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baby only sleeps while being held.

Vik9Vik9 member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
I'm not sure whats happening but my 2 month old has stopped napping and sleeping on his own. Although he as not been a good napper i could at least get him to nap 30-45 minutes in his bassinet and when its bed time (7:00) after he nursed and I hold him for 20 or so minutes ( he has reflux) he would go to bed. These past few nights although hes sound asleep in my arms as soon as I lay him down he wakes up and fusses until i pick him up again. Any suggestions? I'm not sure why all of a sudden he refuses to sleep, I tried to let him cry it out for 5 minutes but that was really difficult and i could not calm him down for 30 minutes.
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Re: baby only sleeps while being held.

  • carariecararie member
    I'm sorry I don't have any helpful advice for you. Just wanted you to know you're definitely not alone! We are going through almost an identical situation. LO is 7 weeks old and while she's never been the greatest napper unless she's in my arms (we're trying to work on it though) at night after her last feeding she would almost always go right to sleep with little to no fuss and then sleep for a good 5-6 hours. This week however she has started fighting us at bedtime. Like you said, she'll be dead asleep in one of our arms and as soon as we lay her down she's up fussing and crying. Its been taking almost 2 hours every night for her to go down and stay asleep
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  • Knottie1442268460Knottie1442268460 member
    I think that you've just got to hold LO til this stage passes. I had to hold my older child for naps until 12-13 mos when I was done & did CIO. Your baby is TOO YOUNG for CIO!
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  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    Baby'smom said:

    I think that you've just got to hold LO til this stage passes. I had to hold my older child for naps until 12-13 mos when I was done & did CIO. Your baby is TOO YOUNG for CIO!

    Exactly this. It's normal for a baby this young to want to sleep in moms arms. It's way too young to do CIO! I slept many hours reclined back on my couch with a baby on my chest. You won't spoil the baby its impossible at this age. It could also be he doesn't want to lay flat. Maybe try a RnP, that worked great for my LO. Now I use a graco dreamglider which is bigger and amazing.
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  • Sully3302Sully3302 member
    My LO also will only nap well while held. It is exhausting but I do it for most of her naps so she doesn't get overtired throughout the day. I'm just worried about what is going to happen when she goes to day care 3 days a week
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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member

    It is normal unfortunately and sleep changes all the time BUT that doesn't mean you have to hold your LO for every nap until he's a year old! That's insane to me. This will pass but you have to get creative because after all, everything with kids is trial and error.

    Try a swing, try a RnP, try anything else you can because for whatever reason your LO isn't liking his current set up. Hell, even try swaddling if you aren't doing that already. 5 minutes of crying isn't terrible but your LO is far too young to leave him to cry. You can let him fuss to see if he puts himself to sleep but there's a fine line.

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  • hbrooks09hbrooks09 member
    For naps especially I let my LO sleep on her tummy. She also has reflux so sleeping on her back seems to bother her. You don't have to do it at night but letting him nap on his tummy during the day will give you some free time to get things done and let your arms rest! I still hold my LO at night but I've gotten so used to it, it really doesn't bother me anymore.
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  • delujm0delujm0 member

    DD would only sleep on top of me, at night and for naps, from roughly weeks 4-10.  After that, she was ok in her bassinet at night but would still only nap on top of me until i went back to work at 12 weeks.  Aaaaaand even after that, if i was the one putting her down for a nap, so she knew i was home, she would only nap on top of me until she was about 4+ months old.  DH and the daycare teachers have been able to get her to nap alone since 12-13 weeks.  I can also do that now, provided that i transfer her over to the crib at precisely the right moment.

     

    This is normal.  DD did have reflux and hated being on her back until we got her on Zantac around 8 weeks.  She started prefering to nap alone once she could roll onto her side and belly fairly well.

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  • Vik9Vik9 member
    Past few nights he has been going to sleep in his bassinet again but after talking to the pediatrician she recommends we put him in his crib. Is 11 weeks too early? We are still trying to figure out his reflux situation (she put him on prevacid last week).
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  • delujm0delujm0 member
    Vik9 said:

    Past few nights he has been going to sleep in his bassinet again but after talking to the pediatrician she recommends we put him in his crib. Is 11 weeks too early? We are still trying to figure out his reflux situation (she put him on prevacid last week).

