[Kay1]

DS3 has never been a super easy baby but just average I'd say. Being a third child he gets dragged about all over the place and has to grab a nap where he can. I do try to stay home as much as I can to let him have a proper sleep.

For the last 5 weeks or so I have not been feeding him to sleep (except at night) and could wrap him, put him in bed and wiggle his body from side to side so his head wobbled and he'd chill out and fall asleep with little fuss. Usually he'd sleep 45 mins but once a day a longer sleep.

For the last few days he's been a nightmare to settle. He wriggles and fights as if his life depends on it. He seems desperate to suck but won't take a dummy. He leans to the right as if trying to suck the bed next to his head or his hands but if I let him have his hands up he just gets more hysterical. He lifts his legs up. I've tried a love to dream swaddle where his hands are up near his face and its even worse. I have tried an eco coccoon wrap and he gets his hands up and goes nuts. The most success so far has been to wrap him tightly with a flannelette wrap (so no stretch) with his arms right down next to his sides. Otherwise he works them up to his chin and gets them out and gets hysterical. I am at a loss as to what to do in hot weather (was 27 degrees in his room yesterday) so have been using a muslin with a velcro wrap over the top, but its still too warm and he wriggles out eventually.

Even well wrapped it takes 15-20 mins of crying for him to sleep. I stay with him, I try patting, rocking etc, nothing works. I am trying not to do too many different things but I do each one for 2 mins or so and if there's no decrease in screaming I change. Feeding or picking him up and rocking him fast helps but only until I put him in his cot and he starts screaming again. Eventually he calms enough so I can do the wobble thing and he falls asleep. He never sleeps longer than 45 mins though. Often 30 mins of settling gets us 30-40 minutes of sleep.

I am trying to keep the wake periods 2 hours or less and I watch for his tired signs closely. Is this a phase or am I doing something wrong? I have forgotten what my other 2 were like at this age, although they were both extremely fussy babies and always hard to settle, so there didn't seem to be 'phases'.

DS3 is gaining weight well, fully BF and a very healthy, happy baby in every other way.

[melinmo]

I also have a 3 month old. A few things I do to get her to sleep that might help you. I always wrap her firmly in a cotton sheet, I use the flat cot sheets so I can wrap her well and then just adjust her clothing for the weather. Perhaps you could try this instead of the flanelette? I too always put her to bed awake and I find she often has a little whinge and wrap fight before drifting off. I always stand outside her door to watch her and it's like she just needs to do this to get comfortable before sleeping, could this also be what your DS is doing? I use a white noise machine that sounds like rainfall that I switch on as a sleep cue and importantly block out my very noisy 3 year old, who DD2 is becoming more and more aware of!
Hope this helps.

[Kay1]

Thanks We have a white noise machine too which we've used since birth. It used to help a lot but not any more. The cot sheet is a good idea though, thanks.

[cuddlebud]

Yep, the white noise machine works for us too - you can download a free app if you have an iPhone.

We found the most effective wrapping to be a large 1.2m square muslin over a long sleeve/short sleeve onesie depending on the weather and then bubs lying flat and a cot sheet tucked in tight over that.

If it's just a recent occurrence it could be a wonder week issue, there's one around 12 weeks. Hope that helps.

[Kay1]

Thanks cuddlebud. I am pretty sure we've had our 12 week wonder week. He has a cold now so there's not much I can do to change things right now.

Re the wrap I was thinking of sewing the arms closed on a singlet onesie and using that as a swaddle for when its hot. Any reason that won't work?

[Miss Lily]

I sadly have nothing to add it sounds like you are doing everything right settling wise - but can highly recommend the 'miracle blanket' its the only wrap that will keep my wriggly 3 month old swaddled tight. In hot weather I just have him in a nappy and this wrap and a tight cotton sheet to tuck him in and it works well.
Buy off ebay or Bubs n Grubs / Nursing Angel, i found they had the best price and fast delivery.
Good luck!

[feliz6]

Hi Kay. I think I may have replied to an earlier thread of yours I also have a three month old with sleep troubles. I recently had a sleep consultant visit my home. I think it's too early to tell what the impact will be but if you want to pm me I could give you updates and the consultants details- she does phone consultations.

[tinkster23]

I'd try reducing her awake time, my four month old is only good for an hour and a half awake, if it stretches towards two hours he is much much harder to settle

[Chelly_M]

I agree with pp, he might be over tired, especially if he hasnt had good sleeps previous days from being out and about.
My ds is 3 mths as well and can only stay up a max 1 1/2 hrs. I watch for tired signs. At the first yawn,eye rub or grizzle,I start the settling process. He may only have been awake an hour at this point,but getting him to bed earlier works well.
We also have a rain sound app he listens to. If he's struggling to sleep, turning it up quite loud helps too.