Seeking Sleeping Advice

Hi! My son used to do the same thing.The pediatrician reccommended that I put his car seat in his crib so at least he would be familiar with the crib and his room and the transition wouldn't be so bad.It worked out great.Every week or so I would try to lay him in his crib.He finally adjusted.Good luck T.

My daughter loved her car seat too because they feel snuggled, like in the womb. Have you tried making the crib more womb-like? We had to swaddle her tightly every night or for naps, use a body positioner, and use a white noise CD of rain in her room. We would keep the lights off and windows closed, too. Just think of ways to make him feel snuggled, warm and cozy and I bet that will help!

I don't have sleeping advice, but I remember my daughter did this once and it turned out she had an ear infection - when she was lying flat the pressure made her ears hurt and that was why she would only sleep in her car seat. Might be worth looking into since this only just started...

I would rule out anything medical. Ear infections can make hime miserable when laying down and so can't reflux.

I'm told that babies "wake up" after about 3 - 4 weeks of life. That's certainly what happened with my son. For about three or four weeks he'd sleep in his pack n' play bassinette, no problemo. Then, all of a sudden, that was a no go.

My visiting nurse explained the "wake up" phenomenon and suggested I swaddle tightly, and put baby in a swing, on high, with some white noise. It was like magic. My son slept in that swing for three months.

I wouldn't worry about habits that are hard to break at the moment. Though, I have that same kind of fear, I think babies at 5 weeks don't have the brain function to REALLY develop habits. If he's happy in that car seat and you're getting some sleep too? Go for it!

Hi E.,
I'm new too but I feel your pain. My daughter would not sleep unless she was being held for the first two to three months of her life. Car rides were sometimes the exception. I don't have any suggestions except to look into some products out there like this one...http://www.sleeptightinfantsoother.com/
It might help. Best of luck!

Our son went through a carseat phase as well and we just rolled with it. As long as you keep him buckled in so he can't slide down, I was told by my pediatrician that it's totally safe. We were told that it was probably an acid reflux issue and that he was much more comfortable on a slight incline. We would usually let him sleep part of the night in the carseat (if we transitioned him from the car to his room after a road trip) and then after a feeding - put him in the crib/bassinet. He was more comfortable sleeping in the carseat pretty much from day one but it only last intermittently thorough the first 3-4 months and then once he outgrew the reflux, he was more comfortable in the crib. We also got one of those crib wedges so that his head was elevated and the sleep positioner so that he didn't roll down the wedge - that helped too for crib sleep time. He napped in his swing during that time as well - again - I think it was the incline :0) Good luck!!

Please go get the book The Happiest Baby on the Block, your baby is so new to the world and should not be only sleeping in his car seat for all of your sakes lol

Hi E.,
I have a 17 week old very happy baby girl who also slept well in her car seat and was restless in her crib. We started the car seat sleeping when she was so fussy. The only way my husband could get her to sleep was to swing her in her car seat and she stayed asleep in it. At 8 weeks we transitioned her into her crib on her back swaddled. It was a long night and she woke up several times but she now sleeps through the night swaddled in her crib. I think babies who like to sleep in their car seats need to feel confined. I would try to swaddle your baby in his bassinet and see how this works. The miracle swaddle blanket worked great for us. We bought it online. Hope this helps and you get some good sleep soon!
R.

My son went thru a phase where he could only fall asleep in his car seat, sometimes after he had slept for an hour we could put him in his crib but sometimes he slept all night in his seat. I too was worried about what we would do when he didn't fit in his car seat anymore and how I would get him to sleep in his crib but when that time came he just transitioned. I think the car seat phase lasted 4 or 5 months but I can't remember exactly. I would let him sleep wherever he gets the best sleep.

Similar to other posters, my twins also were most comfortable sleeping in their car seats. We also swaddled very tightly and used white noise. So that's how they slept (very well, I might add!) till they were 4 months old (we DID put the car seats INTO their cribs so at least they were IN their room, in the beds they would eventually use to sleep). We then transitioned them to being swaddled IN the crib, and then got them out of the swaddling "habit" but by 4 to 5 months old, they seemed "ready" for this and transitioned fairly easily (still slept wonderfully from that point forward; not sure if we were just lucky or if "teaching" or "helping" them to sleep led to good sleepers - no idea).

My daughter also did end up having reflux so for her it was more comfortable to be elevated at an angle, although once she was on medication, it didn't seem to matter as much.

I say if you and your son are able to get more sleep this way, go for it. In these early weeks and months, I feel like it's survival mode and you can work to transition or "break habits" when they get a little older....Sleep is so critical for both you and your little one right now.

Hi E.
Those first months are so hard I think I would have let my little ones sleep anywhere if it meant a few hours of sleep. My youngest is now almost 6 months and we also had the exact problem that you are going through. I agree with the other moms about getting him checked by the doctor. When you find that he is fine I would try to swaddle him in his crib or use a sleep sack. I think sometimes when they are so little we underestimate what a huge transition it must be for them. They are so used to being cozy and all of a sudden they are in this big crib without anything on either side of them. If it doesn't work right away just keep trying. Sleep him in his seat and maybe try the crib for naps. He will eventually get used to it. I co-slept with my three boys (we weren't disciplined enough to put them in their crib) Co-sleeping can be nice because iit's nice to be close to them and they sleep much better, but take it from me it is a HARD habit to break. My daughter is the first to go in her crib and it is working out great! Good luck! I know how difficult it is to have a new baby and a 2 and 4 year old little boy...I've been there :)

I would try like someone else said, putting the car seat in the crib for a while until baby gets used to the new surroundings and then swaddle tightly and lay in the bassinet or crib. you can also elevate the mattress with a pillow or blanket underneath so that the baby is more upright like in the car seat and then slowly decrease the elevation over time. I wouldn't worry so much about it yet because the baby is still so young.

try swaddling him in the bassinett I've also rolled up recieving blankets around my kids so they don't feel so lost in the crib.... my kids also liked sleeping in the car seat especailly if they had a cold dont' sweat it if everyon eis getting sleep then it is a good thing.... mother of 13 11 8 and 18mths K. d

My daughter had colds a lot and I was worried about forming a habit with her sleeping in her seat. She slept in it for the first 4 mos and then off and on for a while when she got sick. She is 10 mos and sleeps perfectly in her crib. I wouldn't worry at 5 weeks about forming habits, just get some sleep. :-) Definitely rule out ear infections, reflux, etc. Good luck!

I would make sure the baby is healthy (as the previous noter suggested, no ear infections or what have you - reflux possibilities, etc), and then I'd try to cosleep. Does he breastfeed? It's SO easy to nurse when you cosleep!

Good Luck!

My son slept in his car seat next to my bed until he was 5 months old!!! I'm not saying it will be as easy for you, but it only took a couple nights to get him to sleep in his crib. Now he will ONLY sleep in his crib...I wouldn't worry too much about it. Some pediatricians say its the best place for them if they have reflux because they are upright. Also... for my son we used a sound projector. We got it at target. It makes ocean sounds rain, a heartbeat and a few lullabies. It also projects moving pictures on the ceiling of fish and other things. My son still uses it and hes 15 months. It really seems to help. Hope everything works out well.

I have to agree with a lot of the other posters. If your baby is actually sleeping... go with it!!! Once your little one is about 6 mo you can transition her into her bed and let her cry it out for a night or two. That's all it took with my two and now they refuse to sleep anyplace else!

E.,

The carseat might be giving him the cozy comfy feeling he is looking for. Just lying in his bassinett or crib is an open feeling. Have you tried swaddling him? It might give him the snuggly feeling he is looking for.

L. M