My son is two weeks old, he wont sleep anywhere but his carseat, his boppy, or his bouncer.

Paulette - posted on 01/11/2010

If he doesn't like lying flat it could be that he has a problem with reflux. When a baby has reflux, the valve at the top of the stomach doesn't close off properly, so the acid comes up into the oesophagus and causes a burning sensation. This is worse when lying down. Reflux usually also manifests itself with lots of spilling and even power-vomitting, excess mucous, coughing, crying. As it is not good to sleep a baby in a carseat for longer than car trips, try putting a folded towel at the head end of the crib (under the mattress), so that the mattress is on a slight angle. Make sure you don't make it too steep, and that baby's feet are at the bottom of the crib, so that he cannot slide down under the blankets. Wrapping him in a soft blanket (swaddling) should also help, as it makes him feel more secure. Also, do remember that he is very young and needs to learn to go to sleep on his own. For more tips and ideas on feeding, sleeping and routines, see my free website, www.motheringadvice.org.nz.

Blessings

Paulette

Susana - posted on 01/10/2010

Have you tried swaddling him, it seems he likes to be cuddled up. I swaddled my son to sleep until he was 4 months. There were nights though that he would only fall sleep in my arms, then I'll transferred him to his bassinet. Try wrapping his blanket around your neck so when swaddle him it is warm, it may help. Don't worry too much about it, just keep trying until he gets use to it.

Lori - posted on 01/10/2010

someone posted that he's so young right now and that is so true. Just for your own peace of mind, I'd put him anywhere he would sleep right now so YOU can sleep. Right now you are in survival mode. I wouldn't worry about putting him in his crib until around 2-3 months. Our dd was in her crib right away - but she was fine with that. But routine is more important and where they sleep is important more towards 4 months.



A friend of mine has a son that would not sleep anywhere while he was laying flat - he had reflux. Something to think about. However, I'm betting it's just because a car seat and bouncy kind of hold him in tighter??? In a crib he is open. Have you tried swaddling - super tight? I wonder if you swaddled him tightly and layed him in there how he would do??

Nicole - posted on 01/09/2010

I'd probably try swaddling him, rocking him to sleep and then placing him in his crib.



Oh!! Soothers/dummies/comforters (whatever they're called in your part of the world) work wonders.



Good luck! :)

Alicia - posted on 01/09/2010

my daughter slept best in her bouncer as well, and i stopped fighting with it haha for the first 6 weeks i just slept on the couch next to her bouncer. with her waking up every 2 hours or so, it didnt make sense to keep getting up outta my bed to pull her outta her bed to just wind up out in the living room anyways.

Amanda - posted on 01/09/2010

We've had a similar problem with our son. Our ped. said that it's normal and it's okay for the first few months for infants to sleep with you. A car seat is great for getting little one's to sleep, but they also feel tight and warm in it. Try swaddling or using a sleep sack and letting him sleep on your arm. Once he's out for about 20 minutes, put him in the crib. Hopefully that'll help.

Jody - posted on 01/09/2010

Buy a woombie!! They are magical - they make baby feel like they are back in the womb again because they are all snuggled up. When you put him in his cot just lightly rock him to and fro (while he is laying down). It may take a little while at first, with him crying, but it does work. It sounds like he is having settling problems. I put my little boy (who is now 3 1/2 mths) into his woombie and rock him to and fro and he is normally asleep within 10 mins max!! However he does only sleep for 45-50 mins at a time during the day but sleeps through the night (anywhere from 7-7:30pm - 4:30-6:30am). Good luck.

Michelle - posted on 01/09/2010

He is still very little so i wouldn't worry too much. My son now is 3 mths old and won't sleep in his cot in the day but sleeps in it fine straight through the night. Just make sure where he sleeps he is safe and if i was you get something in his cot like a mobile or something and let him lie in it in the day to look at it and see it as a good place. As for him sleeping with u it is ok just make sure he won't fall off, don't get too hot with your quilt, u won't squash him and def not if u had a drink(which i doubt u r doing at the mo lol) Hope it slightly helpful.

Julie - posted on 01/09/2010

I wish I had some advice for you, but I'm in the same boat. My 23 month old doesn't like to sleep in her crib. If I can get her to fall asleep somewhere else first sometimes I can get her to sleep the rest of the night in her crib if she doesn't wake up when I try to lay her down. Most nights she's sleeping with us or with a sister somewhere. I know it's not good, but none of us get any sleep otherwise.

