Name: Jeanne
St. Joseph, MI
Number of kids: 1
Ages of kids: 7 weeks
Problem: I have a 7 week old boy. During the day I am able to get him to take a nap in his crib. Unfortunately the nap only lasts for about a half hour. He seems to wake easily when put on his back or side. When we put him down in his crib at night he cries. We have tried to let him cry himself to sleep but after an hour of "top of the lungs" screaming, I cave in and pick him up. He sleeps six hours at night (midnight - 6 am) perfectly in his car seat. Should I insist on the crib; and if so how? Or should I continue to let him sleep in the car seat with the belief that if he's uncomfortable he'll let us know?
Solution submitted by Kate: Let your son sleep in his car seat as long as he is comfortable in it. My friend did this with her son. They lowered the crib mattress and placed their son in his car seat into the crib. That way he got used to sleeping in his crib too. After several weeks they took him out of the seat and he was fine sleeping in his crib. I thought placing the seat into the crib was a great idea.
Another solution submitted by Judith from Seattle, WA: I don't have a solution for the problem but I do have a few words of experience/comfort... I had a little one who would not sleep unless held, to the point of my exhaustion. The ONLY way she would sleep while not being held was the dreaded tummy position (and I only did this twice, while I lay her on the couch and sat on the floor with my head at her nose level to ensure I felt her breath!) So, I held her (in a sling, a snugli, a backpack -not as popular-) and slept with her until she was three months and better able to handle sleeping on her own. I was warned 1.) I was never going to get her our of my bed and 2.) I had to teach her who was the boss, otherwise, how would I get anything done. Well, she's out of our bed and I managed to get everything done I needed to. Go with the flow, if it will work for you, the time spent is fleeting at best, in the big picture. (I miss those days of having her in bed and her wanting to cuddle!)
Editor's Note: Judith also recommends the Book, "Nightime Parenting" by William Sears. Judith says, "It put in words the ways I felt about wanting to be able to comfort my daughter without having the guilt at going against my pediatrician." This book is out of print and hard to get, but Amazon.com will search for a used copy of it for you if you click on the Title above, and order it through The #!Parentsroom Bookstore.
Another solution submitted by Jen from Buffalo, NY: Try snuggling him in the crib with lots of receiving blankets. He my like the closeness of the car seat because it envelopes his little body better than the wide open spaces of the crib. It also makes a big crib seem more like a bassinet (which my daughter loved). Good luck.
Another solution submitted by Katysmum from Ontario, CAN: When we had our daughter, we put her in a bassinet for the first 2 months. When she was 2 months and was sleeping through the night, we started to put her in her crib(but during the day we still had her in the bassinet for naps). She was fine in her crib. We have a Winnie the Pooh mobile that plays music and turns, attached to the crib for her to look at. She never cries when we put her in the crib. The mobile puts her to sleep. I wouldn't let you son sleep in the car seat for that long of time. If you don't like to put him in the crib, maybe you should think about getting a bassinet. If you don't have a playpen but are going to get one, you could get a playpen that has a bassinet that attaches to it. We have the Happy Camper Bassinet/Play yard and it is great. Graco also makes a playpen that comes with a bassinet attachment.
If using the "no-frame" version of The #!Parentsroom, click here to return to the Problems and Solutions Page.