Baby sleeping issue

Ok well recently my daughter started this thing of I can get her to go to sleep when I hold her, but once I put her in her crib it usually takes her 10mins- 2hrs to wake up, but when she does nothing is wrong she just wants me to hold her and she goes right back to sleep. I would normally think that maybe she has a belly ache or something, but usually when she has a belly ache even me holding her doesnt help. She will be 6wks this Friday. I mean isn't she too young to be getting spoiled.... or atleast that's what my mom keeps telling me. What do you all thing. I can't keep sleeping with her on my chest every night. I'll never get any sleep and that definitely won't work when my husband gets home.

[1nana]

She is spoiled.

[ImmortalOne]

She needs comfort possibly, Lilith does something like that when she just wants to cuddle.  It isn't being spoiled, its part of being a baby.

[tiredbuthappy]

i wouldn't say she's spoiled... it's just that you haven't established a perfect bedtime routine yet.at 6 weeks my dd was still on my chest most nights. once she was in a deep sleep, i was able to put her in her bassinet. after that point she'd still wake to eat, but i was able to put her back in to the bassinet since she was down for the night.we were able to break this pattern very quickly by using a sleep positioner. it snuggled her body so she felt more secure. we're still working on a reasonable bedtime, but at least she's going down in her own bed.
a lot of older people will say we spoil our babies when it comes to sleeping. i strongly feel it's not fair to compare since the "rules" are so much different today. i am almost positive my baby would've started sleeping through the night almost immediately if i were allowed to put her on her belly, rub her back once or twice, and cover her with a nice snuggly blanket. we're required to put them on their backs, on a hard mattress with no covers. i wouldn't be able to go in to a deep sleep that way either.  

[1nana]

I totally agree with you about about the sleeping rules changing. Back when I had my kids SIDS was a big deal, but they didn't have the info that they have now. Both of my kids suffered from acid refux, projectile vomitting, and my son had pyloric stenosis and went on to have surgery for it, so because of this, they were both belly sleepers. I agree that babies tend to fall asleep a lot easier on their bellies as compared to on their backs. But, letting them sleep on your chest is just getting them into a "habit" that can be hard to break. There are other ways to comfort a baby.

[snagglepuss1]

I was told by my midwife you cannot spoil a child too much by picking it up when it cries in its first year of life. With your first baby you can do all the holding as long as you like and why not? It creates an amazing bond I think, I like you though had a child that would only sleep on or next to me when my dd was born and I hit a point where I thought right time to get you sleeping on your own and did the controlled crying bit when she was about 5 months old and it worked after the first 3 nights she started sleeping on her own in our bedroom still but her own space. My dd has always been a waker in the night and still does it now, but my ds has practically slept 12 hours a night from 3 months purely because i couldnt hold him like with my dd and he had to get used to a rountine alot younger, you do what you feel is best for you and you child!

[Avas Mom]

Im not getting on the topic of spoiling a baby too young because ive already had this argument before. But since thats my opinion all i can say is you will end up holding her because obviously babies like to be held. Since i DO believe a baby can be spoiled(tho 6 wks is pretty young n i dont think that applies) i always put my daughter to bed in a bassinet in our rm and out on some music and she had one of those "mommy" bears that have the sound of a hrtbeat right next to her

[girliegrl1723]

i don't think there is any way to spoil a baby who is 6 weeks old. i learned around the time that edward was 3 months or so that he preferred to be on his belly. unfortunately, like tiredbuthappy said, its difficult for them to get comfertable if they are forced to sleep on thier back with no comfort zone. do you have her in a crib or bassinet? it may help if you got a sleep positioner or tuck rolled up blankets on either side of her underneath her arms to make her feel more secure. i know this helped edward feel a little more comfertable sleeping on his back, even though he hated it. once he was able to roll over, of course he took it upon himself to sleep on his belly, but then would wake up whenever he rolled over onto his back b/c he was stuck like a turtle. i used blankets rolled up on either side of him then to keep him comfy on his belly. anyway as i'm rambling on, i don't think there is anything wrong with her getting up for a little comfort at 6 weeks old. just do whatever works for you. have her fall  asleep with you, then lay her down when she is completely out or put her down on her own and soothe her when she gets up and put her back down. either way. i've had a lot of sleep issues with edward but when they are that little, its really not a problem, just how babies are. good luck.

[pixijal]

My first born did this, and now this one (4weeks) does it too.  I sleep w/him, and nurse in my sleep.  During the day, he prefers the swing or car seat.  YOU CANNOT SPOIL AN INFANT.  I answer EVERY cry until they are six months old.  I never let a baby under six months cry it out.  I know how you feel, and you will get through it.  She likes your warmth.  

Getting her to sleep isn't the problem, it is keeping her asleep that is the problem.  You can buy those wearable blankets that zip up, and keeps them very warm...just make sure the air in the room isn't too warm.  
My four year old just came and told me that the baby is 'a lot of work, but is so darling'.   Ha!  Good luck!  Your not alone!  Take care!

[jenstam]

My son is 3 1/2 months old and we have the same problem. He still doesn't sleep through the night. He wakes up at least twice. We put him in the bassinet in our room to start off with, but he has to be held and nursed until he is asleep. Even then, when we set him ever so gently asleep in his bassinet, he starts squirming and sometimes is up again. After the first time he wakes up, somtime around 2 am, I just nurse in my sleep and he stays with us for the rest of the night. I am EXHAUSTED beyond belief  now that I am back at work but I don't know any other way to get him to settle in and actually sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time. I agree that you can't spoil a baby until they are about 6 months or so, and rarely do we let him cry without tending to him to comfort him. The only time he ever really cries and isn't picked up right away is if I'm in the middle of changing or showering or something and can't immediately grab him. Maybe he is spoiled, who knows. I can't even imagine him being in another room at night at this point! That thought freaks me out. Also, so that we can wrap him in a blanket at night to make him feel snug and secure, we keep him dressed very light in a onesie. I don't want him too warm. Boy, these babies really do keep us on our toes! They definitely are a LOT of work, but I'm not going to complain. He is so loved!!

