Sleep - Des Moines,IA

My daughter slept in her car seat the first few months of her life A LOT more than in her bed! She is 18 months old now and sleeps just fine in her crib and by herself. I had a 2 year old at the same time and I chose sleep and my sanity over worrying about where she slept. As long as she was safe and sleeping I let her be.

Hi Jaime,
My advice is to try to always put him in crib to sleep. Try to put him down before he falls asleep, watch him for sleepy clues, rubbing eyes, yawning, ect. He may cry the first couple days but stick with it if you can. Babies need to learn to put themselves to sleep and the sooner they learn it, the easier time you will have later on.
Hope it helps!!

My second child was the same way. He loved to sleep in his swing and his car seat carrier. The doctor explained to me that he was used to the close quarters of the uterus and the carrier provided that snug fit he was use to. Personally, I put the crib on the lowest setting and set him and the carrier in the crib and let him sleep that way. He got used to being by himself and sleeping in the crib and after awhile he learned to sleep without the carrier. Also with my son he was 10 pounds 4 ounces at birth and he broke his collar bone during birth and it felt better for him to be in the confined space.

If you do not want to put the carrier in the crib and let him sleep that way. I would just swaddle him tightly and lay him in the crib. I am sure he is the same way and just wants to fell the closeness of the womb.

Here is a link to a google search for Swaddling blankets. http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&ie=...

Good Luck!!
K.

My biological babies were large and slept well early, but rarely was it consistent at that young an age. Somewhere between 3-6 mos they settled in to sleep more soundly and longer. My youngest (17 mos. now) spent a lot of time sleeping in his infant car seat, in my arms, with a sibling, etc. I don't think it matters so much where they sleep at first, but that they get accustomed to being transferred (ie: fall asleep in your lap and are transferred to a crib or bassinette). Sometimes a crib is just to large a space to feel comfortable for a very young one. Cradles, portacribs or bassinettes "fit" better - like a plant in a too-large pot, it just doesn't know quite what to do with itself, so it droops. My 17 mo old still has times when he doesn't sleep well - who knows why - but human contact always helps, as does soft music, a warm blanket, a stuffed animal, etc. Try to get as much rest as you can when your baby is sleeping, regardless of what work you need to get done. Sleep deprivation is a terrible thing and you have to fight against it, especially the first year, because it will overtake you before you realize what's happening. Then, when things are actually going "normally" (30 mins naps, crying fits, diaper blowouts, etc.) they will appear to you to be abnormal and create a sense of overwhelming frustration - something that can be avoided by realizing these "trials" are actually the child-rearing norm! Babies sleeping through the night ranks low on the Top Ten List of parenting troubles. It only seems high now, because your kids are so young.

SAHM of seven, 23yr - 17 mos.

J.,
I'm sorry to hear about your lack of sleep. I can completely empathize! My daughter was very much the same way. I could only get her to sleep at night if she was in bed with me and my husband. She refused to sleep in her cradle or in her crib - for naps or at bed time. It wasn't until she was about 8 weeks old that I finally decided to 'wean' her from our bed. By then she was able to sleep more soundly when I'd put her down - but only at night, we still struggle with naps. Unfortunately, in my experience there isn't anything you can do to ensure that they'll be comfortable sleeping somewhere else. Even now (my daughter is almost 5 months old) she will occasionally wake up when I put her down (I have to hold her for her to fall asleep - usually, anyway) and then we have to deal with 5 minute checks, pacifier insertions, and re-blanketing until she falls back to sleep. I think that some babies just need that comfort of having someone close...and a car seat keeps babies so snuggled, that it seems to have the same effect as being held by Mommy or Daddy. My suggestion is to try to wait it out. Eventually he'll become a better sleeper, I'm sure. Good luck in the meantime!

I have a 7 week old son too, and we went through this at about 4 weeks. We started out swaddling in the crib, but he likes to be able to strech, with the secure feeling of being held. So we put the car seat IN the crib and he sleeps 4-5 hours at night. Good friends of ours recommended the car seat in the crib trick, as they experienced the same with all 4 of their kids. She works for an OBGYN and told me that some children just can't handle the wide open spaces of the crib, but at least being in the crib gets them adjusted. Their children transitioned to the crib between 3-5 months, so that is when we are going to give it a try. Good Luck! :)

Being lazy at this point and haven't read your other responses...
Since I was nursing our son was sleeping in bed with us once he woke to nurse (every 2 hours). Before coming to bed (a family choice and not for everyone), he fell asleep in his swing and slept in it. From about 2-4 months I would put him back in the swing to sleep. It worked great. Anything that involved lying flat was not a popular option until about 4 month with us.
At 7 weeks swaddling may also help.

