BabyDummy Questions: Infant Edition

[MrsK]

why is that even remotely bad? if it is, all 3 of my kids need to be taken from me. swings, bouncers, .... if they're sleeping LEAVE THEM BE.

BabyK slept in his carseat until he was about 4 months old. Don't move him.

[diggitydot]

DD2 drove me insane with her CONSTANT need to suckle. Call me a shitty mom, but I gave her a pacifier after she nursed for 10 hours of the first 12 after she was born. At some point it's all about survival. Do whatever works. DD2 was also the kid who would only sleep for an extended time if she was in her swing.

[scrub-jay]

I'm trying to nurse him down today, with mixed results. He will fall asleep for 10-15 minutes, but then he wakes up and is in twilight, screaming his head off. I wish I could cater to his sucking needs all day, but he is chafing me raw.
I do have a pacifier, and he is also taking that with mixed results - it involves me giving it to him and him taking it/spitting it out in cycles, until he finally caves.
It's the saddest little scenario, really. I've even tried cuddling/snuggling him and staying in bed the whole time. You can tell that through his whining and screaming, he is so incredibly tired, but won't cave.
As we speak, he has fallen asleep within 1 minute of being placed in the bouncer, and I am the bad Mom that is letting him stay there to hopefully sleep for longer than 10 minutes.

Could he be approaching a growth spurt? Sounds a lot like cluster feeding to me... And honestly, you do what works and that doesn't make you a "bad" mom. Shall we get Jenn in here to tell you about real "bad" moms? :P

[SuzySunshine]

Adele slept in her bouncer and her swing regularly. On really bad naps days I would put her in her car seat and stand in the living room rocking it back and forth until she went to sleep and so ever gently set her down.

R slept in his car seat, at night, until he was almost six months because of his reflux. If they're sleeping, safely, let them sleep!

[DCJenn]

I thought one of the golden rules was "never waken a sleeping child." If he's safe, leave him where he is- there are no rules. Especially no rules for what keeps your kid to sleep and you semi-sane. Relax. My kid has always been one of those people that will not be transferred from one thing to another without waking up. Falling asleep in the car was the worst.

and honestly, unless you're dropping your kid on his head and stealing his phenobarbitol detox medications, you're not a bad mom. (that was one of the incidents from a few weeks ago- kid is fine, mom is in residential treatment. She was finally scared straight enough to go and follow through this time...)

J.

[Thirteen]

I just feel guilty about a lot of things. It is shocking how having a child suddenly makes you feel so very much inadequate. I feel like I should be able to comfort him and properly put him down to nap instead of giving up and setting him into a bouncy chair, in desperation. It worked, so I really shouldn't complain, but... I don't know. I just feel guilty a lot. *shrug*

[DCJenn]

What he needs is sleep; what you need is sleep. If his getting to sleep means he's in the bouncy then so be it. Practicality must take over at some point. Don't sweat the small stuff. He's safe, well-fed, well-loved. That's what matters. He will suffer more from lack of sleep than from sleeping in the bouncy seat so do what you need to do.

J.

Feeling guilty is part of being a mommy! You are doing so great Adrianne!

He's only 6 weeks old. Don't worry about him getting bad sleep habits just yet. Help him nap wherever he can. Around 3 months is when they are "supposed" to develop more of a nap schedule.

Dry skin: Our ped said bathe only every other day and use vaseline if reducing the bathing doesn't help.

[ladymoreta]

I totally get the guilt! Especially with sleeping. DS was in his carseat for 6 months, and I just knew I was going to permanently mess up his back, or it would put him at higher risk for SIDS or something! (None of this was confirmed, just random things I googled.) My pediatrician even said it was fine, and I worried!

[SuzySunshine]

We ALL feel inadequate with one thing or another - like Jenn said he needs the sleep, and so do you, regardless of where he gets it. Hang in there!

[Thirteen]

The dry skin is actually ezcema - learned that today. Woops!
Trying Aquaphor on the area

In other news, he napped for an hour today in the middle of a breastfeeding forum that I attend. I guess that's better than nothing -- hoping for another substantial nap before bedtime. Mr. Fussypants has returned...

[SuzySunshine]

Adrianne, does he have any sort of reflux reaction? The reason I ask is that my ped told me kids with eczema tend to be more prone to other infections and the like. R had both and it definitely affected his sleep until we figured it out. His was also not the projectile type reflux but he was definitely uncomfortable and spit up a lot more after feedings.

[ladymoreta]

Yeah, Alex's reflux was really not obvious either. He almost never vomited or spit up. We knew he slept better in the carseat for a long time, but after he started scooting out and we moved him to the crib, we didn't see any difference in his sleep. It wasn't until we stopped using the pacifier that he started hurt crying/arching his back when he woke up. (Apparently sucking can mask the symptoms.)

[Thirteen]

No reflux Hooray!

He wants to now stand up a lot: should we consider a walker? Exersaucer? What are your experiences?

[MrsK]

How old is he?