2 month son will not sleep in cot bed for day naps, only will sleep in arms or in baby carrier

[hemjo1]

Hi all

i am new to this site and would like to ask for some help with regard to my 2 month old son. He has started sleeping through the night (from 9.30pm through to 6am for the last two weeks). Thought we have to swaddle him at night so that he can sleep well as he still has the startle reflex. However, i would like to ask any experienced mums and dads out there how we can wean him from sleeping in our arms during the day and get him to sleep in his cot bed during the day.It seems the only way we can get him off to sleep for his naps is either by rocking and holding to sleep up to 2 hours or taking him out in the baby carrier(in the pram he wakes up easily). As you can understand this is tiring us out! We feel that we might be doing something wrong as he is getting use to us rocking and holding him to sleep and carrying him in the baby carrier(outside)?! We dont want to swaddle him during the day as he has 8 hours being swaddled at night already. We are trying to get him down in the cot bed for day naps in a gro bag with his arms inside(startle reflex), he cries (overtired), whilst i soothe and caress him in the cot bed and he will eventually go off to sleep but wakes himself after 30 mins. I am not sure if this way is the right path to go down as it might affect him sleeping through the night. Does anyone have ideas on how we can get him into a routine and to sleep for daytime naps,as its really exasparating and taking its toll on us !
Many thanks in advance for any advice or help.
hem

p.s.how many daytime naps should a 2 month baby have?!

[Ebb]

Firstly I think many Mums are going to be very envious that your Ds is already sleeping so well at night!

My Ds didn't start sleeping through til at least 9mths and he refused point blank to sleep in his cot during the day until he was 6mths. He would only sleep on me. It really used to stress me out so I understand how you feel but eventually I told myself it was a phase, it would pass and I should make the most of being able to sit down and relax whilst he slept.

To be honest if he sleeps well whilst swaddled, I would swaddle him during the day too. I wouldn't be happy about putting his arms inside the grobag as I would be worried he might wiggle down inside it.

Does he fall asleep on his own when swaddled at night? My Ds fed to sleep for ages (breastfed) and his night sleeps only improved when he learnt to fall asleep on his own during the day. I did let him do a bit of crying once we got to 6months but I think 2 months is too young to leave them to cry. I would definately try swaddling him and see what happens.

[PolkSaladLucie]

At two months he doesn't know the difference between day and night.

Use the same routine during the day as you use at night, make sure you have black-out curtains/blinds in the room. Put him down when he is sleepy but not asleep and sooth him. Leave and then go back each time he wakes and sooth him again.

Each day it will get easier and he will sleep longer.

[hemjo1]

thanks for your replies, Ebb he doesnt fall asleep on his own at night when swaddled, we have to get him semi asleep then place him down into his cot bed. He stirs through the night but somehow self soothes himself back to sleep. Using the swaddle(miracle blanket)blanket has been a blessing as a newborn he had severe startle reflex and could not sleep at all without it. However, now he sometimes fights it, but there is no other way for him to sleep at night,(he never took to co-sleeping, hated the moses basket and loves to sleep in our arms-which at night is imposiible). So for day naps we may have to continue combining rocking and sleeping in arms, with gro bag and taking him out in baby carrier which he loves-the whitenoise of the traffic etc...makes him sleep literally in seconds we are out of the door!. So we dont want to swaddle in the day as we feel 8 hours at night is more than enough. He is only 2 months old so we shall continue to monitor the siutation. PolkSaladLucie, thanks for your reply as well, we tend to soothe him when he wakes as we want to him to know we are there and feel secure of his surroundings, we totally agree that being only 2 months old he is still cant tell the difference between day and night. thanks again

[morocco]

how about buying a proper sling and just carrying him round with you during the day then he can sleep as and when he likes. sounds like he'd be keen on the idea and it saves sore arms and sitting round on the sofa (although I always quite liked that part)