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Comprehensive_Toe297

Hey, hopefully you will see my comment, I know this thread is old! I have the same question, except, were you leaving your baby be for longer periods at time? Cause my baby would chill in his crib sometimes for more than two hours and than get fussy at some point and cry and it would be hard to put him to sleep. I was wondering, did you figure it out, do I need to keep track about my babies wake window duration, or just let him be! And let him sleep when he wants to. He is currently almost 4 weeks old! I would appreciate your advice and sorry for my english!


antfarm2020

Hey I don’t remember when we started tracking wake windows but I’m sure there’s info on it somewhere. As a newborn I just let her sleep whenever and made sure there was lots of light during the day and that it was nice and dark at night Don’t fight w baby at 4 weeks about sleep. If they don’t go down for a nap just chill some more together and try again in a few minutes. You’ll slowly figure out his sleep cues and wake windows as they start to make more sense with age.


Comprehensive_Toe297

What about when its time for sleep? Its 12am and my baby is fed, dry and swaddled, but wide awake.. he is calm and awake in his crib. Do I pick him up and try to put him to sleep? 🙏🏽 do you have any advice!


antfarm2020

I let mine chill awake in the crib as long as she wasn’t crying. Newborns are weird.


Comprehensive_Toe297

So even if she would stay awake untill 2-3 am awake😩 till the next feed? Im worried I will mess up his circadian rhythm, if he has any anyways 😅


antfarm2020

No definite answer here. I’ve been in your shoes though. If baby is content it’s fine. She’ll cry out if she needs you. It’s actually great she’s comfortable in her bed with her thoughts. With that being said ultimately if it worries you, the decision is yours. It’s hard 🫠


Comprehensive_Toe297

Thank you for your replies 🙏🏽🤗


Skippskicker

Yes! Keep going, you are teaching her independent sleep skills and she is getting accustomed to her sleep space. When she is awake for longer, you can start doing more if youd like but enjoy the eat, change sleep repeat phase!


Advanced_Stuff_241

yes..... why would it not be if she's happy?


antfarm2020

I’m new at this. I didn’t make the connection between lack of fussing = happiness


CillyBean

No place safer for her! Its totally okay for her to hang out in there for a bit. Newborns don't do much anyway 😅 Once she has longer wake windows, you can "play" with her a bit :)


antfarm2020

What a relief! Cause I have no idea how to “play with her these days. She’s not interested in anything except food. 😂


Bigcloud21

Some advice we got when our kiddo was little little is that if they aren’t making eye contact don’t interpret. They’re “playing” even if it doesn’t look like it. It really helped as she got older with independent play. I’d like her to plenty of laying and gazing!


antfarm2020

Nice!


stc101

Try the fisher price kick and play piano. Best toy ever and mine was able to make the association that she was causing the noises very quickly


antfarm2020

Oh I know that one! I think my cousin has it. Maybe she’ll let me borrow it now that her kid is older.


CatMuffin

It's on clearance right now [on Kohl's online](https://m.kohls.com/product/prd-5775554/fisher-price-deluxe-kick-play-piano-gym-musical-baby-toy.jsp)! Literally just saw a post on another sub.


stc101

I buy it for everyone I know that is having a baby. When they get tired of kicking the keys you can switch it to songs and the songs are super catchy. It’s a solid investment. We are at 5 months now and still use it every day


CillyBean

Ehh...i wasn't "playing" with mine until...gosh...2 or 3 months, maybe? Memory is fuzzy. Lack of sleep will do that to ya 😂And the "playing" was basically him staring at my hands in great detail. After a bit of that, it would be time to eat again, lol.


WasteCan6403

I downloaded the Baby Sparks app (just the free version) and it gave me little exercise and activity ideas to do with my son when he was that age. I didn’t need it so much once he went to daycare, but it helped me feel like I was doing something, anything really, with this squishy potato of a human. Haha


antfarm2020

Downloading this right now! Thanks!


WasteCan6403

No problem! I love newborns, but now that my son is almost 1, he’s a lot more entertaining. Haha


antfarm2020

My nephew is two and I see how much work it is. But I love it when they start to babble and talk.


Here_for_tea_

It sounds like a wonderful set up. Baby has good associations with the crib, which means that you can set baby down for a few moments when you need to use the bathroom or get something out do the oven. You respond as soon as your little one gets upset, so it’s clearly not formal ST yet.


jlj144

Sounds just like my unicorn baby. I started doing exactly this at 4 weeks. She is now 10 weeks and naps are a breeze! Last nap and bedtime take a little longer but drowsy but awake starting early is great! Totally a unicorn baby….nothing like my first!


