Question on breaking habits?

benz2010 · August 2012

Our girls are almost 4 months and we swaddle them and they sleep in their carseat. The both have reflux and are on prevacid and seemed to sleep better in carseat so thats what we've stuck with because they sleep 8:30-6 6-9. We feel its time to break these habits. Would you let them just CIO, this is hard with a 2 year old next door

Maybe do it for naps first? Let me know what has worked for others, thank you sooo much!

SoldiersGreenBean · August 2012

What makes you feel like NOW is the time to break the habits? Is there some force pushing you, or do you just want it done?

FWIW, even the sleep experts who support CIO don't recommend trying it until 6 mos.

Really, what's the rush? That information, I think, will help people be able to offer more tailored advice.

TheBachelorette · August 2012

We stopped swaddling when they started breaking out. We did it little by little. At first, we stopped swaddled arms and just swaddled belly and legs. Then we just swaddled legs. Then nothing. By the time we stopped swaddling, I don't think they realized. There was no major craziness

denitab · August 2012

Is the habit that you're trying to break the swaddling or the sleeping in car seats?

My DS had acid reflux and was on prevacid for the first 6 months. He slept best (initially) with bassinet head raised, then he slept on his tummy in crib. {Disclaimer: I'm not suggesting anyone lay there child face down to sleep.} Whatever it took for him to rest well at night is what we did. There's no hurry to helping establish a pattern for a good night's rest.

benz2010 · August 2012

We aren't rushing it, my husband is obsessed with breaking them from the habits. DD1 was only swaddled 2 days and went to crib at 2 weeks. I just hate how much the sweat being swaddled and in the carseat somewhat enclosed just feels like theres little air movement. It would be nice to lay them in their cribs for naps so our 2 year isn't hushed all over the house. Although she is NEVER quiet and has a thing against listening currently...so the twins don't nap much

mars724 · August 2012

Mine slept in rock and plays for the first 8 weeks, then I started doing daytime naps in the crib, then we put the rock and plays next to their crib in their own room for a week or so, then we moved them.

Pit was a good transition, they slept great in the cribs the first night.

mars724 · August 2012

mars724:
Mine slept in rock and plays for the first 8 weeks, then I started doing daytime naps in the crib, then we put the rock and plays next to their crib in their own room for a week or so, then we moved them.
Pit was a good transition, they slept great in the cribs the first night.

I also started leaving one arm out of the swaddle at a time, then both eventually.

erinruns · August 2012

Have you ever slept them flat on their backs? Do they spend time flat on their backs during the day? If you just want them out of the carseats, but they still need to sleep at an incline, you can raise the head of the crib one notch so it's at an incline. If they aren't ready to be flat on their backs because of their reflux, CIO won't do you any good because they're crying from the pain/sensation.

As far as swaddling goes, I did one arm out at a time as well, and then moved to sleep sacks when they really started breaking out consistently.

It sounds like you want to break some habits, but also maybe get them better sleep? I would worry more about the sleep than the habits at this stage.

MuseumMaven · August 2012

At that age, we did whatever to get them to sleep. We started out sleeping in bouncy chairs, and eventually moved to the cribs. Mine didn't nap in their cribs until much later, maybe 6-7 months. They napped in swings before that.

I agree, I don't see the rush if things are working OK right now.

Want a personalized experience?

Question on breaking habits?

Re: Question on breaking habits?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards