Can't spoil a newborn?

Question

Ok, we've all heard that you can't spoil a baby in the first 3 months so just give them whatever they want. I have taken full advantage of that and have LOVED the excuse to cuddle my son endlessly. However, he's 10 weeks old now and it seems like he can't/won't sleep unless I'm holding him or laying down next to him. I let him sleep next to me at night from the beginning and often laid down with him for naps, especially his one longer one each early afternoon that overlaps with my 3-year old's nap. How do I work to break him of needing me next to him? Ex: he was just sleeping peacefully during his long afternoon nap and about 30 seconds after I silently slid out of bed, he started squeaking and is waking up. What do I do? I can't always sleep next to him - I need to start getting stuff done during his sleep times! Not to mention he needs to start transitioning out of my bed at night. Help!

Answer

I've found that the swing on the highest setting is like gold. He tries to look at things but can't, because it's zipping around so fast! So he just gets tired from trying and passes out. He can't even complain too much. It's amazing.

Answer

You can still do the putting sleepy baby down before there asleep. It's easy to google. I have a Velcro baby 10 weeks old and we work on it constantly. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I baby wear as a back up.

We co-sleep as well and I don't know when that's going to change. It's just easier for me.

My question to you is does he have a baby chair or swing or alternative bed for your LO?

Answer

He wasn't being spoiled, but he was developing sleep habits. I'm surprised your pediatrician didn't tell you this. I began putting baby down sleepy, but not asleep at around 4 weeks. This helps them learn how to fall asleep without being held. She would then only sleep in the rock n play or swing because they cradle her in a slightly upright position. She still needs to be swaddled also. We are slowly transitioning to the crib during naps and part of the night! My LO is 12 weeks of old and still loves being cuddled, we just try and reserve that for mostly when she's awake!

Answer

I had this issue with our son but I started work last week and my husband took care of him and put him down in his crib for all of his naps and now he will nap in there. I asked my husband how he did it and he said he didn't even have to do anything special he just went straight down. Maybe just get someone else to put the baby down for a nap?

Answer

People just don't like the word "spoil" and get touchy about it. Babies do get used to things like sleeping with you or being held and then want it. You just have to slowly make the transition.

Answer

Some things that I find help my LO nap without me:
-white noise, I always have my fan on
-napping some where she knows, we co-sleep so she naps in my bed oftentimes
-vibrations, her swing has a vibrating base, so I turn that on with the swing and she's usually out within ten minutes
-other soothing actions, my LO loves to fall asleep nursing, but I have oversupply issues so if I am not careful I over feed her and she throws up. So I found that patting and rubbing her back will sometimes put her to sleep. 
-Binky, only my husband is truly able to give her the binky while she's awake. If she's already asleep and starts to wake up, then I can sometimes pop a binky in her mouth and she will pass back out.

Good luck!

Answer

I don't have any answers, but I wanted to put in that it should probably gradual based on an experience of had yesterday!

I was amazed that I could switch my daughter to all bassinet naps rather than in my wrap or held. She's slept great all day but when it came time for bedtime which she almost always adheres to, she wouldn't stop nursing, fussing, and clinging! She had missed mama all day after all and we ended up nursing and cuddling for four hours before she'd go down!

I take her to bed after her first wake up so she gets a lot of mom snuggles too, sometimes you just can't get enough!

Can you still swaddle or partially swaddle? My daughter wakes right up if I try to sneak out of bed, but she'll sleep at least three hours in her bassinet, even up to 7! This is starting at 8pm (usually!) when I swaddle her for bed. Not sure what I'll do in two seconds when she starts rolling, but for now I'm convinced it's the swaddle that does the trick!

Can't spoil a newborn?

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