Help... my 3 week old baby wakes up when I put her down during the day.?

Question

My baby is 19 days old and she is on a good schedule at night time. She sleeps next to me and wakes up every 2hrs to eat... which is fine, but during the day, I have trouble getting things done because she wants to be held while she's sleeping and when I get her to sleep, I lay her down on the bed and she wakes up. What can I do?

Answer 1

Try wearing her in a sling.

When you put her down, don't let her "feel gravity." Instead of lowering her down onto the bed, bend over and get your torso as close to the bed as possible and then slide your arms out from under her. This is something we had to do with our son.

Try warming up the spot you will put her with a hot pad or warm rice sock ahead of time. Then take it away when you put her down.

Try putting her in a car seat or swing so she still kind-of has the sensation of being held.

Try swaddling her.

She's almost 3 weeks old, so she is probably hitting a growth spurt about now where she'll want to nurse a lot to boost your supply again.

Also, keep in mind that your baby will not be spoiled if you hold him and nurse her often - quite the opposite, in fact. Studies have shown that when babies are held often and responded to quickly, the babies cry less, and the parents learn to read baby's cues more quickly. A young child's need for her mother is very intense - as intense as her need for food. Know that your child really needs you. It is not about manipulation or something you can "fix" with the right discipline. Often a baby who is perceived as fussy is simply a baby who needs more contact with mom (and is smart enough to express this need) and is content once her needs are met.

Remember that just a few short weeks ago, she was still inside you and could see/hear/smell/taste/touch you every second of every day. She doesn't yet have a sense that you are two separate people or that you still exhist when she can't see/hear/smell/taste/touch you. This will come in time.

ETA:
DO NOT "put her in the corner of the couch" as this is UNSAFE. She could suffocate there! Safe cosleeping guidelines recommend AGAINST putting her somewhere like the couch!

You sleeping with her at night is FINE and GOOD for both of you. Make sure you are following the safe cosleeping guidelines below.

Answer 2

I have an 8 week old, he sleeps in a bassinet at night, but was very clingy during the day. I do use a baby sling occasionally, but I also use a baby papasan swing, he is reclined, not completely flat on his back and it has a gentle rocking motion. This made sense to me because when he is wanting to be held he is at a reclined position, not flat like his basinet. Good luck.

Answer 3

My daughter is now 11 months old and sleeps well....
I had the same problem, but she didnt sleep with me at night (she was in a bassinet next to my bed).
I eventually got a Bjorn, so I could do some things during the day while she slept. But, If you don't want to do that just put her in her crib or bassinet while she is awake, stay with her (so she doesnt cry) and she will eventually fall asleep, new babies love their sleep.

Answer 4

i'm from singapore (south east asia) & most parents around that region put their babies in a "sarong" which's like a sling suspended on coils of spring which is either supported on a stand or to the ceiling. the baby is being rocked to sleep while inside the sling. i'll say most (if not all) babies love it & do sleep soundly in it probably cos it resemeble the secure enironment of the mother's womb. i've 2 sons aged 4yr & 1yr who have slept in sarong & can napped up to 3hrs during the day. if you want to know more abt the sarong, you can email me.

there are always pros & cons so it's the same with the sarong. babies love it but the rocking motion can also conditioned them so much that they can only fall asleep when they're in the sarong & nowhere else (see http://www.youngnutrition.net/parents/forum/viewtopic.php?t=585).

Answer 5

I have a 5 week old and had the same problem before. Remember where babies come from is nice and warm, so are your arms. This is the secreat- after she's done eating and burping, snuggle her in a blanket like they do in the hospital and lay her in a corner on your couch where you can watch her. she'll think she's still in the womb and will fall asleep. works for me. Good luck

Answer 6

my baby is like that for first 2 weeks.... what I did is... when my son is already asleep... i will lay down while im carrying my baby so that once both of you lay down.. she will think you still carry her.. then embrace her at the same time .. that's what i do to put my son lay down..sleep beside her first for a couple of minutes and once you notice she is already asleep, then you could slowly stand up if you will do something or you could just sleep beside her.. because if you are going to spoil her.. remember after weeks or months.. she will gain weight .. slowly discipline your child about this.. because it will comes back to you .. its not that easy to carry your child if she will be around 6 months up

Answer 7

This must be a common complaint for a lot of mothers. You might have to try different things, but what worked best for me, was to wait about 15 minutes, until I knew my son was completely out, lay him down and wrap him up snuggly. Laying him down without too much russling.

Answer 8

You just have to wien her slowly put her down when she;s awake that way she will get used to it wait a few minutes and increase the time veryday until u reach a desireable time for an infant under a year usually ten fifteen minutes. And no it doesn't hurt them or make them feel neglected use it in a positive way such as tummy time to help her instead

Answer 9

She should not sleep next to you at night, every burp and fart will wake you when she doesn't necessarily need anything. Put her to bed while awake, this way she "learns" to fall asleep alone. After the final feeding (night or nap), stop halfway through and play (undo the footie jammies and let her kick and laugh) then as she gets tired, finish feeding, burp and put her to bed awake. Works like a charm. I also found that if they "doze" like in the car, when I got them home they weren't tired anymore, so time your trips carefully. Good luck, and congrats!

Answer 10

ok the baby is still a newborn and she has to have time to adjust on her own bed but the reason why she's like that because she needs to feeel safe and hear your heart beat or at least touch you while shes asleep because if she doesn't feel safe shes goning to wake up because she is uncomfortable