Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

I do not think you can spoil a newborn. I definitely do not agree with letting a 5 week old CIO. That is way too early, IMO. They need to be soothed.

All of that being said, I did make an effort to not hold DS too much because I didn't want to create a baby that had to be held 24/7. I certainly held him throughout the day and cuddled with him and tended to his every whim but I did make points of putting him in one of the various apparatuses I had to let him relax by himself.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

I don't think they can be spoiled at 5 weeks. But I think by 5-6 months they can be. I also read that babies can begin to exhibit manipulative behavior by 6 months old so I think by then spoiling is possible. I did cio for nighttime around a year old, and it worked great & very fast, just a couple of days... I would never do it at only a few months old.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Call me old-fashioned, but I think you can.

All MIL wanted to do was hold DS the whole time she was with him. And I would not allow it. NO WAY was I going to get my newborn used to being held all day long. If he was not crying, he was left alone.

Did he have attachment issues? nope. Is he worse off? doubt it. Did he learn to be independent? yes.

That said, CIO at 5 weeks? I probably wouldn't. Although if the baby was crying for crying sake, and i knew nothing i did would soothe him, i may have let him cry for a minute or two before going to get him from his bassinet.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

I agree that you can't spoil a newborn. I think around age 1 and up is where they started learning the ropes and you have to set boundaries

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

There's no way you can spoil a newborn. They spent 9 months growing in your belly and then they're on their own in a few short weeks??? Uh, no, don't think so.

I co-slept with DD until she was 6 months and I got the whole "you're spoiling her" and "she'll never sleep on her own" business and guess what, DD has been sleeping on her own crib in her own room since she turned 6 months.

That being said, I think you should do what you feel comfortable with.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

My MIL always said I was spoiling my infant because I was always holding her. Mainly bc she screamed with my MIL every single time. It go to the point where I mentioned to my ped am I doing a disservice? And she said to hold her anytime I wanted and love and hug on her because soon enough she'll be running from me. My dd was a mamas girl from the start and now at 2.5 isn't nearly as needy as she used to be.

A 5 week old is such a tiny infant and has one way to communicate which is by crying. I think it is cruel to let an infant that small cry. You should be trying to figure out what's wrong and soothe him.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

I don't think you can at that age, however with my DD I didn't do things that I didn't want her to get used to. I comforted her, but I wouldn't hold her if she was fine or sleeping and I didn't rock her or let her get used to certain routines. she is going to be 18 months and we def. comfort her but at the same time she knows how to self soothe. I think you should just do whatever the baby needs.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

No way.

I still tend to my 5 month old in the middle of the night, she sleeps through most nights but when she wakes screaming and the binky won't cut it I feel like she needs a bottle so I give it to her.

Heck my son took a bottle in the middle of the night until 2.5

As much as I would love to be that person who lets their baby cry it out, bc I honestly see nothing wrong with it, I just can't do it. Honestly they are this little for such a short time and if they need a bottle or to sleep with me then so be it.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

No, you can't, but I also don't think a child of any age will be "spoiled" by love,warmth and responsiveness in a parent.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

I had twins also like other posters. I did, however attend to their every need as much as I could. I absolutely think that for the first 6 or so months you should try to attend to your LO's every need. No spoiling to worry about. I would say to try and get them to start sleeping through the night around 5-6 months and i know my kids required a little CIO. It took me until they were about 10-11 months because I was so attentive to them. I would probably get a little stricter about 5 or 6 months if I did it over

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

I think spoiling a baby and CIO are 2 different issues.

Do I think babies can be spoiled, no. Can what you do develop into habits that will be hard to break, yes. I cuddled, held, stared at the monitor, stared at them to make sure they were breathing, I would sometimes let them nap on me. I did not do things that I thought would be hard to break later on, like co-sleeping. My bed is not a family bed, and that is our choice.

CIO I do believe works, but not for every child. I have 3 kids and CIO only worked for one. I think what works for one child doesn't work for another.

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"

Re: "You can't spoil a newborn"