Help!! Ways to settle/calm a newborn before my head explodes

[LuluHB]

So Miss A has been a very unhappy camper since late this morning. The typical unsettled sort of thing and she would eventually doze off on me but as soon as I try to put her down she's awake within 3 minutes off and screaming again. Its now got to the point where for the last four hours she's been on me constantly, except for an attempt to get her asleep by going for a drive. We've tried the bath. We've tried the shower. We've fed. We've not fed. We've walked the floors. We've tried the swing, the hammock, the pram, the car. DH has been working all day and will be for another 6 hours or so, so I'm on my own. Miss'us I and E have been horribly neglected and have only just been put to bed.

I'm not worried that there is anything wrong with her other than the mother of all unsettled periods. She is feeding well, good nappies, alert (when not screaming!!) etc

Anyone have any magical miracle ideas to get my smallest girl asleep? Don't care if she sleeps on me, next to me, in her hammock or on the roof - I just want her asleep so all ideas welcome.

Thanks from one very tired, frustrated and losing her mind mummy . . .

[OceanPrincess]

Oh hun

Is she windy do you think? Have you tried cycling her legs, rubbing her tummy gently?

Try not to stress too much about DD1 and 2... They will forget any unpleasantness except for maybe the crying baby!

Can she sleep on/next to you? Now that the DDs are down, can you just crash out with DD3?

I'm not sure what else to offer other than cyber hugs

[Deedles]

All I know that helped with DS1 when he was very unsettled, screaming and not sleeping was to put him in our hug a bub.
I'd pop him in and do a few laps of the house, a lil jiggle.

He also loved to be near me but also was a lover of being wrapped super tight and once I did that it helped to calm him.

I'd also give him a bath at 1am if it got to extreme. He would then crash out after he was all dry and clothed.
Thats all that worked for me hun other than running round the block with the pram lol.

[Kazbah]

Dad swears by rum on the dummy. And one for him! Although - songs, singing, latched, unlatched .. watching the rain ... the teev ... actually, the teev worked with both my boys, they'd sorta zone out looking at it at that age. Good luck

[fionas]

Gentle bouncing on the fit ball?

Could she have silent reflux? Is she better upright?

[leesha]

Sounds like it could be my post exactly! This has been going on for the last two weeks :-(
I have no answers as nothing I try is working, getting him to sleep is easy but keeping him asleep is not!
The only thing I do now to make sure the other two aren't being neglected is put him in my hug a bub do my hands are free to help them and he gets an hour sleep!
It's doing my head in but I believe it will pass soon enough....well I tell myself that or I'll go cookoo......................

[Nai]

Dd2 was like this and the only thing that worked was walking around with her in a hug a bub sling. She was a chunky bub and she liked being upright and on me, all the time!

[Arimeh]

Sounds like my two silent reflux babies - it kicked in around 6 weeks of age.

[Shanti]

Did you manage some sleep?

[LuluHB]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I was reading but kinda had my hands full ;-) Touch wood, she doesn't seem to have reflux - at least not yet. Both DDs 1 and 2 did, so I'm crossing everything we're (and most of all DD3) are going to be lucky this time

Ended up putting her back in the ergo and doing the vacuuming (just as well the neighbours can't see/hear us or they would have thought I was nuts doing that at 11pm!). Needed to do something for myself to take my focus off the screaming, and hey the floors can always benefit! Not sure if it was complete exhaustion or the noise but she finally fell asleep and then slept until 4am. Seems to be back to her normal, more contented self today so hoping she stays that way.

[Three Graces]

Just reading this now. Sounds like our evening last night. Wayyyyy OVERTIRED - that was DD, me and DH.
I'd been out during the day and dragged her in and out of the car, oh at least once at the shops and then back at home again. It threw her sleeps out completely and she hardly slept yesterday afternoon and was screaming on and off, whilst being held, rocked and shhh'ed by us. OMG, thought she'd never go to sleep, all the while, we were trying to watch and hear Downton Abbey.

Sleep school with DS1 said that there's only a small window of opportunity to get tired bubs into bed and asleep and if you miss it and they get super tired, it's nearly impossible to get them to sleep easily. And then they wake more and it's on again! Just keep an eye out for jerky arms/legs, looking away/no eye contact, fists and get them into bed pronto. Yawns and crying are late tired cues and I find that DD won't settle too well if she's at that stage.
Hopefully Miss A is back to her normal self!

[LuluHB]

Oh no Three Graces. Not good - especially when Downton Abbey was such a good one ;-) I hope she's more settled today and sleeping for you tonight.

I dragged Miss A around all day and night on Friday - we were out from 10am making the most of my other girls being with Mum so I did heaps of errands, lots of stops etc, and we didn't stay home until 10pm. I would have thought the same as you - all that dragging in and out of the car etc should have been a nightmare but DH and I went out for dinner and a quiz night she slept blissfully through the lot and was fantastic throughout the day. Saturday we did nothing except go to my Mum's to pick up Miss I and Miss E after their sleepover and she was an absolute nightmare. Maybe I've just got a party girl on my hands and she's not happy staying home???

[EsJay]

Omg this sounds like my DD2 everyday. When u find the answer please share it, im going insane.

[leesha]

Lol sounds like it is just the age if we're all going through it..health nurse told me today at Eli's 8week check that he def isn't getting enough sleep but with two other kids and being busy it's hard. Just to try and dedicate either morning or afternoon to being at home if possible!!

[Three Graces]

Leesha - I think I've got the opposite problem. All Olivia wants to do is sleep, night and day. I'm starting to wonder if something's wrong? She's up for a feed, about 15 mins talking and floor time and bang, tired again. I keep thinking 'surely not yet?' But if I don't get her back down, it's hell to pay. Makes going out really difficult as she gets extra tired and cranky and I'm struggling to keep the boys quiet. They never slept like this. Tummy time consists of her putting her head to the side and sucking on her fist. I don't think we'll have an early crawler or walker here!

[leesha]

She sounds like she's just taking it easy :-) I wouldn't be too concerned as I would rather that contented baby than mine that doesn't want to sleep during the day!!
With two big brothers she won't need to crawl or walk early when they can carry her round :-)