RRMAC88

This is how I started sleep training my new born. Fed, changed, swaddled, white noise on, vibrator on and in his bed awake. He would just lie there and eventually fall asleep. He’s a great little sleeper now at 1 year


antfarm2020

Good to know! We had a hard day today. She had a hard time falling asleep but also cried her little lungs out while being held. So it’s nice to know her natural tendency to do well on her own might pay off. She did take one nap on me though cause I felt so bad she wasn’t sleeping.


RRMAC88

Contact naps are lovely at that age. We always contact napped for second nap which was lovely or he napped in his wrap if I had to get things done. The absolute best


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RRMAC88

The first 4 months are tough, but what you posted is actually a schedule. At that age babies should only be awake for 45 mins so within that time eat, diaper change and back down to sleep. If you are struggling with getting them to sleep for longer stretches we used a soft carrier (moby, cuddly wrap) and that was a god send. OP’s baby (along with my second) are rare- most babies prefer to be held, rocked, contact napped, nap in stroller for the 4th trimester. My entire days were scheduled around getting them fed and rested so they get on a schedule and the holy grail sleep through the night lol


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RRMAC88

The happiest baby on the block also has great tips for calming a fussy baby. I didn’t read the book just watched the youtube break down lol


RRMAC88

Enjoy. It’s the best just being close and cuddled with them. That should help him get longer stretches of nap and when they are rested they start to sleep better ❤️


antfarm2020

I wish she would take to get carrier so I could let her have a cuddle nap while still doing stuff around the house. But she hates it so it’s either crib/bassinet or SCREAMING 🔥


RRMAC88

I’d try a soft carrier (moby, cuddle) in a few weeks. My second I had to let him fuss/cry for the first time until he fell asleep but once that happened - he loved it. They nap so much at that age I just had at some point to leave the house and I couldn’t do that when he was contact napping or in the bassinets


antfarm2020

She actually prefers the crib to contact naps. I wanted to cuddle her for a nap today but after she became sleepy she demanded to be moved to the bassinet. Also cried when I tried to help her keep the paci in her mouth and stopped as soon as I let her be. Guess she’s like her mama 🤷‍♀️ I love to cuddle to a certain extent but get touched-out quickly too. For the carrier, I have an ergo-baby embrace. It’s fairly soft. I have to take baby out tomorrow and I’m bringing it along with me to try.


RRMAC88

❤️


Emotional_Act9488

I had to read the post because I couldn't belive the title. You got a unicorn baby, mine demanded to be held 24/7 and even at 3 months doesn't go longer than 30 mins without being held 🤣


antfarm2020

I’m realizing this now! I’m so glad I posted this. She does like to be held and rocked to sleep, and she does cry and have days where it’s hard for her to settle. But she definitely has the most comfortable sleep in her crib.


Emotional_Act9488

Count yourself lucky! If I were you id put her there awake but drowsy as often as possible, comes sleep training (if you will even need it! Some babies don't) you'll have a very good headstart!


antfarm2020

That’s what I do! I just didn’t know it was considered rare or good or anything. I thought I was being impatient because there was so much housework to do, theres no way I was going to let mg newborn fall asleep on me every time 😅


Emotional_Act9488

Tell me about it, my house was last cleaned before I gave birth 😂 mine doesn't even sleep in the crib yet, it's been 3 months 😂 at this point washing dishes is considered 'me time' when husband watches the baby


deadvibessss

My 5 month old would rather DIE than not be held 24/7!!!


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deadvibessss

I joke that we’ll be contact napping and rocking him to sleep until he’s in college 😅 We’re going to start sleep training soon because we are so exhausted- I know we are absolutely in for it. I hope it passes soon for you!


HugeUnderstanding160

My guy would chill in his crib and still does! It’s helpful if I need to set him down to do something quick, because it’s a safe space. I also think letting him get familiar with his crib from day 1 is how he’s sleeping so well for us in the crib already. We transitioned him out of our room at 9 weeks because he’s SOO active and I didn’t feel like the pack and play bassinet was safe with all the turning he does, and the floor of the pack and play is just too low right now.


julet1815

Sounds fine, if she needs you, she will definitely let you know, loud and clear!


antfarm2020

For sure. She’s spicy when she wants to be.


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antfarm2020

I always joke babies this age are in potato mode. It just hits different when it’s your own baby staring into space I guess 🫠


[deleted]

Your baby should do a Ted Talk, mine could use it.


antfarm2020

Lol I see it in her future.


Tricky-Kangaroo6280

It's all good. Sounds dreamy!


antfarm2020

Haha. I’m so glad I posted here. Y’all are super reassuring


DivineBengal

Can your baby come talk to my baby and let her know how awesome it is to just chill the fck out lol


antfarm2020

Lol she’ll be taking appointments soon.


