hi my name is natasha, my son is almost 5 months old but he refuses to sleep in his crib, the only place he will will sleep is in his car seat, any suggestions

Jenn - posted on 11/11/2008

Hi there. I highly suggest the book, Happy Baby, Healthy Sleep (or something like that). It worked wonders for both of my kids.

Jill - posted on 11/11/2008

I had the same problem at the beginning with my daughter. I finally said if she sleeps who cares. What I did was every night I would put her in her crib and let her cry for a while. Then when she would not stop I would take her out. I kept doing this and she finally got used to her crib. You need to put him in there every night. Letting him cry for a little will not hurt him. Try a sound machine too.

Heather - posted on 11/05/2008

You could put him in his car seat, the when he falls asleep, move him to his crib... Depending on how heavy of a sleeper he is o course.

Margaret - posted on 11/05/2008

i have the same problem but the only place my daughter will sleep is in her bouncy chair just keep trying thats what iam doin

Stephenie - posted on 11/05/2008

Wow i have the same problem. I have a 5 mth old baby girl n she doesn't sleep. I tried music and activities with her to make her tired so she'll fall asleep easily n it helps a little.

Meghann - posted on 11/05/2008

My almost 5 month old use to do the same thing. I bought a swing because it was the rocking motion that she liked. She sleeps in her swing almost every night and she also sleeps all night long.

Michelle - posted on 11/05/2008

I would ask your doc about reflux. Once I got my son and now 4 mo old daughter on medication they were SO much better. Both my kids slept on a wedge pillow in their crib and that was a big help. The other thing I have had great success with is this sleeper crib - see this site - it is worth the money http://www.ambybaby.com/

Laurel - posted on 11/05/2008

Hi Natasha, I have had the same problem as you. My son just loved the coziness of his car seat, this went on for months. I started by putting the car seat in his crib, so he could get used to sleeping in his crib/own room. Then I started swaddling for naps during the day. For one week or so I swaddled for his morning nap, which didn't really go all that well, but it was ok. Then after awhile, I added his afternoon nap.



I also take him out of his car seat whenever possible. Grocery/shopping trips I sit him up in the front of the car or when we go for a walk, I put him in the stroller, not the car seat locked into the stroller.



Don't give up, it will happen. It will just take some patience and diligence. Good luck!

Susie - posted on 11/04/2008

What do you mean, refuses? He is 5 months old! :D

Seriously though, what does he do? Do you put him in the crib sleepy? Do you let him cry it out a little? Have you talked to your pediatrician about sleep training?

Trisha - posted on 11/04/2008

I agree it might be a security thing. You could also let him cry it out for a little while. After a little bit he will get used to it. Also try putting blankets around him or a pillow just so he feels close to something:) good luck!

Leslie - posted on 11/04/2008

hey im a mother of 4 and with my last 2 they only like the crib but, you should try sleeping him on his tummy or get him a bobby pillow which is a breast feeding pillow,or try letting him sleep in your arms for a while cause it sounds like he just likes the comfort of being held closely...good luck

Ashley - posted on 11/04/2008

When my daughter was born she would only sleep in her swing and it was not to bad at first untilI thought about her swinging all night all long, probably not so good. So everytime she feel asleep I would put her in her playpen it was still in the living room still around evrything she knew and she would sleep there for maybe an hour or so a night, and when she woke up i'd put her back into the swing and she would fall right bck asleep. I kept doing that night after night and eventually she slept all night in the playpen. Than I repeated the same thing getting her into the room and into her crib. It tokk awhile its a long process but it works. I believe kids like to be where they know and are confortable and I never took her in my room or aorund her crib alot so I figured the playpen was better than her swing.......good luck I hope it helps

Ami - posted on 11/03/2008

Maybe he liked the carseat because of the security of being strapped into a small space... try swaddling him... if you haven't already. Good Luck! xoxoxo

Sara - posted on 11/03/2008

My daughter is 4.5 months old and I had a lot of success using some of the methods in "The Baby Whisperer". We have been using the crib for about 2 weeks now :) I have also found that I have to just get in my head that nothing else is going to matter. I find that when I am trying to rush my daughter to get to sleep I have more trouble. I think she picks up on it. So sometimes it has taken up to an hour to get her down, but the most important thing is to get them used to it and it only gets easier! Now I can get her down in about 10 min!

Amber - posted on 11/03/2008

Natasha, try laying him in his crib during naps and see how he does. Also put him in his crib for night it doesn't hurt for him to cry a little. Try to make him feel secure in his crib. The carseat is more secured for him because its not so big less space. The crib has more space and maybe doesn't feel secure in it for the fact that he slept in his carseat and felt snuggle and more secure. Does he like to snuggle be held close? Good Luck and hope this works.

Cyndi - posted on 11/02/2008

I agree with Ginger, I had to let my twins cry it out...it doesn't hurt them to let them cry at all, it actually helps their lungs :)

Melanie - posted on 11/02/2008

I make bed time fun, When I out Isabelle in her cot I kiss her & play little games with a toy she loves & make sure she is happy and comfortable before I leave her. Now I think she realises the cot is a fun & happy place to be.

Mel

Amy - posted on 11/02/2008

You can try putting him up on a boppy pillow...but it's something you need to do only if he's in your room (in the crib) because there's always a risk of suffocation. Maybe try it for naps until he gets used to the crib, then you can always prop his mattress up with a wedge.

Ginger - posted on 11/01/2008

we had this problem... we just went cold turkey to the crib at 5 months. when he woke up in the middle of the night we went in and talked to him, but never took him out. it didn't help a lot, so we resorted to the crying it out. it took 4 nights (him waking up between 2-5am and crying for 20 minutes), but after that he started sleeping until 6am.

Good luck!

Helen - posted on 11/01/2008

is it because he cries when he is laid flat? my son did that and we had to prop up the head end of the moses basket. he also has a teddy blanket thing that he has only when he goes to sleep to get him to associate that to sleeping.

Amy - posted on 10/31/2008

you could try putting his car seat in his crib just to get him used to the space then slowly try to put him in it without the car seat.

Laura - posted on 10/31/2008

He might have difficulties with acid indegestion. try getting a wedge from any baby store and place it under the mattress it will angle it to help.

Sarah - posted on 10/30/2008

My first slept in a car seat in his crib for a while too...Til he was old enough to cough and roll over on his own- not because of his demands, but because of my worries, he hadnt cleared all of the mucas in his lungs from birth, and would spontaniously choke on it- scared the hell out of me! Hes 7 now and is just fine, sleeps in his own bed now. Hope this helps, if the baby is happy, mamma is happy! I agree with the keep trying every week, Try napping in the crib durring the day, or even a few mins w the mobile on durring the day, every day so its not a scary place for him?

Jayde - posted on 10/30/2008

I was told to that if he wanted to sleep in his car seat to let him.

Melissa - posted on 10/30/2008

my daughter did the same thing when she was that age, i believe she suffered from acid reflux so sleeping on an incline helped her alot, dont worry keep trying the crib every week or so eventually his stomach will stop bothering him :)

Amy - posted on 10/30/2008

Hey, I have a friend of a family member who child was the same way. she tried everything to get her to sleep in somthing else besides the car seat. She simply just put the car seat in the crib at night with him buckled in of course so he don't slide out at night. As of any way to get them to sleep anywhere else... I'd say just enjoy the sleep your getting!!!