Baby only sleeps in car seat, any advice?

Heather - posted on 11/01/2009

My oldest is 5 and the only way we could get her to sleep in her crib, (ok, anywhere but our arms) was to swaddle her in a sweatshirt or shirt my husband or I had worn. She had our sent around her and was able to sleep. I know it sounds silly but after you wash the bedding or blankets sleep with them for a night or so to get your "scent" on them before you make the bed... It worked wonders with my oldest and now we have a 1 mo old and she will sleep in her crib... Good Luck!!!

Holly - posted on 10/31/2009

Mine will sleep anywhere you put him but only if he has his boppy pillow that thing works wonders...we would have never made it past the first week when he came home without it...he loves his bassinet, crib & anywhere but only if he's got his boppy...so I would advise you to get a boppy pillow they are wonderful. =) Hope it helps, good luck

Elizabeth - posted on 10/24/2009

Try a sleep positioner that surrounds his body, or else try swaddling him before putting him to sleep. The car seat is a lot more like being held tightly than the crib or pack-n-play, so these techniques might trick him into thinking he's still being held.

At 2 1/2 weeks, it is not recommended that a baby sleep through the whole night. They still need to eat every 4 hours at a minimum. Maybe that's why he's waking up in the crib; because he's hungry and the car seat is tricking him into sleeping longer than he should be.

Lourdes - posted on 10/18/2009

OMG.. you baby and mine are the same.. he sleeps so well in the car seat/ carrier.. i guess because he is on his 1st month.. that should be fine.. anything to make him sleep is fine by me... however.. i make sure in the night.. that he sleeps in in his crib.. by himself.. its ok.. take it easy.. you are on your 2nd week.... just chill.. u can start training him "consistently" sleeping in the crib once he is maybe 3-6 months old..

Katrina - posted on 10/11/2009

Jessy -
My son is almost 3 weeks old and is having a similar problem. He prefers to sleep with his head elevated by anything vs. flat on his back. The carseat, boppy and bouncy chair all work better than laying him on his back. I have to wait until he's fully asleep to lay him down. One thing that helps with him if I do disturb him as I lay him down is to rub him tummy or his head, etc. It comforts him to know that I am there. I had to do this with my oldest son too. It seems to reassure them that you are not leaving them. It will get easier. My oldest son was soon able to be put down in his bassinett or crib without being completely conked out. Gabby's advice about establishing a routine is a must too!

Karen - posted on 10/07/2009

I am in a simular situation with my 4 week old. She sleeps really well in her carseat but it is her swing that she REALLY perfers and when it's in motion. I got a kiddopotamus from my step-mom (only about $10- you can get them from walmart, babies-r-us, ect...) She likes it alot! It keeps them wrapped tight and she sleeps ok with it in her basinet. I also have a positioner that has the two sides and a wedge type thing that props her up a little bit. Those are two things I would recommend trying for your baby.

Lauren - posted on 09/30/2009

I would suggest swaddling. If you can rent/checkout/buy the DVD "The Happiest Baby on the Block." It really works! It shows how to really swaddle and how to help with the crying.

Lea - posted on 09/30/2009

I had the same problem with my first child (He is now 9) and I let him sleep in his carseat up until he was 3 months old. When he was about 2 1/2 months old I noticed that the back of his head was getting flat and I asked the doc about it and he said that it was caused from him sleeping in the carseat. He said that there isn't enough room for the baby to move it's head and is stuck in that position pretty much. Also that carseats don't usually provide a lot of padding. Underneath that thin layer is hard plastic. Even though it was just a couple months I had him sleeping in his carseat, his head is still flat in the back. It's nothing dramatic and from what I've been told a lot of babies get flat spots on their heads for any number of reasons. I say try a bunch of new things and see if anything works.

Your son might like the carseat because it's a small space and that is comforting for a baby. Just like when he stays asleep in your arms. He might just be a cuddler. The pack n play could be too big a space for him. Try wrapping him up in a blanket and putting him in a boppy or in one of those positioner pads. I hope that some of this advice is a little helpful for you. Good luck!

Gabby - posted on 09/30/2009

I am having a similar experience with my son as well. he will sleep in his moses basket but does prefer his car seat and will sleep for hours in his car seat. However i do always manage to get him down in his moses basket at night. I am a stickler for routines and touch wood it has worked for my other three children. The only advice i can give you is to try and swaddle him so he feels like he is being cuddled thats what i do with my son but only at night. he has a bath at around 9pm and then has his last feed at 12am swaddled, in the dark in the bedroom so i can just put him straight down and it seems to work quite well. Good luck with him theres nothing worse than baby not sleeping at night.