STM Question - Swing/Chest Sleeping

JenW1029 · April 2014

My little one is 2weeks old and after he feeds he usually sleeps - he loves our MamaRoo (like a swing) and likes falling asleep on my chest. My worry is that he seems to be a little flustered if we put him down on a flat surface like a PNP, Bassinet or mini crib. I don't know if he's already "conditioned" and this will be a difficult transition later or if I really shouldn't worry because he's only 2 weeks.

In your experience with your first baby, did you have trouble transitioning or have any recommendations?

swelch21 · April 2014

My babe is 4 weeks old and we are having exactly the same problem. Especially since he constantly spits up when laid down.

matitice · April 2014

I can't recall that far back with my first (she's 13) but my current LO is 5 weeks. I had a major sleep issue with him the first month. He only slept on my chest at night & in his glider during the day. I would wait for him to zonk out & try to lay him in his bassinet or crib but it never failed that after 15 minutes he was screaming bloody murder. Last week I tried letting him sleep with me for the first part of the night & then laying him in his bassinet after our 2 AM feeding session. Something changed in him I don't know maybe because he's a little older & feels more secure now but he goes down in their no problem. I've even gotten him to sleep in the bassinet from the get go twice. I honestly think they are to young to be spoiled. Your LO is still so new & I bet it's more of a security & trust issue like I had. Give it time & just keep working at it. It'll get easier.

BethRN1987 · April 2014

My thinking is always start "bedtime" in the crib IF they wake up and won't settle then Ioce to the swing or me but this way at least they know bedtime equals crib and eventually they will sleep longer stretches and also become more comfortable and secure in the crib as their exposed to it.

Just my opinion though I'm a FTM and could possible not have a freaking clue what I'm talking about but it makes sense to me

swelch21 · April 2014

@babycaps‌ I'm not too scared about the spit up it just causes him to wake up and cry and then he has to be changed bc wet clothes. Then he's awake again, then hungry, then poopy then spits up again on new outfit then rechanged then rocked then put back in bed and then it starts all over again. Plus this isn't normal spitting up I don't think. We have been seeing his pedi bc he wakes screaming, red faced, legs drawn up and then spits up. Then is ok for about 5, 10, 15 minutes and does it again. Monday will be a week that we have been on Zantac but I just don't think it's really helping much. @BethRN1987‌ I think that's great thinking. I'm going to try that.

laurenann89 · April 2014

Our LO sleeps in the snugapuppy rnp. It's at a slight incline which is good for SIDS and my peace of mind, and it's light and easy to move from room to room. We'll transition him to a crib or bassinet when he gets a little older, but for now we like the rnp.

angelsnight · April 2014

FTM, but our LO has been sleeping nights in her crib since day one (she's 2.5 weeks) but still prefers to sleep in the bobby or on my chest. So I don't think you need to worry that your conditioning him to prefer the other options since mine has both, and she does do well in her crib, but she is much more figity and lightly fusses in her crib. In both the boppy and my chest, she sleeps very very soundly and for much longer periods of time. Makes sense, both seem way more comfortable than the crib, but the crib is obviously safer when not being supervised at night.

swelch21 · April 2014

I just tried starting the night in the arms reach co-sleeper like @BethRN1987‌ mentioned. He slept good for about 45-1 hour and then moaned/grunted fussed for another hour every time his paci would fall out. Not one spit up time though so I consider that a major success!! MIL is here though so she is taking the next shift with him so I can sleep. I know I should tough it out and continue to stay up/maybe sleep some with him in co-sleeper but uninterrupted sleep sounds so good

for the next 3-4 hours at least. The rest of the week I need to start denying help though and work on my routine with him. Even if it makes me a zombie

pepperedmoth · April 2014

FTM, but we noticed that LO does much better when he feels snuggled. I am SUPER SUPER ANXIOUS about SIDS so I can't emotionally deal with any kind of night-time bed-sharing or other unorthodox arrangement. Not trying to be judgmental --- I have an anxiety disorder, I am on Paxil, fear about SIDS is part of my pathology, what can I say.

