Newborn not taking to the moses basket well

dantheman2010

Good morning all

Myself and my OH are struggling a bit with our 9 day old daughter not taking well to the moses basket at night.

I know she is very very young (she was actually 2 weeks early too) but the up until the last 2 nights she slept pretty well in the moses basket but last night and the night before she really didnt. Even though she had been fed, changed and winded she just wouldnt settle and to get some respite we ended up letting her sleep with us, which we were advised by the hospital not to do.

She wakes up every 3ish hours for her bottle but just hasnt been settling down well after (at night) during the day she isnt so bad.

Just wondered if anyone else experienced this and any suggestions to help?

Thanks

WestonDave

One thing which can make them unsettled is putting them down onto a cold surface - our trick was to hold them for a few minutes whilst you put your hand on the mattress where you are about to put their head. Taking the chill off the surface (especially as the nights get colder) stops them getting a cold shock on their head when you put them down.

nuttywoman

Are you swaddling her, babies settle a lot better if they swaddled xx

dantheman2010

No we arent, what is that? Wrapped up tightly in a blanket?

wendz86

Yep we had this LO would wake up the second she was in basket. We used to put a hot water bottle in for a few mins to warm it up before putting her in.

They do get better, it is just a shock not being all warm and cosy inside mum.

DizzyDizzy

I also tried a hot water bottle in the moses basket just to warm it up a bit. I also found that the moses basket mattress was really hard so I put a pillow on the mattress and laid her on that. Probably shouldn't have but she did look a lot more comfy and cosy.

dantheman2010

There is so much red tape with having a baby, so many YOU SHOULDNT DO'S.

wendz86

Oh and also i put a t shirt i slept in over the mattress so that it would smell like me and hopefully settles her a bit.

Darlyd

Oh dear, please don't give in to her needs, or you are asking for trouble. I give in to DD1 needs, and oh boy did I pay for it. .

You need to persevere with her, wrap her around with a blanket, and put her down, get into a routine. Give it some time. I was so lucky with DD2, she was in a routine pretty much right away, and slept right through by 2-4 months when I put her on hungrier milk. (she was over 10lb born).

Sammy85_2

Try swaddling her. She'll feel all snuggly wrapped up like she was inside mum. You can do it with ordinary cot sheet or you can buy little swaddle suits they you put the baby inside and then fasten up.

Instructions for swaddling with a sheet - http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/newborn/howtoswaddleyourbaby/

Nicki

Please don't put a pillow in a moses basket with a newborn :eek:

Babies who suffocate to death in bed with parents or on a couch or armchair, usually do so because they get their faces wedged against a pillow or cushion and can't move to get air in. That risk is ten times worse in a moses basket or cot, where the mattress must fit perfectly with no gaps and pillows are a no no.

Seriously, this is as dangerous as leaving a plastic bag in a cot with a toddler!