Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Posted by Charly

Does his hands wake him up? I always thought Hannah hated being swaddled to. I would watch her and see that her own hands flailing around was the cause of her constantly waking up. The dr said she doesn't know what's best for her to swaddle her. She got used it and is still swaddled at almost 5 months!!!!

Also I always brought DD into bed with me in the early morning when DH was up and out. I loved that morning nap together

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

I have so many similar issues with DD!

She also likes hr hands to be free, so I swaddle her with her arms out (thats how they did it in the hospital), so at least her body feels all snug.

With napping, I nap her anywhere she will sleep. At night she seems okay in the bassinet, but durng the day she doesn't like to sleep anywhere except in my arms, which is what i end up doing a lot of the time.

Hoepfully by the time you go back to work he will be more adjusted and you will get some sleep at night!

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

I could have wrote your post, right down to DH thinking DC is spoiled already.

JMO, I wouldn't rely on the swing especially at night. Use it for short naps during the day.

Try putting your son in his bed when he's heavily sleeping. Because I rocked DD to sleep at night, I could tell when she was heavily sleeping. Her whole body would relax and become heavy. It might've taken an hour to get her to that point but it was worth not having her wake herself back up and crying.

Don't worry about the co-sleeping just yet. I did the same with DD (and I vowed I never would too) but she transitioned from our bed to bassinette to crib with no problems. DC needs you at this point and mommy needs to get her rest, even if it's half-sleeping with DC in bed.

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

My first advice, would be to get a bassinet with vibration. We had one Jordana loved it.

One rule everyone told me, you can't spoil a newborn. Don't worry about that.

There were definitely nighst where I put Jordana in the swing all night. Sometimes you just need to do what you need to do. I would just move the swing to your room. My friend let her 4 month old sleep in the swing in another room, and she fell out and they didn't know until a little while later (she was fine).

I'm with you with the co-sleeping. I SWORE I would never do it. But we did. I wouldn't do it before 3-4 months. I was just so scared of crushing her. I don't think there is anything wrong with holding in bed for a little while and then transferring her.

And just so you know, you can break ANY habit a child has. It may be tough, but it can be broken. At 11 months my neice was still sleeping in her parents bed every night. My sister finally had enough and let her cry it out. It was tough for a few nights, but she eventually got the hang of it. Now at 22 months, she asks to go to sleep when she is tired, and sleeps in her own crib.

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Well, 7 weeks tomorrow, I let Taylor sleep wherever works for her.
I try my hardest to put her in the bassinet, but last night was the first night she actually slept well in it.
Typically, she has been sleeping in the swing or in the bouncy seat.
My mom constantly tells me to swaddle her but even in the womb, she kept her hands by her face and hates swaddling.

It is very difficult and there have been lots of ups and downs, but I think at this stage, you should do what you have to do to get him to sleep

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Liza, you CANNOT spoil a newborn baby, so take that thought and toss it! It's just another way people try to make moms feel guilty
My advice to you is this....put the swing in your bedroom and let him swing. Ava slept in her swing anywhere from 4-6 hours at night and it was right next to our bed. She did that for about two weeks straight, then she ended up loving the bouncy seat, so she'd sleep in there, but we'd put it in her crib. We seriously did whatever it took to get some sleep. By 7 weeks, she was sleeping through the night in her crib. So, doing what it takes doesn't mean that it's going to be forever. Just worry about the here and now, and you will feel a lot better.

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

Posted by prncss

Liza, you CANNOT spoil a newborn baby, so take that thought and toss it! It's just another way people try to make moms feel guilty
My advice to you is this....put the swing in your bedroom and let him swing. Ava slept in her swing anywhere from 4-6 hours at night and it was right next to our bed. She did that for about two weeks straight, then she ended up loving the bouncy seat, so she'd sleep in there, but we'd put it in her crib. We seriously did whatever it took to get some sleep. By 7 weeks, she was sleeping through the night in her crib. So, doing what it takes doesn't mean that it's going to be forever. Just worry about the here and now, and you will feel a lot better.

Re: Desperation (A whole bunch of sleep questions...)

We have a Honda Pilot and whenever we went to my mom's for dinner even, we packed that big swing right in the trunk. Before we got the Pilot we would take it apart to put it in our other car - that's how much we relied on our swing! If he sleeps in it, let him sleep in it. Like everyone said - there is no way to spoil a newborn. DD napped on my chest every day I was home on my maternity leave. My mother told me it was a terrible habit to get into. Now she sleeps in her crib and actually prefers it over my arms so enjoy that time while he lets you - those are some of the most special moments as a mommy!

Message edited 4/24/2007 8:59:43 PM.