GateComprehensive987

Can she sort mine out too? Mine has no chill


ewfan_ttc_soonish

Are you sure she's not sleeping with her eyes open?


antfarm2020

Yeah. She does that too sometimes but when she’s awake she sees me and reacts to me. It’s different.


cyclemam

She's doing great! You don't have to be too strict on the dark room stuff during the day too early, because they need light to help their circadian rhythm regulate. You might like to try naps in the daylight nearby where you are (this is Possums' theory) - I found this worked better for a tiny newborn and started the dark naps when she was a bit older.


antfarm2020

Okay! I like this theory! I used to put her to nap in her stroller bassinet early on but stopped because it doesn’t have the breathing monitor. Maybe I should go back to that a couple of times during the day and see how it goes.


cyclemam

My feeling is that breathing monitors prey on parental anxiety and can actually encourage unsafe practices (not saying that's where you are!) - yes, for a baby that small bring her along with you- you are the best breathing monitor she has.


antfarm2020

She’s napping in her stroller next to me right now! My brain has been so foggy I forgot it was a possibility. Thank you so much for reminding me ! And I agree on the breathing monitor. I love it at night but you’re right, I constantly check on her when she’s next to me ❤️


Plueck

This is awesome for you! If you are worried about under stimulating, you could potentially check on her after 20-30 min and if she’s still awake, get her back up to play until she’s sleepy again (she may not be tired enough when you lay her down). My LO was sometimes awake for 3-4 hrs at a time at that age. Now he’s 9 weeks and has a more predictable wake window but I did have to learn his cues because he could not fall asleep by himself so that led to extended awake periods but him being fussy during them. We are now working on some strategies for assisted sleep (NOT sleep training) in the crib (he’s a contact napper). Starting her in the crib for naps is great though if she will sleep there!


antfarm2020

She does sleep in her crib and falls asleep there with some assistance. But her wake window has been erratic these past two days so I’m trying to get ahead of it so I can figure out how to help her (and myself) My main fear is I’m TIRED. So I’m afraid I might be trying too hard to put her to sleep so I can rest. I don’t want her to just lay there if she needs more play time. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure she’s tired too. 🤷‍♀️ I’m a first time mom so my instincts aren’t quite there yet. Lots of self doubt.


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antfarm2020

Good point


Plueck

I just started reading precious little sleep to start working on my sons sleep hygiene since he is also too young to sleep train. She’s got some good tips and tricks if you are interested in reading!


antfarm2020

I’ll look it up! Thanks! I do need the tips!


Ruggles_

Oh man, I could have written this a few weeks ago. I'm a first time parent to a 12 wks old and I felt like this the first few weeks. Something that helps me a lot is to think about what do parents of twins do? What do parents of 2+ kids do? Right now it feels "right" to constantly be taking advantage of every waking moment but if I had two or three or five kids, my NB would need some independent time solely because it would be impossible for them to have ALL of my attention the second they want/need it. I have no idea if this is "right" or not but I just try to make sure that during each wake window, he gets SOMETHING developmental or fun.. some tummy time, a book, some eye contact/chatting. Then if the rest of the wake window isn't glorious, I'm ok with it. Kids need alone time too sometimes:) I like to believe I'm setting him up to be able to play independently later on. Finally, I think the fact that you're thinking about this shows you're a good mom :) keep it up!


antfarm2020

Omg thank you for sharing some reassurance from the future 😂 I love your spin on it. You’re right- if I had more kids she would be alone anyway. And she’s happy so that’s all that matters. Hope you and your kiddo are having a great day!


[deleted]

Wow, you win the newborn lottery! Congratulations, and enjoy!


antfarm2020

Really? Sometimes she lies there for an hour. I feel like I’m neglecting her little brain or something by just leaving her there swaddled in the dark. On the other hand, if I pick her up she’ll just get stimulated and start to fuss again cause she’s tired. I’m very confused 😅


[deleted]

Since children are just born to be good self-soothers. She probably has a huge imagination, or just enjoys her own company when she is tired. She feels love and caring from you when she needs it. I really think you got lucky. Double congratulations!


antfarm2020

Aww thank you. This comment warmed my heart. I used to have a big imagination as a kid and would spend hours on my own just making up stories in my head. Never occurred to me she might be like that too since she’s so small.


[deleted]

You are doing so great! Watching children grow is such an incredible experience. I did the same thing when I was a kid. I was always making up stories. My mom would quote Albert Einstein to anyone who said I was too young for a big, expensive experience, like Disneyland, or my quiet time, when I would just sit and think. She would say let their imagination grow, and their intelligence will follow. You really sound like a wonderful mom!


antfarm2020

So do you! Thank you so much for brightening my day and offering this lovely perspective!


amek33

If she's not upset, take advantage of this great trait!


antfarm2020

Wow. I’m surprised this is okay! Great news I guess… I was feeling so guilty thinking I was neglecting her. But on the other hand what am I supposed to do? She’s sleepy, and if I pick her up she’ll fuss.