Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Setting baby down when awake?

This sounds like a really dumb question, but I am a FTM and feel a little lost! DS is 6 weeks today and awake much more than he was a few weeks ago, which I love! The trouble is, now I can't get anything done! I rarely put him down in a swing, etc. when he's awake because I want to play with him and make sure he's developing, but I'm also finding when I do put him down for short amounts he isn't very happy. He likes to be held the whole time, so I wonder if I am spoiling him. Are you ladies carrying/wearing/wrapping baby the whole time baby is awake? Or do you ever set him down? Obviously I will be playing/talking with DS most of the time, but a few breaks would be nice! :)

Re: Setting baby down when awake?

  • taraleannetaraleanne member
    edited December 2013
    6 weeks is very young and impossible to spoil a 6 week old!!!  At 6 weeks old I don't think my LO would lay down for very long on his own. Minutes, if that!  Plus awake times are short.  Wear him, absolutely! You don't have to worry about spoiling for a loooooong time IMO.  As he gets older you will see that he can be on his own for a longer and longer periods. My DS loved playmats and vibrating bouncy chairs with toys attached as he got older, and these things are not going to hinder his development....so don't be afraid to put him down sometimes too, he doesn't need you to play with him all the time to develop either.  Don't fret either, all FTM are lost for weeks...months!  ....maybe forever? LOL :)  
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  • There is no such thing as spoiling and infant, seriously, it's been said a million times.

    6 week olds want to be held a lot, it's what they need at that time. Baby wearing is an awesome option, it makes it a much easier to get things done. And at 6 weeks they are still sleeping so much, most of the time they will probably just fall asleep in the carrier. Play with LO when they are awake but at this age they do need a lot of holding and closeness from you and they will get to a point of being able to be content in a swing or chair for a period of time, probably within the next few months.
  • I wear my daughter when I need to get things done. She 6 weeks 2 days :)
  • I don't believe spoiling at this age is possible, but I do understand what you are saying. The important thing is that you at least try to put your baby down awake for a few minutes a day, a few times a day. At this age, certainly you are not going to force her to do it, but you will be surprised that sometimes when you lay her down she may not even fuss. By 3 months of age sleep habits are fairly set, so by then you do want to get in the habit of putting her down awake, so that she doesn't rely on you to fall asleep, and back asleep after her sleep cycles in the middle of the night. For now, it is completely fine to get her to sleep anyway she likes if she does not want to do it on her own. Hope that helps good luck!
  • While it's impossible to "spoil" a 6 week old, it IS old enough to form habits. And the fact of the matter is, you do not need to be holding the baby every time it's awake. Babies, even that young do need to start learning "self play" and how to "self soothe". If they don't, it will make the process so much harder later. 

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  • While it's impossible to "spoil" a 6 week old, it IS old enough to form habits. And the fact of the matter is, you do not need to be holding the baby every time it's awake. Babies, even that young do need to start learning "self play" and how to "self soothe". If they don't, it will make the process so much harder later. 
    Eeek, I disagree completely that 6 weeks is old enough to form a habit!  I agree that they CAN self play but at that age, not for very long as their wake time is short short short and I think that it's unreasonable to expect a 6 week old to self sooth either. My son could, sometimes but not often. Six weeks old!!! Still adjusting to life outside in my opinion and experience.   My son at 6m is completely different than he was at 6 weeks and every bad "habit" we might have been doing then doesn't really exist now. I don't know what age it is that bad habits form but I think anywhere at least under 3 months old is not habits, it's tending to your baby's needs! 
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