Where do your newborns sleep?

babydontforget · October 2010

I read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins, and have been trying to follow that plan for the past three weeks or so. The author recommends always putting babies in their cribs to nap, so that they learn that that is the place for sleep, and they learn how to soothe themselves to sleep there.

Well, guess what? My twins will not nap in their crib. And Weissbluth also emphasizes the importance of day sleep for healthy night sleep. So, after days of failing to get them to nap in their cribs, and subsequent crappy nights, I decided yesterday to let them nap wherever they nap well (bouncy, swing, car seat, my chest) and see what happens. I also decided not to struggle too hard to get them to nap at the same time (another Weissbluth rule), because that wasn't working: they just don't exhibit the "drowsy but awake" signs at the same time.

Long story short, last night I got two 4 hour stretches in a row, which is a big improvement. So, I gained better night sleep, but I eliminated the *training* part of the sleep training.

All that to ask: Where did/do your newborns nap? If you let them nap in their bouncies and swings, when did you start moving them to their cribs for naps, and was it painful?

Chickandtaco · October 2010

I think you gotta do what works for you so you ALL get some rest

My twins aren't here yet but DS napped mostly in his swing. He LOVED his swing! We went through batteries like CRAZY but he loved it. At night he always slept in his crib and he never had any problems. I didn't start putting him in his crib for naps until he was 14 months, which is when I weaned him. Before that, I'd nurse him and he'd fall asleep and just nap where ever we were.

Temp6313048411121614 · October 2010

For the first 6m or so, our twins took all of their naps in the swing and fell asleep at night in their swings (and we'd take them up to bed with us later). It wasn't hard at all to transition them to their bed where they do now take all of their naps. An expert can write a book and is an expert for a reason, but you're the one living in your house and you'll figure out what's right for your babies with time. Babies can't for bad habits (such as falling asleep only in a swing vs being able to fall asleep in the crib) until 4m-ish, so for right now just do whatever you can get to get some sleep.

mamam · October 2010

Between colds and reflux we needed the babies upright so they sleep in bouncers and swings right now. I will focus on the crib transition closer to 3 months.

Leigh71 · October 2010

mamam:
Between colds and reflux we needed the babies upright so they sleep in bouncers and swings right now. I will focus on the crib transition closer to 3 months.

ditto this. I place them upright/swing/bouncy seat/or a boppy if i'm sitting next to them.

benkari · October 2010

The first 4 months were whatever worked! With 4 just getting them all to sleep at the same time at night felt like a huge accomplishment for us so day time was anything goes. At 4 months I began transistioning them into naps in the crib and they took to it fine.

Temp159135562506975 · October 2010

my boys slept in Arms Reach bedside cosleepers (2 of the minis) at night only until they were about 6mo.

they napped mostly on the couch next to me... in their swings or bouncy seats early on... they didn't nap in their cribs until they were about 7mo ---- mostly b/c their naps were not super predictable- and I didn't want to have to go up/down stairs ALL DAY LONG.... once their naps were more regular, and they were more mobile- i started putting them into their cribs.

They always napped well - didn't matter where they were... and they STTN at 8 weeks - so it was never an issue for them not to be in their cribs.

LakeGenevaBride · October 2010

Mine are 3+ months and have never slept in their cribs. Erik takes naps and sleeps in his bassinet. Zack takes naps in his swing or car seat or wherever we can get him to fall asleep. Sometimes he even sleeps in his swing at night. I don't care at this point, as long as he sleeps. I also tried to look for their tired signs and didn't always put them to sleep at the same time. But I am in the minority here in that I don't necessarily keep them on the same schedule, but it works for me right now.