Why will my newborn sleep in his crib during the day...?

[TheBookofRuth]

But not at night? He's a week old, and during the day he sleeps in his bed nest quite happily - as long as his tummy's full and he's been winded, I can put him in it drowsy and he'll sleep for hours at a time.

At night though, he reacts as though that very same crib is an instrument of torture and screams if I put him in it. I've tried leaving the light on. I've tried leaving the side down and putting a hand on him. He will not settle unless brought the extra few inches to sleep by my side. Come morning, I can transfer him back in and he'll sleep in it for a couple more hours. But he won't spend the night in it.

Any ideas, anyone?

[TheBookofRuth]

Anyone? No ideas at all from the Mumsnet Collective?

[mrsmugoo]

Probably because he doesn't know the difference between day and night and just wants to be close to his Mum.

At one week old they don't even know they are a separate entity to you.

I would recommend co-sleeping. He will sleep in his cot when ready.

[TheBookofRuth]

Well, yes, but if he doesn't know the difference between night and day and just wants to be close to me, then how come he's happy to sleep in it during the day when I'm not in the bed next to him and close enough to touch, and not at night when I am?! Is he just being contrary?

I co-slept with his big sister because she gave me no choice, but as he will sleep in a crib I was hoping I wouldn't have to with him.

[curlyLJ]

I posted the exact same question when my DD2 was a few weeks old. Same scenario entirely (except we have a moses basket not a crib) and I just couldn't fathom what the difference was and it drove me nuts.

She's 14 weeks now and has been spending the night in the moses basket for some time and in all honesty, I don't know what made the difference. I just kept trying and eventually she slept in there. I think she was about 6ish weeks old, but it's passed in a bit of a blur to be honest...
At first she was waking up a lot through the night (more than when we were co-sleeping) but now she is doing 6-7 hour stretches in there quite happily and will settle herself off to sleep if put down drowsy.

You will get there, it's very early days and it feels like things are never going to get better, but they do. Congratulations on your baby!

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

No tips I'm afraid but ds got the hang of nighttime at around 9 weeks old. He then went down at 7 and just woke for milk.

Long 9 weeks though but I think that's the long side of things

[Thesimplethings]

Sounds exactly how my ds2 was. He then started vomiting after feeds and was diagnosed with reflux. He settled better at night once starting gaviscon. For some reason the reflux only started after 4pm and he would eventually settle around 6am... an hour after ds1 woke.

Could that be a possibility?

[TheBookofRuth]

I don't know, but I doubt it. He's not a sicky baby, unlike his DSis. He has one or two big burps after a feed and then seems quite happy.

Sounds like I may just have to ride it out, and tbf he's already sleeping better than DD did. I just find it bizarre!