My daughter is three months old and I am having trouble getting her to sleep in her crib. The only way she will fall asleep and stay asleep is if we are sleeping belly to belly. I have tried numerous times to put her in her crib but she wakes up within five minutes of laying her down. I know it is dangerous to have her sleep with me and for her to sleep on her belly but I also need to sleep. How do I get her to sleep in her crib?

Faith - posted on 01/30/2009

I read a study, which I wish I could bring up for you but I have a baby sleeping on my chest right now...

Anyways in Britian they decided SIDS was an unacceptable epidemic so they started researching, for 2 years they would survey the families of children who died from SIDS along with five other families (as a control) in the same area. They found that providing you don't artificially alter your sleeping patterns (drugs, alchohol, ect) you have a less than 1% chance of of your child passing from SIDS even as compared to other babies who died from SIDS. Hm. Then I also learned that SIDS used to be called crib death.

Now I can't look at the crib without shuddering a bit. I put the crib set in it, took a picture, and now I use it as a storage bin for her clothes. Besides I remember my son with his little legs getting stuck in the sides and how cold and alone I would feel if I didn't have my hub to sleep with... not for everybody I guess, just my point of view on it.

Mary - posted on 01/30/2009

My son is five months old and has slept with us from day one. We had the same issue with him not wanting to sleep unless he was laying on my chest/stomach until he was about 2 months old. Stomaching sleeping isnn't dangerous if he is on your chest. In fact the doctors and nurses at the hospital reccomended that I do that so that we could both get some sleep. I am constantly aware of where he is. I don't think that co-sleeping is dangerous unless there is drug or alcohol involvement. I mean, think about it, I have never rolled on top of my husband. I just know that he's there. And it's great co-sleeping.

Mallory - posted on 01/30/2009

Have you tried laying your baby down for naps in her bed during the day so she can get used to being her crib? My baby is 8 weeks old has been sleeping in her bed since 5 weeks but we started laying her down for naps in her crib to get her used to it and so she can reconize her room and feel safe in it.

Emily - posted on 01/30/2009

Are you swaddling your baby?  That's what made the difference for us - we used the miracle blanket.

Heather - posted on 01/30/2009

with my daughter, she would only sleep on her belly. she had a strong neck, so we didn't worry about that. pretty much after the first month we caught on that she didn't like sleeping on her back and she's been sleeping on her belly ever since. also, she has been in her crib in her own room starting around 8 weeks.  she is 8 months now.

Aleycia - posted on 01/30/2009

My son slept on either his father's chest or mine from the first night he was born. It was the only way he would sleep and that didn't change until he was around 4 or 5 months old and then he would end up on my side. He slept in his crib maybe 4 or 5 times including naps until we took the side off when he was 13 months old and even then he'd end up in my bed with me. It's just easier to co-sleep when you're nursing. We never had a problem with the 3 of us in bed. I'm pregnant right now and plan on partiallly co-sleeping this time around if I can get her big brother to stay in his bed all night.

Vonetta - posted on 01/29/2009

Quoting Arika:

My daughter is three months old and I am having trouble getting her to sleep in her crib. The only way she will fall asleep and stay asleep is if we are sleeping belly to belly. I have tried numerous times to put her in her crib but she wakes up within five minutes of laying her down. I know it is dangerous to have her sleep with me and for her to sleep on her belly but I also need to sleep. How do I get her to sleep in her crib?

Dear Arika

I have breastfed two children, and worked with numerous breastfeeding moms, through WIC and Babies Us, and many times this question before.  One of the best blessings of breastfeeding is the ability to sleep when the baby sleeps, i.e. nurse in the bed, You sleep, baby sleeps next to you.  There are co-sleeping devices to help keep baby from rolling to and fro, but that would keep your baby safe.  Co-sleeping is unsafe in instances when the adult(s) are using alcohol or drugs and fail to realize that baby is there. The reason your daughter is waking within moments of being put in her crib, is because there is comfortable spot created while nursing, warmth is generated,she can hear your heartbeat, and smell your smell.  This is the safest place she has had since you delivered her.  When you interrupt that cuccoon to place her in the crib, it is disconcerting.  There will be plenty of time for her to make the transition to the bed/crib.  You might wait until she is a little older and less dependent on the nighttime feedings, as well. Around 6 or seven months should be an easier place.  This way you can sleep as well as she can sleep.

