Won't sleep unless being held?? Help!

bridesea

What do you do when one of your kids won't sleep in the crib?  My DD is starting to get REALLY bad about sleeping in the crib... she cries and cries when we put her down, but will sleep like an angel in someone's arms.  How long do you let your baby cry in the crib before giving in?  It's so hard-- on the one hand, I feel like she is too young to be 'learning' to self-soothe... on the other hand, many books (including Baby Whisperer) say that it's very important to start early with teaching baby independence, crib sleeping, etc.

Advice?  TIA! 

 

copwife08

that is the one thing my mom told me when I had DS...never hold a sleeping baby. And it is very true. You can hold them until they fall asleep but after that put them down. Have you tried swadeling her? Also try to sleep with the blanket you are going to wrap her in sometime your scent will help to soothe the baby.

mommyof4boys

IMO, the baby is still used to being curled up and in your womb at that age.  I did hold them to let them nap at that age.  I used a sling if I needed to with Chris.  Honestly, I feel at the age where your little ones are that you do whatever you need to for them to sleep.  IMO, it's more important to them to sleep than where they sleep.

lutzcowgirlie

My suggestion: read Happiest Baby on the Block. I love that book. I feel like he spoke to the way I felt about parenting. Like pp said, they are still wishing they were being held 24 hours a day like they were in your womb. If she needs to be held, then hold her.

 

FWIW, I held mine all the time in the beginning and now they all are great sleepers - in their own beds.

lajolla09.30.06

One of ours is a great sleeper (sleeps fine on her own) and the other needs to be held a lot.  I agree with pp... we read happiest baby on the block and it says that babies at this age can't be spoiled.  They are learning to trust that you will come to their aid when they're upset and that is important.

What we've found works well is when he's fussy we'll give him a bit of an extra feeding and then wait until he falls asleep on the breast.  Then we hold him for about 15 minutes to make sure he's asleep... and then put him down.  Doing that seems to get him to sleep on his own for at least an hour or two but not always.

I know how frustrated you must be with the situation, we are too!  I just keep telling myself it's only for a few months... right now they just need lots of love and cuddling and later we'll worry about where they sleep.