First let me say that we do bundle her tightly and we do let her have a binky. BUT my 8 week old will only sleep for long periods of time in her carseat or swing and in both of those she has to be bundled too. I have a sleep positioner and have tried to get her to sleep on her side or on her back, with and without bundling, and she will wake up either every 5 minutes when her binky falls out or 2 hours later.
If she's in her carseat or swing, she can last from 4-5 hours all the way up to all night sometimes.
You can't really sleep train an 8 week old right? Letting her cry it out at this age is really pointless (and kinda cruel I would think- not opposed later on).
My older child was a great sleeper from day one so I don't know what to do with this one!
You are very right - you cannot sleep train a baby that young! If it makes you feel any better, my second daughter slept in her carseat next to my bed until she was 4 months old! I remember asking the pediatrician if that was OK and he told me if she was uncomfortable she'd let me know! My older daughter actually slept in my arms for the first 8 months of her life (total nightmare) so I'd take the carseat sleeping any day :)
No you can't sleep train an 8 week old, an 8 month old, maybe.
I do know some babies prefer to sleep in tighter quarters, like the carseat.
Dr. Sears has some good advice on helping young infants sleep here:
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems
My son will be 4 mos next week and he is still sleeping in his swing (swaddled). He sleeps 5-6 hr stretches there, but only 3-4 in his crib. I intend to let him keep sleeping there until he outgrows it.
Get the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Mark Weissbluth - fantastic book answers all sleeping questions based on age. Worked amazingly with my son as we used it from day one. He's now 15 months old and we have NEVER had one night of bad sleep :)
My baby slept in his bouncer till be was 8 weeks old. I would try to move him periodically and if he had a bad night the first night, then I would just move him back to his bouncer. He finally figured it out and slept through the night one night and has done so ever since. We are just now at 5.5 months starting to transition his naps to his crib too. Up to this point he's only napped in his swing or car seat too. Really just got off of your babies cues. If she's not ready to sleep in her crib, then she's not. When she is, she'll let you know. Just test her out every once in a while and see what happens. My son is a GREAT sleeper now and I haven't even had to do cry it out. He goes to sleep on his own no problems. But, it's only because I go 100% off of his cues. When he's ready to learn it or try it, he'll do it. Some babies just have a difficult time adjusting and you do what works for your baby.
Sounds like she likes to be elevated a little bit to sleep better. Could be a host of reasons why from she just likes it (yes and 8 week old knows what they like) to slight reflux when she is laying flat. If she sleeps great in the swing or car seat, let her be. Put the car seat in the crib so she is used to the scenery when she out grows this and is able to sleep in the crib. You can also try one of those vibrating seats too as it will keep her tilted up a bit and you can sit it in the crib as well. Just always make sure she is strapped in because as she squirms, she can slide out.
Good luck and happy sleeping :)
S.
Sleep is sleep! I was so desperate for it I held my baby because if her back hit a bed her eyes flew open! She hated the swing but I did learn a lesson through all of it! Let him sleep wherever he will for now, then put him in that crib so he can get used it! I didn't do that and my 4 yr old still wont sleep in her own bed :(
Hello,
we used the swing, right next to our bed, with great results! Good luck!
Nothing wrong with her sleeping in her carseat or swing. It's actually very common. Babies like that feeling about being all safe and snug. Also, both of the will have her slightly upright and slightly curved. That's also very popular among babies. She'll grow out of them one day, but until then I'd let her. Keep in mind that the best place for baby to sleep is wherever baby will sleep. (Provided that place is safe.)
We used the swing our youngest had reflux and was very uncomfortable laying flat. The SIDS recommendations say you should not use sleep posit omers they increase the risk. While we did get great exults with him sleeping in a crib at 2 months it was quite common for him to wake every 2 hours this is especially common if you are breastfeeding.
I highly recommend the book called The Sleep Lady!
