seeking to comfort suck on the breast/bottle and we could be over feeding her if this is the case. The dummy does work to some degree - so does the Sound of Silence CD - however today has turned into a tough one. Everytime the dummy falls out - she goes ballistic. She is so so so tired - but how to settle them when they are like this? The dummy is the only thing that is pacifing her. If only I could glue it in! She doesn't settle when we carry her or rock her - she has always pretty much self settled since we brought her home from the hospital.

My question is - what did you guys find successful in settling over tired bubs - or not even over tired bubs? we have been trying to implement the whole sleep, feed, play - but as it turns out by the time she is feeding she is so tired that play time turns into a scream feast and then no sleep time! I can't believe that babies being "over tired" is one of the biggest reasons for not settling! I know she is only 3 weeks and trying to find her feet in this world - i just hope that this is a stage!

Any tips/advice/success stories for a new mum on settling please!!!!!

[sam's mum]

I had a lot of trouble with Sam at the start and went to a sleep clinic for the day, after this things went a lot better. However, from what you have written you are already on top of this stuff - tired signs, sleep eat play. I had stopped wrapping him though, and they got me back into doing this and it helped. A couple of weeks ago he stopped self settling overnight (literally, would one day, wouldn't the next) and we started wrapping again and he started self settling again.

The other things we were advised to try are a warm bath, dim room, soft music, can't remember the rest...

Sorry, good luck. :fingerscrossed: :sleeping:

[misskittyfantastico]

My DD was (and still can be) a very average sleeper:rolleyes: She too was a dummy girl but would go mental when she lost it. Do you have a sling?....sometimes just having her close will help her settle into a deeper sleep....Swaddling tightly would help. I'm also all for co-sleeping....anything that helps her feel secure.

The best advice I can give you, is to remember that you're dealing with a tiny, new being. Try not to worry about routines just yet because they will come in time....be kind to yourself because being a new mum is the toughest job in the world.:hugs:

[aimz]

Hi there

i also had trouble settling my baby during the day - night time didnt seem to be a problem, but we now know its because we had a night routine from the start (feed, bath, cuddles, lullaby music, bed).

During the day i found that she just got too tired and wouldnt settle, therefore there was no playtime only scream time from about 10am to 6pm.....

i called a sleep specialist to the house and now have the routine feed, sleep, play. when she is a bit older i will change it to the feed, play, sleep but at the moment she just gets too over stimulated and cant put herself down.

We started the day routine from 7 weeks... i wish i had of done it earlier. some people might think im a routine warrior but it works for us! i now have a baby who wakes up smiling and is happy to play until shes hungry (no mistaking the cries either) and then goes down for a sleep with relative ease.

One thing that really helped my sanity before i implemented the routine was an electric swing. It goes from side to side back and forth with music and a mobile. Its still her favourite toy and great if you really have to get something done and need two hands :)

Good luck

[MJ]

Hey, My DS was the same .. we eventually tried bathing and did that (and still do) every nite and he sleeps from 7 till about 3 (usually) and wakes again at 6-7ish. At about 6pm each nite I feed him, bath him and feed him again .. really seems to settle him down and we give him a bit of a massage before putting his pj's on.

Worked for us so mite be worth a try???