Amanda - posted on 01/29/2009

My daughter is nine months old and she sleeps in bed with me. My husband sleeps on the floor next to the bed (bless his heart!) because he's afraid he might roll over on her (and there's just not enough room in the bed for all of us). But I've tried over and over to get her to sleep in her crib, and she just won't. She never has. For the first three months of her life, we both slept in the recliner. Then we moved to the bed. I would love for her to sleep in her crib so I can have my hubby back in bed with me, but I just think it's more important for all of us to get a good night's sleep than to force her to do something she's not ready for yet.

Amy - posted on 01/29/2009

Quoting Arika:

My daughter is three months old and I am having trouble getting her to sleep in her crib. The only way she will fall asleep and stay asleep is if we are sleeping belly to belly. I have tried numerous times to put her in her crib but she wakes up within five minutes of laying her down. I know it is dangerous to have her sleep with me and for her to sleep on her belly but I also need to sleep. How do I get her to sleep in her crib?

What about swaddling?? I had to swaddle my daughter for the first 6 months of her life. I stopped swaddling at 3 months for like a week and it was the worst week ever. I started wrapping her up again and she started sleeping better. 

Brenda - posted on 01/29/2009

At three months, the safty of sleeping in bed with you is far less of an issue.  I let mine sleep with me at that age as much as he wanted to, though occasionally I would transfer to the crib when I could.  Bedsharing can be a rewarding thing to do.  I would suggest checking out the Attachment Parenting International website though if you are going to try bedsharing.  There are some basic safty rules that are good to follow that reduces any risk to your child a great deal.  http://www.attachmentparenting.org/ is there website, and their suggestions include some very good safty precautions to use if you are afraid she might fall or roll out of bed or slip between the bed and the headboard or something.  Good luck, and know that if you do opt to bedshare there are many women that do just that especially when nursing an infant.  It can be done safely, and API can provide some great safty tips for you.  Good luck!

Maurika - posted on 01/29/2009

Maybe you could try and getting one of those sleep positioners to keep her on her back to help with the stomach thing if that is a little nerving.
I also found that if I put her in her crib when she was sleeping it did not help figure out that was where she was to sleep. Ever since I began to put her in her crib before she fell asleep she got it. She cried a bit while trying to make the transition. I went in the first couple of nights extending it 5 minutes at a time to reassure her that I was still near. I didn't pick her up or anything, just rubbed her back and shushed to let her hear me and left.
Hope this made since and helped. If it is not clear the happiest baby on the block is a good book and it talks about getting your baby to sleep and methods that work.
Good luck!

Carrie - posted on 01/29/2009

We started cosleeping around this age for that very reason.  If you are drug, cigarette, and alcohol free it can be done safely.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000...

Tegan - posted on 01/29/2009

There's a couple of great articles in this month's issue of Mothering magazine on bedsharing and cosleeping. A LOT of positive points. Its not as dangerous as some people would like you to think.

I'm pro-whatever works best for your baby. My son is in a co-sleeper right next to me and I honestly can't imagine him being anywhere else. Babies need their mamas. :)

T - posted on 01/29/2009

I had the same problem for a while. My solution was to move the crib, not my son. I moved his crib right up against our bed with the drop rail removed. I pushed the crib mattress against our mattress and shoved balnkets in the open space on the other side. It's been over 9 months since I did this and my now 14 month old will nurse, feel content and roll over into the crib for his space.

Renelle - posted on 01/29/2009

I had the same problem with my daughter Paige. The only way we could get her to go to sleep at night was to let her sleep in her little vibrating chair...it reclined as if she where laying down and we just put her next to our bed at night that way we could all get some sleep, and she still felt close to me.

Heather - posted on 01/29/2009

my baby turned out to ONLY sleep on her back. she slept with me for a few weeks, and then it took me a few weeks to get her to sleep on her own. I bought a pacifier, which is proven to reduce sids, and was constantly in her room, patting her back, reassuring her i was there. keep on top of it and she will eventually get it. it doesn't hurt to let her cry a bit either!

Arika - posted on 01/29/2009

Thats a really good idea! I will def have to try that! Thank you!

Belinda - posted on 01/29/2009

My little boy was the same. Wouldnt seem to settle in his own cot/bassinette. I hold him on a towel on my lap when feeding him last thing atnight and then when he is almost asleep I move him into his bassinette on te towel.....that seems to work as he can smell me and its warm.

Lea - posted on 01/29/2009

We have had a "family" bed with all of our children until they reached about one years old. I've never had any "dangerous" problems. We all slept better initially, but eventually they just take up too much space with flailing legs and arms! My youngest is nine months old, and that is the way she likes to sleep...belly to belly.