[DollChina]

She is NOT spoiled, you cannot spoil a baby this young.  She knows you and that's what comfort her.  Have you consider a co-sleeper?  Does she have a ritual like listening her nursery rhymes in bed?  That will cue her for night ngith time.

[AndiJ78]

Ditto to most, I think it is cold to say you aqre spoiling your 6 week old baby. Your baby needs comforting, that is why she wants to sleep on you. She spent 9 months listeing to your heartbeat, snugly kept inside your warm uterus. So naturally that is where they feel comfortable now: snugly in their mother's arms with they ear resting your chest listeing to the familiar sounds of your heart.

I have co-slept with all my kids and jumped at every opportunity to have them sleep on my chest. It didn't wreck them, it didn't turn them into needy or spoiled children. But it did give them a sense of security and the knowledge that I will be there to comfort them when they need it.

Enjoy this time, it is so fleeting. You may feel tied down right now, but in 12 years when they want nothing to do with you (just kidding), you will look back and wish you had more snuggle time.

[1nana]

Okay, I see you ladies don't like the term "spoiled", so I will say "habit" instead. Darkestlight is having sleeping issues concerning both she and her daughter. She has gotten the baby into the "habit" of sleeping on her chest and it is now causing issues that she would like to correct. I'm sure the baby LOVES sleeping on Mommy's chest, but it doesn't make for a good nights sleep for Darkestlight (the baby, yes, but not for her). As I said before, there are other ways to comfort your baby other than letting her sleep on your chest all night long..

[DollChina]

I agreed with you.  Gavin slept in our room for 7 months and as you know I nursed him for 7 months as well.  Some nights he would fall asleep on my chest but most of the time he slept in his sleeper in our room.  It's natural for babies to want to be with their moms that's why I suggested co-sleeper that way, they can still be close with a "distance".  

Yes, I also agree on rituals, my son use to listen to the same nursery rhymes from his mobile and he knew that's time for night night.  We "spolied" him a lot and didn't have many "rules" but when it's time for him to go sleep in his own crib and own room, we had no issue what so ever.  

I am sorry to say, I didn't mind for my son to sleep on my chest all night at all, I jump to the opportunity (yes, I work full time).  There's no easy solution.  One idea for for one baby but doesn't work for the other.  

Darkestlight, try your best, and develop a ritual but don't let all these "rules" stress you out.  You will find your way.  It's just a phrase, she will spread her wings before you know it.

[kjbutcher]

i dont think she is spoiled.  AJ does the same thing.  Now I have learned he will sleep well in a bouncy chair and recently I started swaddling him again.  Both of these work well.  For some reason he will not sleep completely on his back.  Id try the swaddling.  She is probably scaring herself with her hands.  When babies sleep on their stomachs or on moms chest they are on their hands and the hands are kept still.  When they are put down to bed, the hands, moved by reflex, scare them and wake them up.  At 3-4 months that reflex goes away and she should sleep more sound without the swaddle.  I asked my doc about this at his 1 month checkup and that was the answer i got.  He hated being swaddled so i stopped before 2 weeks.  After hearing this info I would put him to sleep on my chest and then swaddle.  He would wake up a bit and i would hold him for less than one min before he was back to sleep.  When i put him down he didnt even know it and began sleeping very well. I put him to bed at 9:30, he sleeps now till 3:30 eats and goes back down immediately until 7am.  no exhaustion complains since!  As far as the spoiling or habit thing...there are transitioning things like when you are ready to not rock her to sleep anymore you can rock her while listening to music and after a week or so she will associate the music (instead of rocking) with sleep, then you put her down with just the music.  At 6 weeks, keep her trust and let her KNOW you will be there for her.  As far as co-sleeping, being a daycare provider, I can always tell the co-sleepers because they have a really hard time sleeping and will not sleep for more than 20 mins in a crib.  Not really a problem at home but for me it is more work, and for them it keeps them from having a really productive day.--Also when AJ does have a hard night, I put him in bed with me in his Cuddle U.  It is like a boppy but has straps to keep him in.  It keeps us from rolling on him, so we sleep better and he is close so I dont have to wake up as much to sooth him.

[emily&micah]

[emily&micah]

most people will disagree with me, but here goes. my son did the same exact thing, he would only sleep in my arms. I was told to let him cry himself to sleep. YES only being a few weeks old. it was HARD!! but it was worth it becuase after that first night, he's been sleeping in his crib ever since. He is now 5 1/2 months old. your baby has no other means of exercise. Crying is the best exercise for them. I asked the same question on this forum and I got people that said "no, don't let him cry, he's just a baby" but I had to do something because I was going to be back at work within a few weeks. Atleast give it a try. If it's too hard or it goes on too long, then pick her up and hold her, then try again! I swear it worked for me! if you go too long the way you are she will know that the only time to sleep is in mommy's arms. I do disagree with not being able to spoil a child within the first year, becuase my son wants to be held alot. He will cry until we pick him up. They are not stupid. Good Luck!

[Nicole624]

I sleep with Evan in my arms because he will not sleep anywhere else. Lately I have been trying to put him in his pack and play while he is napping during the day. The longest he sleeps in there is an hour. At night, we have been letting him sleep on a pillow in between us. I keep my handhis chest. I dont care if he "is spoiled"(which I dont think is the case) it is nice to have him next to me where I know he is safe.