My son is almost 6 weeks old and the only way that he will sleep for longer than an hour at night is if he is in his swing. So we put him in his swing in our room when we go to sleep at night. At first he was only sleeping 2 hours at a time, but just recently he started sleeping 4-5 hours at night!! He doesn't do this every night, but he has done it maybe 3-4 times so far. Is it bad to keep him in his swing to sleep?
Both my son's slept in the swing when they were little. Hey whatever works ! my youngest also slept in his car seat at night with one of those vibrating neck pillows under it. I spent a lot on batteries that year. Good Luck.
Our son slept strapped to his vibrating bouncy seat from weeks 4-12. It was the only way he'd sleep through the night (save the feedings). At 3 months, we stopped the vibrating seat cold turkey and put him in the crib and he transitioned without skipping a beat.
My son loved his swing. He took all his naps in his swing. I see no problem with letting him sleep like that as long as it is a lounger style set. My son slept through the night at very young age so don't let anyone tell you the 4 or 5 hours is to much sleep. YOU GO GIRL!!!
S.
No it's not bad....HE'S SLEEPING!!!YEAY!!! books schmooks, You're the expert with your own child and parents have to do whatever the have to do to make it all work. You'll be better because you're getting more sleep and be able to enjoy him more. Be greatful. I call it creative parenting, which in my house is done more often than I'd like to admit. Im not an attachment parent or a strict parent, but an experimentave parent. I bribed my 2yr old two days ago with chocolate if he behaved on the airplane and sat in his seat. Not what I usually like to do, but it was necessary. Congratulations!
My son did the same thing ... he would ONLY sleep in his swing ... our doctor wasn't thrilled with it, but said once he hit about 8-9 months, we weaned him off of it! I say if he'll sleep for 4-5 hours in it, more power to you! Get some sleep!! :)
Be careful it's not replacing what he really needs, human contact, reassurance from his parents, comfort from his mother, etc. I think far too often they become replacements for what they need most, a warm human body! Babies aren't supposed to "sleep through the night" anyway, at least not that young. We expect them not to sleep when we have babies, right? That's just what they do, and it's something we choose to take on. Aside from flat head, I just don't agree with the swing, did you try co-sleeping? He is ONLY 6 weeks old, He is supposed to get up every couple of hours. This may be helpful:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp
or
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp
Just my two cents. Good luck.
I did the same thing with my twins...they where in the swings all nite, i sleep in the living rm just incase...that was the only way anybody would sleep...one thing...make sure you reposition his head..my one daughter was so fussy,we wouldnt touch her once she fell asleep...but we where unaware that sleeping in a constant position with her head lean towards the right caused deformation...their skulls are extremely soft when they're so young...she was diagnose with positional plagiocephaly...and had to go thru the whole ordeal of fixing that....if he's been sleeping for awhile just reposition his head to the other side....dont feel bad...from the swing my daughter went to the jumper...her next sleeping spot until she was almost two...hope the info helps
We had a similar situation. My daughter was colicky (no medical reason) and would not sleep unless she was in the swing. But at her 2 month check-up, our Pediatrician told us to start weaning her from the swing -- that if she turned 3 months old and was still sleeping exclusively in the swing, we would have major issues getting her out of the swing. (By 3 months, babies begin learning how to manipulate situations!) We weren't happy about it (the swing had been our life-saver) but we took our Pediatrician's advice seriously and weaned her.
Those first 3 1/2 months were awful. But by the time she turned 4 months, she was a champion sleeper...and has been ever since. Sleep deprivation is the worst, and I hope things change for you soon!
Hi!
My son, who is now 5, did a similar think!! He would sleep either in a swing, or in his carseat. It didn't cause any long-term problems or sleep issues. He didn't much like sleeping in a bassinet! But, by the time he was about 2-3 months, he was fully sleeping in his own crib. Do what you have to do to make sure your little one gets his needed sleep as you do the same!! I agree with a previous post about a blanket of some sort, to prevent a slight dent in his head.
J.
Both of my kids were swing sleepers. Just make sure there's a cushy headreast under the head or you might get some denting on the skull. Otherwise, enjoy the sleep you get with it, I sure did.
I am sure plenty of moms and professionals will tell you it's bad and I know I felt guilty and like a failure who could not get her own baby to sleep; I tried everything else before I finally just gave in, stopped caring what anyone else thought and let the baby sleep in the swing. After a couple of weeks, we were able to get her to fall asleep in the swing and then transition her to the crib for the rest of the night without waking her. I know several new parents who will say the swing is a life saver and that's where the baby naps longest and/or best. If it's working for you, do it.
I'm laughing at the posts! My first slept in her car seat for almost 6 months. She is perfectly healthy and happy. If you aren't swadling him already you can try that too...it will keep him from twitching and waking...good luck and enjoy each stage...they pass quikly...remember that when you think one of those stages is going to make you lose your mind...ha ha!