    Some people go directly to the crib, so it's not too early. We tried that but she didn't like it when she was first born. When we transfered her around 13 weeks, she loved it. She's a mover when she's asleep and she liked having the space.
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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member
    Vik9 said:
    Past few nights he has been going to sleep in his bassinet again but after talking to the pediatrician she recommends we put him in his crib. Is 11 weeks too early? We are still trying to figure out his reflux situation (she put him on prevacid last week).

    Not too early at all like PP said BUT the crib is a big place for a little baby and some babies HATE it. Everything is trial and error so give it a shot but this is something you can make the decision on even if the Pedi suggested it.
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  • basdenjn6basdenjn6 member
    My LO is 8 weeks and he went through this at 6-7week stage. One thing that worked for me: super warm feeding (I bottle feed) dark room with white noise. Rock him to sleep, even not totally asleep helps sometimes, lay him down and when his eyes pop open I would pop in his binky, keep one hand patting his chest or bottom and lay my other hand next to his cheek so he could feel me. It took a couple of nights but he got to the point where he would fall back asleep because he felt me. Then I could quietly leave the room once he was out. I only picked him back up if he got really worked up crying wise, but then I'd begin the same process again. The point being for him to get used to the feeling of falling asleep while not in my arms. We've gone a couple of weeks where he'd sleep 1-2 hour and wake and need me to comfort him again. But I'd do the same thing to get him back to sleep. He's now sleeping about 3-4 hrs and waking for feedings. Good luck!
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  • missmilsomissmilso member
    My son is just going through this too. I'm wondering if all of a sudden the bassinet's mattress is too hard for him because he'll sleep in my arms and he stayed asleep when I laid him on our bed to change him and grab his stuff for bed but once we put him down, he started crying! He didn't nap all day unless he was held.
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  • ZoeyRaeJamesZoeyRaeJames member
    My LO is doing the same. He will be three weeks starting tomorrow. His first few days home, he slept like a champ in his pack and play. Then, out of the blue, he would NOT sleep at all unless momma or daddy is holding him. Even at night. We've tried everything, too. From soft music, to swaddling. And a few other things others tell you to try. So, we're just letting him sleep with what he's comfortable with, because that is the ONLY way the hubby and I are getting any kind of sleep! :s
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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member
    ZoeyRaeJames said:
    My LO is doing the same. He will be three weeks starting tomorrow. His first few days home, he slept like a champ in his pack and play. Then, out of the blue, he would NOT sleep at all unless momma or daddy is holding him. Even at night. We've tried everything, too. From soft music, to swaddling. And a few other things others tell you to try. So, we're just letting him sleep with what he's comfortable with, because that is the ONLY way the hubby and I are getting any kind of sleep! :s
    That's really all you can do in the first month or so. Do whatever works!
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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member
    missmilso said:
    My son is just going through this too. I'm wondering if all of a sudden the bassinet's mattress is too hard for him because he'll sleep in my arms and he stayed asleep when I laid him on our bed to change him and grab his stuff for bed but once we put him down, he started crying! He didn't nap all day unless he was held.

    Unfortunately this is totally normal. Might be the mattress, might not. You might never figure it out! Hang in there, it gets easier.
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  • jesslew1985jesslew1985 member
    haha yes I remember when my baby was also like that, I used to doze off holding the baby. gah!
    then my friend got me this bassinet. Its like a hospital type bassinet. have a look online - https://www.ilsbabycare.com.au/bassinet/ this totally worked for me. 
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  • usmcrenegde01usmcrenegde01 member
    I had the same issue. My mom gave me some advice that works most of the time. Wrap LO in a blanket when you hold him/her. Even have blanket on the cheek. LO will get nice and warm in the blanket from ur body heat and when u set LO down He/ she won't feel a temperature difference. I'd did this for Naps where I could keep a close eye on her with the blanket on her cheeks. Sometimes a hooded jacket/ sweat shirt worked great too.
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  • dramaphiledramaphile member
    usmcrenegde01 said:

    I had the same issue. My mom gave me some advice that works most of the time. Wrap LO in a blanket when you hold him/her. Even have blanket on the cheek. LO will get nice and warm in the blanket from ur body heat and when u set LO down He/ she won't feel a temperature difference. I'd did this for Naps where I could keep a close eye on her with the blanket on her cheeks. Sometimes a hooded jacket/ sweat shirt worked great too.

    I swaddle LO and put a hat on her to sleep at night and I find she is less likely to wake up from feeling the crib mattress when I put her down. I also put an extra blanket over her and me while I rock her to get her nice and warm before I put her down (i take it off once I lay her down), it seems to help her fall asleep a little faster/deeper.
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