Alicia - posted on 01/09/2010

try wrapping bubs in the pillow case you sleep on just take it off your pillow without washing it and wrap him in it (he'll smell you on it) also put a pillow under his crib matteress this will prop it up safely and helps if they hold a bit of wind, if you feel as though you've done all you can an you know he is tired leave him to cry.. as hard as it can be he will nod off soon enough and its something you wont regret in time :) good luck

Renia - posted on 01/09/2010

my daughter was the same way. its a feeling of comfort to be close to something. she had a boppy chair that hugged her sides.she wouldnt sleep anywhere else. hes still very new and is used to being in tight places. my daughter finally grew out of it and shes 3 months now. just keep trying the crib

Joy - posted on 01/09/2010

Try wrapping him in a blanket and get him to sleep, then lay him down and open

the blanket

Elizabeth - posted on 01/08/2010

Try baby message with soothing lotions. That seemed to help my daughter. He is really young and will get used to being outside your belly soon enough. Take care of yourself as much as possible!

Melissa - posted on 01/08/2010

my daughter is kind of like that to, but she will only sleep on her stomachi just keep a close eye on her to make sure face isn't faced down on the bed.

Melissa - posted on 01/08/2010

Quoting Melissa:

My baby was very difficult/colicky for the first few months and would only sleep in her swing/car seat and our bed. I tried so many things to get her to sleep in her crib without success. I really wanted to get her in her crib because I thought it would be too hard for her to make the transition to her crib if she got used to sleeping somewhere else. But, guess what I was SOOOO exhausted I decided it was better to lose a few nights of sleep later on to help her make the transition then to keep trying now and lose ALOT of sleep that I could not afford to lose being as exhausted as I was. So I did just that and when her colics decreased I was able to get her to sleep in her crib. Keep trying once in a while, get some sleep in the mean time, and don't worry about it, I believe your baby knows what makes him feel secure. Why fight it at such a young age...Just make sure he's safe, buckled in, and nothing around his face he could sufficate on. That's my opinion.

Ok, after reading post about the relationship bewteen SID and letting a baby sleep in a sitting position I'm not so confident about my answer, but what's done is done. Next time, knowing the dangers, I'm not saying I wouldn't let my newborn sleep in a slightly elevated position, but I'd make sure there was not pressure on the neck...

Melissa - posted on 01/08/2010

My baby was very difficult/colicky for the first few months and would only sleep in her swing/car seat and our bed. I tried so many things to get her to sleep in her crib without success. I really wanted to get her in her crib because I thought it would be too hard for her to make the transition to her crib if she got used to sleeping somewhere else. But, guess what I was SOOOO exhausted I decided it was better to lose a few nights of sleep later on to help her make the transition then to keep trying now and lose ALOT of sleep that I could not afford to lose being as exhausted as I was. So I did just that and when her colics decreased I was able to get her to sleep in her crib. Keep trying once in a while, get some sleep in the mean time, and don't worry about it, I believe your baby knows what makes him feel secure. Why fight it at such a young age...Just make sure he's safe, buckled in, and nothing around his face he could sufficate on. That's my opinion.

Aideen - posted on 01/08/2010

We had to tilt the moses basket at about a 30 degree angle for our little man to get any sleep during the day. we put a cussion under one end and sat it on the couchTry that? At night we co-sleep and he'd no problems sleeping flat on his back in the bed.

Amanda - posted on 01/08/2010

I swaddled and bought a sleep positioner and played music and my daughter who is 4 weeks old is almost sleeping through the night wakes up once or twice to eat . I was having a problem with her sleeping in her crib. Hope this helps
:)

Kelly - posted on 01/08/2010

Yes, the swing was a life saver! He seemed to hate his carseat after awhile but still couldn't lie flat so we got a musical swing and that made it so we could move around too, and he wouldn't hear us.

Kelly - posted on 01/08/2010

You may have to just let him sleep in car seat, that's safest and what I had to do, if they have reflux at all, and they may not spit up, it just burns, they won't sleep well on their backs. My pediatrician said if he sleeps, let him stay in the car seat, just no big pillows that he can suffocate on. If he's gassy you may try mylicon too at night.

