[GranolaIsCool]

Hi ladies! This is my first post but I've been a long time lurker

I have a 5 month old and I think we have the most dysfunctional sleep system EVER! and I have no idea how to improve it.

Please, please don't flame me- be gentle- but the ONLY way she will sleep is in DH's arms... on the couch

: I know it's a HUGE co-sleeping no-no for 2 reasons... 1- its the couch and 2- its DH.

So here is our problem: we have tried -numerous- times to get her to sleep in her co-sleeper but she will not. Either she lays there and squirms around, wide awake (despite putting her down drowsy, or nursing her to sleep) or she plays for a few minutes and then starts to cry. She does the same thing if she is beside me or between us in bed.

So part of the problem is if we want her to get a good nights sleep that means I have to leave the living room and DH has to lay down and go to sleep with her... at like 7/8PM, leaving us virtually no time to wind down and talk. So she fights sleep now because she is interested in everything so despite being EXHAUSTED and cranky, she won't fall asleep. I know this isn't good for her- she needs her sleep, but she refuses to sleep anywhere but in our arms.

The same thing happens during the day. I can't get her to nap anywhere but my arms, and for the most part I don't mind, but its getting really hard. I miss puttering around the home, cleaning, etc. I'd love to be able to put her in her crib or the arms reach to sleep.

My husband and I are at SUCH a loss for what to do.

As for nighttime- I am perfectly fine co-sleeping with her. Either in bed with us or in the co-sleeper.

So the one thing that may be keeping DH and I from fully pursuing this problem head on is that when she's in his arms, she will easily sleep 6-7 hours straight... which is nice. We're both well rested (for the most part) but at what cost? An unsafe sleeping environment (and it will only get worse now that she's starting to roll and especially when she gets mobile), my DH's sore back, me, lonely in our bed and NO sex since having the baby.

Please be gentle on me

 

[LadyCatherine185]

In one way I am envious of your 6-7 hours straight in your bed alone!

That is a really really tough one... Have you tried swaddling her in bed with you? What if your DH holds her sitting upright in your bed until she is asleep, and then passes her over to you? You could sleep with her on you, tummy to tummy.

Also, you could try laying her down in your bed/her cosleeper after she is asleep on her tummy? This is the only way that I can lay DS down to sleep by himself.

Have you tried side-lie nursing her to sleep?

Gosh, I really hope some people have some advice for you Mama!

 

[Thing1Thing2]

Do you have a sling or a wrap? You may find that she will be able to sleep in a wrap so that you can get some work done around the house.

And about getting 6-7 hours a night sleep in daddy's arms - that's great. Not many babies sleep that long anywhere. Maybe you could use Daddy as a last resort for only when you are really really tired.