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To all the dads out there ... any tips on helping to settle a new-born baby?

Our household grew by 1 3 weeks ago (which we are very proud of) and he settles 1/2 the time OK, the other 1/2 is proving a bit of a nightmare, especially in the evening which is the prime time we want him to nod off.

We have avoided so far putting him in the car for a tour of the neighbourhood .... any tips would be appreciated so I can give mum a bit of a break

Odd topic for a footy site but, hey, this is the 21st century!

Hi Hondo,

My daughter is all of seven weeks old, so I sympathise with you mate!

What we found works is giving her a bath before bed, seems to settle her down. Places like YCN have CD's of music that is supposed to help them to sleep, often it is Mozart or kids type songs, those also seem to work. - HTH!

My little SCD just turned 1 last week.. he is still a bit of a trouble to get to sleep of a night.. some of them are like that..

Although I don't suggest it - what works for us and has since day 1 is to put him in bed with us, and to gently pat his head or just give his ear a little wiggle - he nods off within 5 - 10 mins and we put him in his cot not long after and we get a good night sleep..

Plenty of patience and hugs is the other option, but with what they are going through (being on the outside) and trying to adjust, it's not easy....

Driving around with the newborn in the capsule did the trick putting her to sleep, although 18 years ago petrol was about 45c/l. My daughter suffered from colic for about six weeks after she was born, almost the hardest time in my life, but she came good. Don't worry it will be alright in the end

What we did with our 3 was day naps have a bit of background noise.
We had a small radio going in the room with them fairly low but a constant noise.
Never crept around the house during the day, just made 'normal' noise.
Then at night, was quiet so they learnt that it was a longer sleep.
Took a couple of weeks but it worked for us.
Even had the vacuum cleaner going in their room while they were having their day naps sometimes and they slept through it!

My wife also was breast feeding in bed at night and then we'd pop them straight back to the cot after while they were nice and relaxed and sleepy.
Some things don't work for some babies but EVERYTHING is worth a try when your up at 3 am still trying to get them asleep.
Hope this helps a bit.
And when all else failed we had a rocking chair, mind you I always would nod off b4 them.

Booze - for both of you!

I sympathise mate, wish I had some real advice but my 3 were all good sleepers from the night they got home from hospital. The last came home to a half complete extension - she slept through the removal of the back wall of the house the day she came home!

Best of luck.

As everyone has said all are good ideas while I admit we never had to resort to the car trick.

We tried to get the 4 hour routine thing happening first of all feed 30 mins, play 1 hour, sleep 2.5 hours and if they woke up before the feed was due rock and play with them to hold them out as long as possible but that was hard at 3 weeks.

At night I would try to take them so Mum could sleep (they'd smell the milk on her) especially early, they would go to sleep on my chest and then I'd put them down in the basinette when they'd fell asleep. It worked for our son but the daughter was too smart for that, would always wake up again....

Once my wife at three weeks had to do the lukewarm bath trick - hold them in water up to chest/shoulders reminds them of the womb- on the daughter at 6 weeks when she wouldn't settle.

Don't know if that helps as each kid is different. Try womens and childrens services as we used their settling babys info even though we were living in the NT.

Just warning though boys as my daughter showed manipulative tendencies early as still does, at four months she till still wouldn't settle in her basinette (would go to sleep on your shoulder put her down and she'd wake again up you'd get and walk the floor at 3 in the morning until a friend looked after her and said, "she just playing you both put her down and leave her, she'll cry for teh first three days but then she'll get used to it and go to sleep". Sure enough she was right, she was on her third kid, he got the "tough" love!!!

I pity any bloke that will end up with her (my daughter) as even now she shows signs of being able to get her own way. Tonight we tried the bribe to get her to use the potty to do a #2, she said yep i'll do it for a actavite drink before bed.....yep no #2.....

Keep your sons away gentlemen, keep your sons away...

Sorry mate, can't help you, both my kids were perfect and slept through the nights just about from day 1.

Both my boys were pretty good after 3 months....if you are wrapping them dont be afraid to wrap them very tight....we were shocked when we saw the nurses do it that way in hospital but they swear it doesnt hurt them and if they cant escape the wrap they cant wake themselves up with their hands...

As Tassie said some tough love needs to happen also and let them cry for a few nights and let them settle themselves, if they get used to you running in everytime they cry they will kill you!!...conversely if they know your not going in to settle them everytime they will get used to putting themself back to sleep...its very very tough but worth it in the long run...my youngest has just turned 6 months and has his feed at 5-30, bath at 6-00, bottle at 6-15 and in bed by 6-30 with no problems at all....wont wake until around 6-00/6-30 tomorrow morning...its all about routine....they get used to it

Barring an unforseen accident thats all for me....and Im gald I dont have to go thru those first few months again...a wonderful but very tiring time!

good luck

understand where your coming from hondo71, its a testing time............

things myself and Mrs Power01 used where

1/ there feed, try to make sure they are getting enough (not easy)
2/ nappy changed and they are clean
3/ wrap them up nice and tight
4/ try and get into a routine.....i know its hard but we found it worked really well
5/ and mum and dad must try and get as much sleep as possible because i found if your stressed the baby tends to be the same........................that a difficult thing to do but give it ago..

cheer mate hope this helps

There's this wonderful technique called electro-sleep. You wake them at 2years, put them under again at 12 until they are 20. It cuts out all the bad times.

Hondo. hope I can help.

Our little girl is 10 weeks old and things had been getting pretty rough.

We went everywhere for help and lots on online bay forums eg
http://www.babycenter.com.au/

What we have to do is make sure we put her down in time and not let her get to tired, as when they get over tired they really dont want to sleep. Sounds easy my wife would have lots more info for you but shes gone to bed (grab the sleep when and if you can)

Also lots of help with parents groups out there , find then and use them including Child and youth services.

Good luck, it will all be good

We had one terrible sleeper and 1 fantastic one so I sympathise with you - apparently most babies have an unsettled time in early evening - just when your trying to do tea etc. A bath at night is good, wrapping tight, and letting them cry doesn't hurt them - as long as they aren't absolutely beside themselves. All the best!!!! and enjoy!!!!!

Little Diss-ette is 11 weeks old... but sleeps pretty damn well... even going through the night!
I guess all I can suggest is patience... and also making sure they are REALLY FULL for the last feed of the night... they tend to sleep longer!

gently pat his/her chest (quickly at the start and slow it down gradually) which sort of acts as the mothers heart beat which tends to work for our two

With our second, she loved a blankie so if we put that in her hand she went to sleep instantly

MW wrote:With our second, she loved a blankie so if we put that in her hand she went to sleep instantly

Correct...I laughed at my wife when she gave our kids those at 4 months...but it works!!!...only problem is getting it off them as they get so used to it...we got rid of our sons last Christmas as he had to put it under the tree and exchange it with Santa for presents

Don't you love that add for Ultra Tune, I think.....

A Family in a car and Ultra Tune Fixed the noise coming from the back.....

It doesn't get any better...... lol

My daughter was born 4 years and 3 months after my son, she slept through a full night before he did, my sympathies to any one with a kid that won't sleep 8-10 hours straight.

Boys, thanks for all your advice and tips ...... I posted the link to thread to Mrs Hondo as well

We appreciate your help

Last night he slept from 9pm to 4am ... heaven!

Baby ZZ knows it's time for sleepy time whenever the Degrassi Junior High (6:30 ABC2) end credits roll. Works like a treat, every time