Hi, I am a first time mother to a beautiful 2 month old baby girl as of lately I have been finding it very difficult to get her to sleep. During the day she will only fall asleep for mayb 5 to 10 minutes at a time, and thats usually in my arms, as soon as I put her down in her bassinet or the bed she will wake up instantly... Another problem is sometimes she will decide after she eats and is up the she wants to sleep but she won't go to sleep with me I can spend over an hour of constant crying and rocking her but as soon as i pass her to someone else she will go to sleep instantly. Is there something Im doing wrong, or possibly not doing enough of. Please some advice... has anyone else have this problem?
Fyi- She eats 2-3 ounces every two almost three hours and will burp then fall asleep instantly after but then will wake up after 5 mins or so
Thanx to all those who give advice anything helps
Thank you so much to everyone for your advice... I have tried a combination of everything and it seems to be working... we have started giving her 3 ounces instead of 2 and right after we burp her we place her down in her swing or bouncer an she will fall asleep on her own also when she gets really fussy that sling has really helped keeping her close but allowing me to atleast get the laundry done... thanks for everyones advice it has really helped my husband and I have been consistent with this and all of us seem way less tense shes starting to fall asleep on her own and is less fussy...My attitude has changed very much Im no longer stressed or fusterated and my day no longer consists of holding a crying baby, but playing with a happy baby... thanks again really!!
It sounds like to me she's dozing off as she's eating, but not really done eating. Try keeping her awake to eat more and then she might be satisfied and then sleep longer. It's been a long time, but 2 - 3 ounces doesn't seem like very much.
i have a 2 month old who is a rocky day time sleeper too. must be the stage they're in! my daughter sleeps in her bed through the night but hates her bed in the day. i, for her sake and my sanity, wear her in a moby wrap in the day for several hours. she snoozes there all comfy and snuggled next to mama, and i can get things done (i can actually drink a cup of coffee before it gets cold!)
as far as her passing out when given to another person after you rocked her..maybe she's picking up on your anxiety ( i do this sometimes too). i'm trying to remember that she needs a relaxed, happy mama to feel safe. and so long as i'm trying something- i'm being a good mom.
another way i've found that my girl likes to go to sleep in dancing around to slow music (think high school slow dancing!) she relaxes and i'm moving versus being confined to a chair (burning those calories?!?) she also likes it if i hum along with the song while her face is on my chest, head tucked under my chin.
they're tiny, complicated puzzles aren't they?? i'd love to talk more and share tips and ideas for our girls (am a 1st timer too!)
good luck!
My son was the same way, and the only thing that really made a big difference was swaddling him, specifically in the Miracle Blanket because he couldn't wiggle out of it. If I didn't swaddle him there was no way I could put him down without waking up. I also would let him nap in a sling or Moby Wrap and he would just sleep on me for 2 hours straight while I did house work or read or whatever I wanted to do, and it was really nice. Also, babies take longer to fall into deep sleep, so try holding her for longer (like 15-20 minutes) before you try to put her down.
As far as falling asleep for others but not for you...you didn't say if you're breastfeeding, but if you are, it's possible that she's wanting to nurse to sleep if you're holding her. It's worth a try. Sometimes they want to nurse for comfort, not just because they're hungry.
I think this could be a combination of things. First I agree that she is probably drifting off before she's really full. My younger one did this. I would feed her on one side, then burp her and change her diaper as this made her a little mad which woke her back up! Then I would feed her on the other side, burp then bed. This made a world of difference.
Also, both of my girls slept much better if I put them down while they were still awake. Super sleepy, warm and full, but awake. Whenever I rocked them to sleep they would wake right up as soon as I put them down. I think putting them down sleepy, but awake helped them to learn how to fall asleep on their own, so when they woke up a little during lighter sleep they didn't panic at being alone (since they weren't alone when they fell asleep) and would just fuss a minute or two and fall right back to sleep. I just had to remember not to jump up as soon as they made a noise. :o)
Good luck on your continuing adventure!
Is she nursing? Your diet could be part of the problem. We dont think the coffee tea ect goes through our bodies. If its formula, it might not agree with her. She might have a bubblie tummy. There are liquid drops that can help. And Mom, babies can feel your every emotion. Relax. There is no how-to or rule book. Find what works for the two of you. advice is great but its just advice. You will get through this .Hugs to you.
week 8 is a wonder week. google it.
My first guess is that she doesn't like either the bassinet nor the bed. Have you tried the car seat, a swing, a bouncy seat. They tend to cradle the baby better and give them more of a feeling of comfort and security.
Also, have you called the pediatrician to see if there may be issues with reflux?
It's very possible too, that she is just a colicky baby and needs a few more weeks to grow into her skin and be less fussy.
Try swaddling her. She should be easier to keep asleep when you put her down. But I have a four month old who has just gotten out of the 10-20 minute naps, and that's only some of the time. I think it's normal to take short naps at this age!
