I remember reading somewhere that you can't spoil a baby by holding him/her too much, that this was a very old myth. It seems that my month old newborn only sleep soundly while I'm holding him or he's lying next to me in bed. Is this normal, natural or having I been cuddling him to much already? Right now its fine, I just don't want to have to hold him/sleep with him all the time to keep him asleep in the future.
2007-08-25 19:55:20 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
cuddling babies makes them more secure when they are older but if you do it all the time you will have problems gettting them to ever sleep by themselves so you would be better off teaching the baby to sleep by themselves it just takes some time before they get used to it
2007-08-25 20:00:34 · answer #1 · answered by blondeone9606 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are doing a great job!! I was in the same situation with our new baby just a few short months ago. We spent many nights together in the recliner in her room just so I could get some sleep and function the next day! She is now 6 months old and has been sleeping in her crib in her room at night with no problems. It took a little bit longer to get her to take a good nap in there during the day, but we have resolved that issue as well. I tried to go by the book with our first, this time I am just following my instincts and things are working out much better!
2007-08-26 01:33:28 · answer #2 · answered by ndra 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's natural. my son is the same. it's a baby thing. Check out the book The Happiest Baby On The Block. it'll take some time to get used to being out of the womb.Just enjoy it. Before you know it he or she will be asking to be dropprd off at school a block away. My baby is now 3 months old. Time has gone by so fast. Come to think of it, I spent the first month wasting time wondering who's right who's wrong with what to do with my high need baby. After reading that book I realized I need to do what my heart tells me to do. It's natural to want to care for your baby and that means doing whatever it takes to make his transition to the world comfortable. I spent several nights trying to get my baby to sleep in his bassinet. Hour after hour of feed, let him fall asleep, put him down, cry, and do it over again. I would start at midnight finally about 6 am we were both asleep on the couch-him on my chest. I did this so many times not thinking just put him to sleep with me. Baby's take so many naps a day, sometimes I'd put him in the bassinet or in his crib in his room and sometimes we'd nap together. Sometimes, even now at 3 months, I put him to nap in his swing because it's cuddly and swings! He'll sleep about 3 hours, when in his bassinett, about 1. It'll take time. I love napping with my baby. Almost everyone disagrees with it but most people do it. Our culture tends to want to make babies independent so fast. Why? You don't have to follow culture, follow your new mommy heart and mind! Congratulations! Also, remember that every baby is different. You will find ya'lls groove.
2007-08-25 22:27:01 · answer #3 · answered by jaz 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you can't spoil a baby by holding him/her. They just want to be loved and cuddled. I think this is normal. The smell and sound of you to your baby is comforting. SPOIL your baby with hugs, kisses, cuddling and holding him. Eventually, he will figure out that he has to sleep on his own. My daughter was kind of the same way. She would only sleep with me next to her or in her swing. It was a rough transition to get her to sleep in the crib, but I enjoyed snuggling with her while it lasted.
2007-08-25 20:11:13 · answer #4 · answered by itybitylena 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you cannot spoil a child with love.
Spoiling is from giving gifts and other unneeded junk. Love and attention is needed.
What you are going through is normal. Babies grow for nine months in the comfort of mom's body...it takes roughly 9 months for them to be comfortable in the outside world.
2007-08-26 05:01:44 · answer #5 · answered by Stephanie C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is absolutely impossible to spoil a child by hugging/holding/cuddling him too much before he is old enough to self-soothe (3-4 months).
At that point, he or she may start to pick up on the fact that you respond when he or she wants and may cry to get that response/need that cuddling and body contact to fall asleep.
Your little one is comforted by your nearby precense and smell. Enjoy this time, and use it to strengthen your bond.
2007-08-26 01:32:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cuddle that baby every chance you get! they are small so short a time you dont wanna miss any of it! When you hold him til hes asleep there is a time when you can hold them too long and wont be able to put them down without waking them, pratice and you will find how long to hold him before you put him down. Too early and hewill wake up...too late and he will wake up. Just practice :)
2007-08-25 20:29:39 · answer #7 · answered by sharonsmineonly 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're not going to spoil your baby by holding, but you want to teach good sleep habits. Let him learn to sleep on his own. You can put him down when he's almost there, or transfer him to his bed once he's asleep. You don't have to be right there on top of him all the time. If he fusses, touch him to let him know you're there but don't pick him up. See if he'll go back to sleep.
2007-08-25 20:01:30 · answer #8 · answered by Katherine W 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is true, you can't spoil a baby.
However your baby sleeps soundly while near you or being held by you because he can smell you and it also is a comfort to him. At the moment his whole world revolves around you, since you feed him, keep him comfortable and love him.
Some tips to help him be more settled sleeping by himself :
- Putting a ticking clock under his cot - sounds similiar to your heartbeat
- Put a radio on turned down low in his room, background noise seems to help
- Put one of your shirts in the cot, he will be able to smell you
Just don't put it where he will smother himself.
Also if you wrap your baby at the young age they feel more secure.
These things worked for me.
It is good for him to get used to sleeping by himself at a young age. When they are older it is a lot harder for them to adapt. With my first I let her sleep with me and she only moved out of my bed when she turned 3. Needless to say with my other children I got them used to sleeping in their own cots at a young age.
2007-08-25 20:44:33 · answer #9 · answered by threecherubs 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i read in parenting mag not even two hours ago that it impossible to spoil a b4 6 months infact it helps the child establish trust when it cries and the parent comforts it. And they may actually be less whiny when they get older because they wont feel like they have to cry to get attention because they're parents will be there and they'll trust that
2007-08-25 20:12:05 · answer #10 · answered by emily o 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