newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

our new refuses to sleep in his bassinet at night. he only stops crying when we hold him or lay him on the bed next to us. i know this is a no-no but...it's the only way we can get any sleep. what do you suggest we do to get him accustomed to sleeping in the bassinet at night. do you think it could also be that its too dark in our bedroom at night?

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

Do you swaddle him? That could help in making him a bit more comfortable. Also DS hates falling asleep on his back so I roll a towel an put him on his side that helps a lot!! Also when I rocked DS to sleep (I know it's better not to but u do what u have to...) I would do the last few rocks a bit away from my body sort of in the air a little and then put him down and bend as much into the bassinet as possible, so he doesn't have that falling feeling most nb have, and continue rocking the bassinet with me still hunched over it. All this might seem crazy but it worked for us...
GL!!!

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

My newborn doesn't sleep in the bassinet or her crib. We put her in the snugabunny swing at night- it helps her sleep better, but she still has her days and nights confused. There is a cosleeper that you may want to look into.

this is the full version-

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2401895

but I believe yesterday when I was at BRU I saw just the top of it in the infant care section


My baby is extremely gassy and likes to be on her stomach- my husband wants to put her on her stomach even though they say we aren't supposed to due to SIDS. All our parents put us on our stomachs- but I still said we can't. She has to be kept on her back.

Goodluck

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

My dd didn't really care for the flat bassinet ...my sil gave us the snuggle cushion ...its great dd loves it ..she has her moments but overall its great. Told one of my friends who had a baby a few days before me and ran out and bought it and her daughter loves it as well. Good luck !

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

I would try swaddling him and using white noise.

ETA: I also had a small pillow that I put under the bassinet sheet so his head would be raised a little.

Message edited 7/12/2011 5:44:08 PM.

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

i stopped swaddling him because i was afraid the swaddling would become loose and cover his nose and suffocate him. we just put him in those sleep gowns. i have swaddle me's i was given at my shower but they are too big. i think maybe i'll go buy smaller swaddle me's and try the pillow under the sheet thing to prop him up a bit.

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

We are bad and let DD fall asleep on our chest, but then we swaddle her and transfer her to the rock and play. She too hated the bassinet - she hates to be flat. I would try elevating him.

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

DS slept in our bed for the first 7.5 months of his life. It was easy and it got all of us a decent nights rest.

Wish I could do the same this time, but with twins its just impossible. We do swaddle them (Halo sleepsack with swaddle) and they sleep in the fisher price rock and play sleeper. On most nights they will do a 6+ hour stretch.

I also find routines help. We do bath, lotion, get dressed, nurse, bed every night.

Re: newborns and sleep (as if the two went together)

We are just getting out of that phase. We live for our Halo Swaddle Sleepsack, the one with the wings that close over their arms with velcro. It was much easier than a blanket swaddle that we worried would come undone.

We also found following our pediatrician's advice on her digestion helped a great deal. She gets a few drops of a probiotic every day and then either an ounce of weak chamomile tea with gripe water in it -or- a bit of maalox if she seems gassy. She seemed more zen in general after a day or so of that.

I also find that putting her down but not "breaking" the hold right away helps. I would sort of continue to cradle my arms around her and then move my arms away slowly.

Good luck. It will get better! I was in the depths of despair from lack of sleep a few weeks back so I know how you feel!