As a mother of 3 I totally understand how frustrating lack of sleep is. My youngest is a little over 2 months old and so I also have a young baby at home. What I have done with my children has seemed to work so it's worth a shot. Make sure you feed your baby at least every 3 hours during the day. Then before bed "cluster" feed at specific times like 6, 8 and then a "dream feed" at 9:30 or 10. This should help. It may not solve the entire problem but it trains the baby that daytime is time to eat and night time is time to sleep. If you think it may be gas that is bothering your baby, mylicon drops are safe enough to give almost every time they eat. Just make sure you follow the instructions on the bottle. I hope I helped a little.

I had the same issue w/ my daughter. I actually put her to sleep in her car seat and then put the car seat in the crib! I talked to the dr about it and he said that it was fine. Eventually she started sleeping anywhere! Hope this helps!

I definitely would agree with all those who recommend co-sleeping. My daughter is 7 weeks old and has slept in bed with us since she was born. We all sleep well and done have to go through the crying at bedtime. My husband was very skeptical before she was born but once she was here and started sleeping with us he said he wouldn't want it any other way. When she is ready, she will move on to her own bed. Right now she will sleep in the swing, on the bed or even on the floor during the day when I put her down - so she already doesn't require being next to us at all times to sleep. A good book is The Family Bed - the author is Tine something and there is a foreword by Dr. Sears. Research has shown that if you let them sleep with you that they develop their independence and will move out of you bed and it makes them more secure as children and later as adults. Babies should not have to mother themselves - that is what we are for :)

My is now 10 months old. I have had him on a pretty stiff bedtime routine since birth. The routine was and still is supper time, book or quiet play time, bath and a full bottle for bed. My son knew by 6 or 8 weeks old that when he got his bath then afterwards comes lotion rub down massage then warm cozy jammies and a nice big warm bottle. He knew that once he got that yummy bottle that he could sleep for long time. Before you knew it he was sleeping 5 and 6 hour spurts by 6 to 8 weeks. I hope this helps.

D.

My little on would not sleep in his crib either. I gave in and let him sleeep in the car seat. I put the car seat in the crib at night and he would sleep longer. in a few months he out grew this phase and one night would not sleep in the car seat at all. so I put him the crib and he went to sleep right away. Hope this helps.

Hi J.,
I actually just went through this. Our now three month old girl spent the first eight weeks on her daddy's chest or in her bouncy. I talked to our doctor and he basically said it's linked to security. When the baby can smell you and feels surrounded it sleeps better. My daughter would sleep six to seven hours in her bouncy, but would wake after about a half hour in her crib. May I suggest just waiting it out... Find a place- car seat, bouncy chair, car seat- where he feels secure, and is still safe. In a month our two, when he's older and doesn't need that close feeling to feel secure try finding something in his room that will sooth him to sleep on his own. We found a toy that projects images on the ceiling while playing classical music, and it works like a charm. Once your son is older he might be more able to settle himself to sleep and stay asleep without that close contact. For the transition you might think about putting your used pillowcase under the crib sheet so he can smell you. We just Kyra in her crib for good about two weeks ago, and now not only does she actually prefer to fall asleep there at night, she's sleeping up to nine hour stretches.

Good luck!

I have a now 2 year old who also only wanted to sleep when she was being held. We actually moved her swing in front of our bedroom door and let her sleep in the swing until she was 3-4 months old. She transitioned nicely to her crib at that time and as soon as she could roll, would roll over and sleep on her belly. Our doctor said there was nothing wrong with letting her sleep in her swing as long as she was that young. Good luck!

Your baby has been listening to your heartbeat all of his life. Give him the gift of slowly weaning him for the comfort of your rhythms. Family bed and baby slings rock!

my guy slept in his swing for months! it was the only way i could get any sleep by myself.

then we co-slept up until a few months ago, and now he mostly sleeps in his bed by himself.

See Dr. William Sears for more info on co-sleeping. Just google his name and the term "co-sleep".

