[squirrel10]

Calling all desperate mums and dads out there...

I have a 7 week old and we have just gone through the dreaded arsenic hour (more like HOURS - my DD has been awake since 4.30pm this arvo and has only just gone to sleep!). My DP and I used pretty much every technique we have for settling her tonight and as we went through our repertoire it occurred to me there are probably thousands of others out there that we could try. This is what we tried tonight:

* putting her on my chest with and without bottom patting
* putting her in her sling and walking up and down the hallway
* singing
* a warm bath
* patting and shushing once she was in her bassinet
* extra breastfeeds
* leaving her to cry intermittently (no longer than 5 mins at a time)
* putting her bassinet onto a piece of wood we have that has wheels and wheeling her up and down in her room
* putting her in her car capsule and swinging it from side to side (this is what finally worked)

We couldn't take her for a walk or out to the car because it's raining.

So tell me what you do when you're desperately trying to settle your newborn to sleep and what works.

(And if someone can tell me why one thing works one night and not the next, I'll be most grateful!)

This post has been edited by lucky 2: 10/03/2012, 10:20 AM

Reason for edit: altered title

[K+M+A+P]

I would never recommend leaving her to cry. She is way way too young to do that.
We used to use a battery operated swing to try and settle
Do you use a dummy at all?

The car is really good but I understand why you don't want to go out with the rain.

I think they just like to torment us and leave us guessing, hence one thing working one night but not the next

[jules77]

Definitely too young for crying

We put our baby in our ergo if things get desperate. Holding him in the cradle hold whilst bouncing on my fit ball also works well.

I also just feed, feed, feed!!

[*Finn*]

op you did everything right. At that age I think it's best to try everything. Tomorrow something completely different will work, they just like to keep us guessing. Quick go to bed before she wakes up.

[emc002]

My bub when he was about that age, I didn't leave him to cry but he would let out a cry or kind of a yelp, as though he was fighting the feeling of going off. He is 8 months now and he sometimes sings himself to sleep, if people know what I mean by that.

[*Finn*]

[quote name='jules77' date='24/01/2012, 09:32 PM' post='14233613'

I also just feed, feed, feed!!
[/quote]
I also did this, even when you think they can't possibly be hungry.

[bettymm]

I also just feed, feed, feed!!

this used to work a treat for DD1 but for my 6 week old she wont feed if she is tired! just thrashes around and then screams!

she tends to have a really unsettled period from about 4.30 too where its really hard to get her to sleep. Only thing ive found works is going for a LONG walk in the baby bjorn..she has taken to sucking on my finger during the walk to fall asleep so we may invest in a dummy. OR wrapping up quite tightly and rocking her in the rocking chair.

good luck!

[doctorseuss]

We did a special sideways hold and jiggle as recommended on happiest baby on the block - google it and you can see a video. We adjusted it and faced DD2 inwards, worked sooner or later....often 15 minutes....and she would go off quietly, no crying.

DD1 fed to sleep....DD2 left us desperately seeking solutions and this was recommended by a close friend.

I do believe different things work for different babies though.

[Xiola]

Have you tried putting her a wrap (like a hug-a-bub or moby). My DD would fall asleep in an instant in it until she was about 15 weeks old.

[Sunnycat]

At that age I just kept offering boob.