Kimberlee - posted on 01/08/2010

oh he is brand spanking new.its just comforting. I think the best place is in the bed anyway.They sleep better and so do you. I would def recommend the swaddling if your not comfortable with baby in the bed. But I tell you cherish these moments now cause they grow fast.You can freeze time but you can enjoy it.And a happy baby makes all the diffrence

Jaide - posted on 01/07/2010

my son wouldnt sleep anywhere but with me it took me six weeks 2 get him to sleep in the bassinett it just take sometime hun i use to wrap him as tight as i can an that made him go 2 sleep straight away but they just hav to get used to everuthing..

Kate - posted on 01/07/2010

My bub did the same thing for about the first 6 weeks. I just let her sleep in her swing/bouncer or wherever she fell asleep. i think it was because it felt like she was being held. Eventually she got confort with us swaddleing her and being in her cot, i think because he is so young that it is okay to let him sleep in his bouncer.

Stephanie - posted on 01/07/2010

My daughter used to sleep like that too, for the longest time we had to sleep with her in her bouncer with the vibrate thing on...lol...as soon as we would turn it off she would wake up. I was like a massage all night long!
We did the boppy and the carseat too, I think it is just a natural thing. I would tell my self that they were all cuddly in a tight space in the womb and to come out and be all free is a big change so, I just figured it was a transition phase.
By 6 months she was taking naps in her crib and now she is 1 and sleep the night in her crib. She does still wake on occasion and sometimes wont go back to sleep until she in cuddled in the bed with us, but I like it...continue to slowly get him used to being in his crib he will adjust..but what ever you can do to get some sleep..if that means him sleeping in a boppy I say do it :O)

Heather - posted on 01/07/2010

My daughter slept in a swing for the first couple months....its a normal thing and they seem to grow out of it on there own.

Jaclyn - posted on 01/07/2010

As long as he's happy and sleeping good my advice is let him sleep where he wants. It's not harming him and eventually he will grow out of it. 3 out of 5 of my kids were the same way and slept in their carseats for about 3 months and their perfectly healthy. Trust me he'll sleep better and so will you.GOODLUCK

Jess - posted on 01/07/2010

I went through this with my youngest as well. It will pass. My son is now 6 months and he has been sleeping in his crib all night now. Just hang in there!

Btw have you tried wrapping you baby up in a blanket like a burrito? This helps so much! there are even special blankets for this sold at places like Toy's 'R' Us.

Kristin - posted on 01/07/2010

I would say at 2 weeks old let him sleep wherever he wants! He will grow to like his crib. My son wouldnt sleep anywhere but his swing with it on for the first 2 months. At 9 weeks he started sleeping through the night in his crib. Also, he liked sleeping upright, like in a carseat or swing, because he had infant acid reflux... So maybe talk to your dr about that possibility..

Michelle - posted on 01/07/2010

good idea of Brandi... let him sleep in his car seat in the crib and then in a few weeks see if you can put him down in the crib. good luck

Lorena - posted on 01/07/2010

Your little one sounds like he needs swaddling to me. In the car seat and in the boppy he's getting firm contact all around his little body. I had the same problem with my daughter and I started swaddling her and laying her in her crib with a blankt onder her and rolled up on the sides to give her that contact around her that feels so secure. I have also let my daughter sleep in her boppy when she had a cold to elevate her head and chest, also with a blanket over it and the bottom pinned together, but I won't do that again. She woke me up crying one night and she had still managed to wiggle through and that thing seemed like it was smothering her. Sleeping in the car seat is not good for thier spinal development, they really shouldn't spend more than a couple hours in there at a time. If you think she needs the head of the bed raised than fold up some towels or put a throuw pillow under the head of the mattress, it is much safer.

Amanda - posted on 01/07/2010

my daughter sleeps in her boppy in her crib, she had gottin a cold and couldnt sleep lying flat so i put her in her boppy in the crib and shes slept in it ever since! just make sure you put a blanket over the boppy first that way they dont fall thru

Stephanie - posted on 01/07/2010

it could be laying flat doesnt agree with him, my daughter prefered being slightly propped up so I folded a blanket under her matress in the mosses basket and it helped. Also if you think your baby is being sick quite a bit this combined with the not liking being laid flat could be a sign of reflux so speak to your health visitor about it and see what else can be done to help your baby stay comfortable

Tammy - posted on 01/07/2010

perhaps laying on a flat surface is uncomfortable for him, I would consult a chiropractor

Nichole - posted on 01/07/2010

My daughter was the same. I finally was so tired and couldn't take it anymore, I put her boppy in her bassinett... and later in her crib when I got that set up. I know it says that you aren't supposed to let them sleep with it.. but it was the only way she would go to sleep.