You do whatever you have to do to get sleep!!!! We had a terrible time until I figured out he was lactose- intolerant. I cut the dairy out and he slept LOTS better.

If he's gassy at night, consider that, but also check out acid reflux, if he likes to sleep upright.

Also, Dr. Harvey Karp' Happiest Baby on the Block has great tips for the 5 "s" method: swaddle, shush, swing, suck, I can never remember the 5th one.

Best best BEST luck from one who was there!

{{{HUGS!!!}}}

Have you considered co-sleeping? There are actually some really great benefits to it, especially if you're nursing. My daughter is almost 11 months and we've been co-sleeping since she was 2 months. We both get a good night of sleep and we wake up happy. There was no need to get out of bed in the middle of the night to feed her when she woke up. A lot of moms who co-sleep never even wake up when the baby needs to eat because the baby will just latch on without disturbing anyone's sleep. Co-sleeping can also reduce the risk of SIDS and of the baby developing sleep or anxiety disorders later on in life. If you want some more info on it, there's a really great website from Dr. Sears (one of the nation's top pediatricians). It's www.askdrsears.com. I love co-sleeping and wouldn't want it any other way. It's extra cuddle time for us.

Our son would only sleep while being held too, and then we bought this sleeper from The First Years. It can be put anywhere and he felt very safe and secure. He slept in this in his crib and in bed with us until about 16weeks.
http://www.learningcurve.com/product/detail/Y3171A2
This was a life saver.

The answer J. is swaddling and HEAT. Wrap him up good and snug in a receiving blanket so that his arms and legs are snug to his body and he is warm.. Put a cap on him - one of those cotton caps you see in the stores... Always have him wear a cap to bed, the cap will help him to stay warm for longer.

Babies wake up because their HEAT source goes away (your warm body) and they get cold. Putting a heat source (his own) between you and him with blankets and a hat is a great trick and will work well.

During the day, put a pillow on your lap underneath him while you nurse. Swaddle him and put his hat on. When he falls asleep, simply lift the pillow off of your lap and set him down to rest.

One thing about daytime sleeping ~ some babies prefer the noise of the house to the quiet of their room so they wake up if it is too quiet. With two other kids in the house, this baby might prefer the noise of company. Leaving him on the couch may provide him with a better nap than transporting him to his crib.

**Keeping a cotton hat on him at all times will encourage him to sleep spontaneously while he is just sitting in his baby seat. Heat is the key. Warm that baby up :o)

J.,

If you really want to get this over with and make a good sleeper out of him...put him in his crib at naptime and bedtime. Yes, it will be hard for awhile, but you will be surprised how soon he will adjust...and you will love it. Sleeping is a habit. It is surprising how quick little ones pick up on bad habits, such as sleeping in your arms and in the swing...only you can change this...if you want some sleep...make sure he is dry and his tummy is full and put him in his crib.

Good Luck!!!

C.

I had a big boy too and he did not start sleeping longer stretches until he was 2 1/2-3 months old. We were SO sleep deprived. I was desperate!

He also loved to sleep anywhere BUT his crib or bassinet. We had him in his bouncy seat for a long time. Eventually I moved it into his crib. Then I put him to sleep in the crib. When he'd wake up and be fussy, I'd put him back into the bouncy in the crib. Gradually he slept in his crib longer and longer without being in the bouncy.

We tried everything. That secure sleeper mentioned below he HATED. He cluster fed a little, but we could not make him eat when he did not want to. We had an awesome bedtime routine down, which has helped later on but not when he was so young. He did not take to the family bed at all unless he was on one of us. It's so strange how all babies are so different.

I wish I had tried this earlier, but we found the techniques in Dr. Harvey Karp's, "Happiest Baby on the Block" very helpful. I learned how to correctly swaddle him and it immediately helped him sleep in his crib better. Also, playing waves loudly all night was a life saver. It may be worth a try for you, just in case it is the right appraoch for your young man. Our son has been a great sleeper, with a few short blips once in a while. He's 2 1/2 and just recently we had a few months that were really tough. I remembered back to the tough early days, and kept telling myself that it would pass like it did then.

I also wondered if a crib vibrator would help? He loved motion and vibration. I see them all over the place now...Target. When I was looking they were no where to be found.

You have a lot on your hands with 3 kids under 5. One 2 1/2 year old does me in! I hope sleep finds you soon.