Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

DS is almost 6 weeks old and has been sleeping in his crib at night for about 3 weeks now. He usually sleeps about 2-3 hours, waking for feedings, though a handful of times I can get a little longer stretch (4-5 hours).

For naps, it takes me about a half hour to get DS down to sleep in his crib (swaddled, white noise, etc) and then he will only sleep for a half hour. Or, I could put him into his swing which takes almost no time for him to pass out, and then he'll sleep 1, 2 or 3 hours!

I could probably put him in his swing overnight and get a better night's sleep but, I feel like that's "cheating" since I really want him in his crib in the long term. Same with naps - I wish he'd sleep in the crib and putting him elsewhere feels like "cheating."

Should I just get over it and put him wherever he sleeps best while he's still so young? Or is that just making it harder for myself in the long run since he'll outgrown the swing and need to sleep in the crib anyway?

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

I would stick with the crib. I know it seems so easy to just put him in the swing, but I think it will be a harder transition later on when he is used to sleeping in the swing.

My DD was doing the same thing, waking after only a short time in the crib. She still doesn't take as long a nap as she does at daycare but I continue to put her in there and it gets better little by little.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

I'm sure people have different opinions but personally, I would do whatever I could to get a good night sleep!

If my 6 week old would sleep in her swing, I would do it at night!!!

I remember when we tried to switch my ds from the rock and play at night to his crib, I was crying hysterically thinking he was never going to transition to a crib and my mom pointed out that I probably wasn't going to have an 18 year old sleeping in a rock and play every night and I got her point! Looking back at his first year of life, I stressed about so much stuff and it usually just worked it self out (he switched to his crib, he stopped drinking bottles, etc.)

So I say get a good nights sleep!

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

I let my kids sleep in the swing and the bouncy to fall asleep. Then I would move them. They transitioned right to crib around 4 months with little difficulty

Sleeping in swing

I put DD in whatever would help her fall asleep. Turns out it was usually the rock n play. When she outgrew that, I started to put her in her crib for naps and bedtime. She took to it pretty painlessly.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

DD sleeps in her crib and naps in the swing. Occassionionally when she woke at night she wouldn't go back to sleep so we would put her in the swing to help sooth her to sleep.

6 weeks is still pretty young so I don't think you'd really be skipping the night feedings. That was our experience at that age.

If you do decide to use the swing, don't worry about cheating. One day your child won't need it and will grow out of it.

Sleeping in swing

For the first few months, I always did the swing for DD's first nap of the day. I felt that it was the most consistent and got her off to a good start being rested for the day. It made it easier to get her down to sleep in the rnp or swing for later naps. If she was fussy in the evening I would let her do the swing again. She always slept in the bassinet or crib at night and once she was used to napping in the crib (around 4 months) I packed the swing away.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

My girls still nap in swings at almost 5 mo. We moved them to their cribs at 3.5 mo with no issues. They will napin their crib (or on a playmay or in bouncer or rnp) but nap longer in the swing. They still catnap. They do 2 short naps btwn feedings most times. Occasionally they will nap 2 hrs in swings if they didnt nap well prior.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

I let me son sleep in the swing until he was about 3mths and occasional I still let him if hes having a rough night or teething. The swing knocks him right out...but he still sleeps in his crib just fine. I dont think its cheating, do what works for you. I asked my ped about this and she said do what works. So if it means a better night sleep for you then do it.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Thanks all for your advice! I just re-skimmed key parts of the Happiest Baby on the Block and think I'm oik with napping in the swing until he's 3 or 4 months old. I might even let him sleep in the swing for a night, just to see if Mommy could get 1 "good" night of sleep...she needs it!

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Cheat away. when he is old enough you can transition him and it probably won't be a problem. Or you could have him cry it out at that point since he will be older.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Just wanted to add - I think that as far as sleep training goes, it's best to get them in the habit of sleeping thru the night without waking for feedings regardless of where they are. Once they are used to not being fed at night they will be able to pull it off anywhere.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

my twins slept for naps in their swings for months. really way too long, but it is what we needed to do. THey slept in a pack and play in our room at night. by 8 months adjusted they were in their cribs sleeping through the night and all naps.

Message edited 3/12/2013 9:10:17 PM.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

6 weeks is still so young and I really don't think bad habits (him only wanting to sleep im his swing) would even begin at this age. If he sleeps longer in the swing - I say go for it. And even if he naps for the next year in the swing - WHO CARES! What matters is that he is getting sleep.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Wherever my kids fell asleep is where they stayed!
My oldest lived in her swing for months. Would only sleep there and for hours and hours. She transitioned to the crib with no issues.
My youngest hated the swing and only liked to sleep in her crib or even the car seat!
Whatever works IMO lol

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

DS never transitioned from swing to crib for naps. He did sleep in crib overnight. He got too big to nap in swing at 6 months and would only nap in stroller (or not nap at all). We tried cry it out, placing him in crib after he fell asleep, keeping him until he was exhausted, you name it! He is 2 and will only nap in the stroller (or not nap at all).

When I had DD, I never let her nap in the swing. She naps nicely in the crib.

Personally, I think bad habits start at 2 to 3 months.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Posted by NYCGirl80

Thanks all for your advice! I just re-skimmed key parts of the Happiest Baby on the Block and think I'm oik with napping in the swing until he's 3 or 4 months old. I might even let him sleep in the swing for a night, just to see if Mommy could get 1 "good" night of sleep...she needs it!

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Both of my boys napped un the swing until about 4 months old.

After a few tries, they transitioned to the crib. I did make sure that they were used to sleeping in the swing without motion first.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Do whatever you have to do. 6 weeks is still too young to be getting into bad habits IMO. At 6 weeks I would have let DD sleep anywhere that was safe to get a longer stretch of sleep.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

DS let me sleep SIX hours last night!!! Well, he slept about 7.5 hours in the swing (not in motion) from 8pm-3:30am. I would've let him go longer but I heard him pooping so I changed and fed him. After eating, he was hysterical...I tried the swing, rocking him in the glider, walking around the house, etc. Finally I put him in his crib and he went to sleep on his own right away! He wanted the crib?!?!? He only slept about 2 hours in his crib before getting fussy, but mommy is happy today. I haven't slept this much...since I can't even remember when!

Thanks all for the advice!

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

My DS slept in his swing until he was 7 months, naps and night sleep & it was moving the entire time

It's the only place he would sleep and the Ped said there is nothing wrong with it. DS was sitting up on his own at 5 months, walking at 23 months, so it did not effect his developement in any way.

We moved him into his crib at 7 months, did CIO for 2 days & never looked back.

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

My first ds was a great sleeper and he slept in the swing for naps for like 4 months but always in the crib at night.

At some class I took to prepare before he was born, the teacher said it can actually be benificial for them to nap in a different place, as you want them to associate the crib with long sleeping periods. I didn't nap him in the swing for this reason, it just seemed to happen this way. But it worked for us!

Re: Sleeping in swing "cheating"?

Posted by NYCGirl80

Thanks all for your advice! I just re-skimmed key parts of the Happiest Baby on the Block and think I'm oik with napping in the swing until he's 3 or 4 months old. I might even let him sleep in the swing for a night, just to see if Mommy could get 1 "good" night of sleep...she needs it!

Sleeping in swing

My son slept in his bassinet for the 1st month and then would only sleep in his swing. I slept on the couch for a month with the swing next to me. In the bassinet he was up every 2-3 hrs and in the swing would go 5-6 hrs or even all night! At about 3 months we went back into the bassinet and it was perfect. At 4 months he went into his crib just fine. For us, we never had any issues, and having 2 kids meant I did whatever I had to for sleep lol.