Michele - posted on 01/06/2010

my daughter sleeps in her boppy but shes 3 months does your baby cry in the crib? if so during the day put him in the crib and let him cry or put him in there after he falls asleep i put a padding down for my baby so it was softer try that

Katie - posted on 01/06/2010

When my baby was newborn, all the older familty members were saying to me "oh you know about SIDS?" and EVERYTHING was about sids, and i was SO scared to leave my baby alone incase something happened. So for maybe the first 2 months, she slept in a pram next to me in my bed, and when i would try to get her to sleep in her cot she would just scream.

What i tried was- when she was rubbing her eyes and showing her sleepy signs, i put her in her cot for 5 minutes. if she was still crying (not a waaaah cry, but a full on cry) i would pick her up, comfort her, and put her back in her pram for a sleep. Every sleep that day i did this, leaving her for 5 minutes, then putting her in the pram. Over the next few days it progressed to a 7-10 minute wait, next few days later was a 10-15 minute wait etc etc, until she learned that there would be no more sleeping in her pram unless we are out.

She is fine with sleeping in her cot now. I was told that from being in the womb and wrapped very tightly after birth, babies are scared of being in a big, open room, so also, on her cot we hung blankets over the side so she c ould only see up, not out to the sides aswell. over time they left aswell.

I hope this may be of use xx

Carol - posted on 01/06/2010

let him sleep in the car seat in your room, just make sure he's buckled in. He may have acid reflux that is keeping him awake, and that's why he is sleeping better at an angle. Try getting a swing, he might like that too. He will eventually start sleeping in his bed.

Bonnie - posted on 01/06/2010

oh God that is so scary...wernt you affraid he would like not breathe..or move it with his head stretching and it fall on his face and suffocate him? I would Definately never do that with my babies...

Bonnie - posted on 01/06/2010

My daughter used to do the same thing. Keep him OUT of your bed...or you will regret it!!! Try to put a blanket under his feet, like a blankie rolled up propping his feet up a little in his crib,. that seemed to help her adjust and she loves sleeping in her crib now, shes 5 months old. She hated her portable crib, bassinett, and i was scared to death to put her in bed with us, because of all the sids scare!!! If he sleeps for 1 hour at a time...sorry but thats the way it goes sometimes! It is VERY hard adjusting to no sleep, but you eventually get used to it, trust me. i work 40+ hours a week, and used to have to stay up too. Heck there was even one time when i was up for 6 days, then i finally told my husband i was going to die unless i got some rest, so he got the point!! Anyway, Im expecting twins this summer so im sure my sleep wont be any better then either! Just please do not let him sleep with you. There are so many things that could happen...and u would just blame yourself if it did. Have some patience, try the blanket thing, and it will get better!!!!!!!!!!

Kaylyn - posted on 01/06/2010

Quoting Belinda:

Two weeks is sooo young. He is still trying to work out what the heck just happened to him (birth and the loss of that lovely womb) and he is trying to become more comfortable with this body that he has to control and function with. Let him sleep wherever he sleeps best. It's not the time to be stressing over things like this. Start asking these questions when he is 3 months + and I am sure by then things will have already changed. Enjoy these first few weeks. They are so very very precious. You never get them back so please, relax, enjoy him, hold him all the time, let him sleep on you, let him sleep in your bed if that is what he likes (and you don't mind) kiss him all constantly and let him sleep wherever he is most happy.

Ginny - posted on 01/06/2010

Quoting Brandi:

My daughter was like this and my ped suggested to me to put her in her carseat (strapped in of course) or her bouncy (strapped in of course) and place the whole thing (carseat or bouncy) into the crib. Once she got used to being in the crib (a couple of weeks or so) I phased the bouncy seat out (she could sleep at night in the bouncy, but daytime naps were had laying down) once she was sleeping well in the daytime, I took it away at night. Worked like a dream for me. My ped. said that when they are young like yours is, sleeping like that isn't so bad. Once they get to be around 3 mos. old or so, they really should be laying flat. Good luck.

