Newborn not taking to the moses basket well

Furny

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Just to confuse things - both mine detested swaddling and would screech as though they were being murdered - even to the point of the midwives coming in and unwrapping them after spending ten minutes telling me why it was essential I should do it from the day they were born.

Glad someone else had this experience I also had this happpen with my son.
He was born on a ward full of girls (only boy that night) & all the nurses/midwives said how they hadn't heard a peep from him until they swaddled him!he really found his lungs then:eek: so I just gave up, cue other midwives coming on shift telling me to swaddle & not believing me so I let them all do it & reep the conceqences.:D.
When home going in one of the chest baby carriers had exactly the same effect. I remember one of the senior midwives commenting
" In my experience there's not many babies that don't like swaddling at all, mark my words he'll be a fiery character this one"
she was right!:rotfl:

collywollys

My youngest never settled in his moses basket and often slept in his car seat. I tried many different things but he just didn't like it in the end I just left him in the carseat. Hes now almost 2 and has no issues with sleeping or anything else. Think he just liked the cozyness of the carseat. Also some babies suffer with reflux or wind so being sat up can ease it and make them more comfortable.

skintchick

peachyprice wrote: »

38 weeks isn't a premie, anything from 37 weeks onwards is considered full term.

No, indeed. Just as they aren't late till after 42 weeks.

I must have misread the OP, I thought he said she was premature. Probably my baby brain not working properly!

Op it would be good to hear how youre feeling now.

I do think it is often a case of adjusting our expectations when it comes to babies and children - they simply don't fit into our modern lives and timescales in the way we might think before we have children.

The best advice I was ever given was that if you cannot change the baby's behaviour, then change the way you feel about it. Often a mind adjustment helps us deal with how full-on little ones are.

onlyroz

Haven't read all the posts, but I think you're expecting a bit much of such a very small baby. Newborns basically eat, sleep and cry - it's no point trying to get such a small baby into a routine, so you should feed on demand, let them sleep wherever they will and grab plenty of naps as you can.

The time for routines is a few months down the line - then you can make a distinction between waking time, feeding time and sleeping time, and try to ensure that baby sleeps properly in their cot, going 4+ hours without a feed.

pandora205

Newborns are, of course, used to being inside a warm, cosy place so the outside world can be a shock. Naturally, they'd prefer to be close to mum/parent/carer all the time. Second best is a snuggly warm bed (moses basket/cot).

At this stage you might find that 'womb music' or at least a repetitive beat will also help, or any music you've played during pregnancy. And interestingly, young babies sleep when they are over stimulated, so quietness does not do the trick. A vacuum cleaner type noise is often very helpful (though not for parents if the moses basket is in the same room!)

Although it is tempting to think that newborns only sleep and eat, this is not the case. They have periods of alertness when they are interested in the world (initially in human faces but increasingly other visual, auditory and tactile stimuli). Give them lots of time to respond and watch carefully.

Newborns have synaesthesia which means that they can experience one sense in another (tasting colours, etc.) so sensory stimulation in all modalities can have an impact. When it all gets too much (noise, touch, taste, colour, movement, etc.) they switch off - i.e. go to sleep. So, don't have a quiet room - and if all else fails the car works a treat!

And for waking times, lots of talking, touching, movement and showing the world: include babies as much as possible. They'll love it, learn lots and sleep better too.

neverdespairgirl

My son hated being a baby. I think he got bored. He hated being put down at all, whether awake or asleep.

Once he could sit up and touch and move things with his hands, he was a completely different infant, much happier and calmer.

My mother says you can't spoil a small baby, and I completely agree with her. The other posters who have said that babies have needs, not wants, are spot on in my opinion.

fluffnutter

Jeez, she's nine days old! Nothing's a pattern yet! Saying 'is she used to this? is she used to that?' is silly! She's not used to anything! Two days of unsettled sleep is not a habit - it's just two days of unsettled sleep. Don't read anything into it.

I confess I don't know the reasons why the hospital has suggested you don't have her in bed with you, but this seems strange. Parents and children have been co-sleeping in most cultures for millennia. Does one of you sleep very heavily? I don't want to go against the medical advice you've been given but it might be worth exploring this a little more if you want your baby in bed with you.

And don't listen to all the shit about 'routines' and 'giving in to her'. It's cruel nonsense. She's nine days old fgs! She needs comfort and security.

As an aside, how long do you expect her to settle for? You said three hours. A newborn baby's not going to sleep longer much longer than that, particularly a prem one!

Curlywurli

When our second child was born we had a nightmare few days when we brought him home. He was literally awake all night and my husband and I did half a night's sleep each. We had a crib and had to put the moses basket into the crib. We were desperate and tried everything. He only settled down when we went and bought a dummy, then you've got the stress of the baby learning to keep the dummy in but I wish we'd got one sooner.

I also think it's important to follow your instincts. When our first child was born she immediately sucked her fingers. The midwife said that she was hungry, I said that she wasn't she just liked sucking her fingers, apparently I was wrong. She still sucks the same fingers now (and eats us out of house and home, don't know how she's so skinny) and she's five years old.

djdido2

No advice to offer but just wanna say I admire your willingness to try and do things right and make sure your baba has the best of everything. I remember you posting when baby was moving lots in utero.

Many congratulations!!! Just try and relax and use some of the help offered here to see what suits your baba, they are all different.

fsdss

one thing i havent seen mentioned is - put a small folded blanket UNDER the top half the mattress of the basket, lay baby down with head at the highest point and feet to lower part....it could just be that baby is feeling a bit sore with the milk in the tummy and by doing this stops the burning sensation come back up..the digestive system is very immature...and i also second the breast pad in the basket too....the smell of mums milk is comforting.