My 6 week old daughter won't sleep!

[PipersMum]

We have been having a lot of trouble getting our 6 week old(tomorrow) daughter to sleep during the day. We put her in her bassinet settled, but awake (as suggested by everyone!), but instead of nodding off to sleep she happily lies awake for ages, often until she is due for her next feed. We've tried patting her back, rocking her, singing, music, etc, etc but nothing does it. By the time night rolls around we have a very overtired little girl. I have called Tweedle(melbourne parenting centre) to try & get seen there but the consultant nurse can't even call me to disscuss this until Nov 28. I have only left the house about 8 times in 6 weeks, & only for dr's/health nurse appointments as the problem seems to be worse when we go out.

She has reflux, but has been on Zantac for the last 3 weeks & that seems under control, & now seems to be suffering from wind pain(she spends a lot of time grunting & sometimes gets a little fart out!)

Has anyone else experienced this & can anyone offer any other suggestions? Help!

[~Emmylou~]

I guess I can suggest a couple of things that work for me?

Does she have a dummy? My son is a week younger than your dd and we find that popping the dummy in (nap time only) instantly calms him - you literally see his whole body relax.
Basically to get him to sleep during the day he has a breastfeed, a nappy change, and then I darken the room, wrap him up tightly, pop the dummy in and hold him for maybe 5 minutes until he's calm and staring off into space. THen I put him in the basinette awake but drowsy and leave the room.
Sometimes I have to go back in a couple of times to replace lost dummy, other times he'll suck madly on it for five minutes, spit it out and go to sleep.

Re the wind pain - DS gets it pretty bad as well and we have been using Infacol drops (can get them in the baby aisle of the supermarket). They work wonders, the squirming and grunting stops almost instantly ;)

Good luck!

[Milliner]

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