 

I did the same thing with my son. He slept in his bouncer, strapped in...and I put that in the crib. We did have to wean him out of it...but it was the only way to get some sleep for myself and my son when he was little!!!!

Nikki - posted on 01/06/2010

I had the same problem with my daughter she would only sleep in her swing. she's 2 months now and I have her in her bassinet and she's been sleeping in it since she was 1 month. what I did was I would put her in her bassinet a little bit each day like at her nap times to get her use to it or I would swaddle her up in her blanket and place her in until she got use to it. now she sleeps in it all the time.

Delilah - posted on 01/06/2010

my son slept in his bouncer for like the first 2 weeks he came home.

Andrea - posted on 01/06/2010

Quoting Shenna:

let him sleep where he will sleep as long as he's sleeping...that's what i've been told...a family member of mine, her daughter slept in her carseat till she was a year old...only please she would sleep...it doesn't hurt them they just have places they are more comfortable. just put the carseat or bouncer near your bed...at 3 weeks he isn't going to roll out so he should be just fine.

I'm sorry, but it *can* hurt them, not to say it *will* but it can - especially past 3 months, it is much safer in many ways (already mentioned above) to lay them flat.  It's not like she CAN'T sleep anywhere else but her carseat, so there is no reason to go through the risk just to save some crying.  Our sleep is not more important than doing things properly for our children.

Hannah - posted on 01/06/2010

We had this problem with william we put him in his Moses basket with a rolledup towel on one side of him so he was snug and a cushion under the top of the basket so it was tilted slightly worked a treat we also folded a sheet and put it under his head I was told to do this by my health visitor she also said they have to lie flat at night so not best to let a baby sleep in car seat all night as it damages their backsdont panic it does pass and I'm sure your baby will settle Williams now in his cot an a really good sleeper x x

Selina - posted on 01/06/2010

my baby did the same thing but she only wanted to sleep on me or her boppy but what helped me was to wear one of her blankets so it would have my smell so durning the day at nap time and night time i would put it down and she would sleep for me and shes been sleeping for me sence she was a month old all night long for eight to ten hrs and i was nursing too.

Shenna - posted on 01/06/2010

let him sleep where he will sleep as long as he's sleeping...that's what i've been told...a family member of mine, her daughter slept in her carseat till she was a year old...only please she would sleep...it doesn't hurt them they just have places they are more comfortable. just put the carseat or bouncer near your bed...at 3 weeks he isn't going to roll out so he should be just fine.

Megan - posted on 01/06/2010

i too am not strictly following the 'baby rule book'.... my little one sleeps in bed with us too. she is 4 weeks old...i am allowing myself another week & then I will put her in her crib...fingers crossed...i dont think there is a quick answer...but try leaving your scent on a piece of clothing/blanket & put this with your baby...& then its just time...i found if i actually leave willow to cry for just a few minutes...although it feels like forever...she actually settles herself off to sleep...

good luck

Lauren - posted on 01/06/2010

Carmen we went through the same thing with our son. Go get a foam bed wedge. I got one at bed bath and beyond for under 30. We put this in the crib and that way he slept propped up which decreases discomfort some babies have when lying flat. My Pediatrician recommended it. We did this at 1 month. By 3 months he didn't need it anymore.

Ila - posted on 01/06/2010

my sonhad servere colic he would only sleep in swing or carseat if vehicle was moving I told the doctor he said get one of those portable floor swings and let him sleep in it next to your side of the bed or as close to you as possible so you can monitor him we found out he was having issues breathing when laid flat he out grew it but I will always wonder what if I hadn't let him sleep in the swing all that time also a floor swing is so low to the floor if he could of wiggled out of the straps he would just roll onto the floor. I worked wonders and I got some sleep I also put the monitor on the floor next to him and turned up loud I felt saffer knowing I could hear him breath real loud with the monitor even though he was next to me.. hope this helps if he starts colic (crying for no reason or gas) use Grip Water. buy it at a natural store or walmart has now I hope this helps I was their once dont worry youll be great no matter what just remember what works for one might not work for you but trial and error is normal with a figity baby..God Bless..