What we have found works for us soooooo far (only one week!) is LO sleeps wherever during the day --- bassinet, in arms, in the baby carrier (both mh and I babywear) --- but always unswaddled. We put him in the bassinet at night swaddled.

Takes him longer to settle but he does indeed settle, in his bassinet, with the swaddler. We've already tried both the Halo swaddlers and the swaddle-mes and like the Halos better. I've also tried old-fashioned blanket swaddling but that doesn't work as well for us. Also, my SIDS fear makes me worry about the loose blanket and I keep peeping in to make sure he's OK---not so good for MY sleep.

Sigh.......

Brich3321 · April 2014

I'm glad to hear it's not just my LO that wakes up when I lay him down on a flat surface. I have started doing the crib at night to start though and he is gradually lasting a lil longer each night. I want to buy a RNP but at a month old now I'm not so sure it would he worth it. How long can they sleep in those?

AriaAmante143 · April 2014

pepperedmoth said:
FTM, but we noticed that LO does much better when he feels snuggled. I am SUPER SUPER ANXIOUS about SIDS so I can't emotionally deal with any kind of night-time bed-sharing or other unorthodox arrangement. Not trying to be judgmental --- I have an anxiety disorder, I am on Paxil, fear about SIDS is part of my pathology, what can I say.

What we have found works for us soooooo far (only one week!) is LO sleeps wherever during the day --- bassinet, in arms, in the baby carrier (both mh and I babywear) --- but always unswaddled. We put him in the bassinet at night swaddled.

Takes him longer to settle but he does indeed settle, in his bassinet, with the swaddler. We've already tried both the Halo swaddlers and the swaddle-mes and like the Halos better. I've also tried old-fashioned blanket swaddling but that doesn't work as well for us. Also, my SIDS fear makes me worry about the loose blanket and I keep peeping in to make sure he's OK---not so good for MY sleep.

Sigh.......

I totally feel you on the SIDS anxiety. I refuse to let LO sleep at night in anything other than her bassinet. I just can't do it. We use the Halo sleep sacks too, but at almost 6 weeks she's starting to hate having her arms swaddled so we are starting to let her sleep arms out. It takes her awhile to get to sleep on her back at night but my anxiety goes through the roof if she falls asleep on me sitting in bed. I can't even let her nap in the RNP during the day unless I'm right there, since I get mixed reviews on the RNP and SIDS.

swelch21 · April 2014

Brich3321 said:
I'm glad to hear it's not just my LO that wakes up when I lay him down on a flat surface. I have started doing the crib at night to start though and he is gradually lasting a lil longer each night. I want to buy a RNP but at a month old now I'm not so sure it would he worth it. How long can they sleep in those?

In my opinion RNP shouldn't be used for sleeping. It's not flat like recommended to reduce Chance of SIDS. However I have lots of friends who raised their kids in them sleeping nightly. I just want to do every single thing possible to be safe so I only use the arms reach co-sleeper, no blankets, swaddled only, with nothing else. But as you can see from my previous post, i have been having a hard time getting him to actually sleep in it bc of reflux ;(

swelch21 · April 2014

Oh I forgot to mention I do have a RNP but I use it strictly for when I'm pumping or I'm sitting right with him.

babylimas · April 2014

We just had an ER trip thanks to an aspirated spit up. Fun stuff. Both the ER docs and our pediatrician recommended elevating the end of his bed. We also have to tightly swaddle or he can't settle. He flails constantly and needs to be restrained.

swelch21 · April 2014

babylimas said:
We just had an ER trip thanks to an aspirated spit up. Fun stuff. Both the ER docs and our pediatrician recommended elevating the end of his bed. We also have to tightly swaddle or he can't settle. He flails constantly and needs to be restrained.

Scary! Is your LO okay? I worry about this as well. Since my little guy is constantly spitting up. I have a wedge for crib but it's too big for the arms reach co-sleeper I'm using now. I guess I could use some towels under mattress to elevate head a little.

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