pushchair for baby that only sleeps on me?

[lysie]

Hi,

My dd is 10 weeks old, he has put on weight beautifully since he was born (he is now around 14lbs) and is also really long.

I tried him in his pram when he was little and he never managed to sleep in it for more than 20 minutes without waking up and screaming - not just grizzling really screaming. So I gave up on the pram and got a sling - which we both like, he now has pretty much all his daytime sleeps in the sling.

At nightime, I managed to get him out of our bed at 8 weeks and he now sleeps (most of the time in his arms reach cot which is clamped to our bed, still have to do a lot of comforting) - I am not against co-sleeping but found that it didn't work for us. I think when he got to about 8 weeks he could tell that I was close by so would let me put him down in his cot.

Anyway my problem is that he is really really heavy and long (about 14lbs and growing fast!) and I don't know how much longer I can carry him for all his naps - he naps well in the day sometimes for 2 1/2 hours at a time. Hopefully when his naps get a bit more predictable I will start putting him in his cot or a pushchair for daytime naps - atleast then i could have a lie down or go out.

I wonder as he comes up to 3 months whether he might be able to handle a rear facing pushchair, and whether it might be possible/worth it to try and get him napping in the pushchair. Anyone who has had a similarly cuddly newborn found that their baby got more adaptable around 3 months? Or any tips for how to make baby comfortable with pushchair?

[lysie]

oops sorry repeated myself about how big he is, must be my aching back!

[Igglybuff]

What kind of sling did you get? Does it have extra back support? My baby is nearly 14lbs (8 weeks) so heavy - I can only carry him in a sling with extra lumbar support (up to two hours at a time for naps!)

Similarly mine wont sleep in the pushchair unless I put him in it fast asleep and take it out. So I have given up for now!

What happens when you put him down for a daytime nap in his cot?

[ChairmumMiaow]

My DS was never that fond of puschairs (although he would have to go in one when I felt too hot with the sling we had or later when it was icy).
When he got to about 15lbs or so I started finding the sling we had (kari-me wrap) uncomfortable, and looked at other things.

A babyhawk mei-tai worked really well for me until he was around 10 or 11 months and I carried him for hours and hour. I've also liked woven wraps, and as he got older and heavier, found I preferred those, or a Joeyslings mei tai.

I carried my DS full time generally (for all his naps, sometimes for hours a day) until about 15 months when he would have been about 25lbs. I'm sure he would have gone into a rear-facing puschair before then, but we didn't have one and the sling was good enough.

These days I don't carry my whopping (probably 30lb or more) toddler all the time, but I still use a sling for bus journeys, and recently for whole days going round London on the tube (it is easier when its only for getting around and naps, once we're off the tube, he'll walk for ages)

Anyway, the one sling I have found more recently and has been my favourite is a connecta buckled carrier. It is great for us now particularly as the buckles make it much easier to adjust when I want to get him on my back (which he prefers).

Anyway, my point is that if its just the backache, try some other slings - if you have a local slingmeet then you can normally borrow other people's slings to try out to get a feel for them.

Hope that huge essay helps!

[lysie]

I have a kari-me at the moment. I haven't put him in his cot for daytime naps yet because we don't have any sort of routine really and I never know how long he's going to sleep! Also I like cuddling him. He changes for one day to the next at the moment, but I will try putting him down in his cot this week as I would like to have that as an option.

All good suggestions, cheers! I will check out the local slingmeet.

[butadream]

DD is same age and it is similar for us, she doesn't like to lie flat and prefers the sling but now I can get her to sleep in the buggy if:

• when she is on my lap I wrap her in a blanket so it gets my body warmth and smell
• I lie her down in the buggy in the same blanket
• the buggy is not totally flat
• I rock the buggy for a bit or take her out for a walk

She is still much happier in the sling but I have a bad back so it's a bit difficult for me.

[lysie]

I have tried out a rear facing pushchair in mothercare and DD didn't freak out so maybe he will be able to adapt to it at some point (poor love, pushy mother already trying to make him change!). Certainly he will be ok whilst he wants to be awake.

I feel bad for my son's two Grannies who would love to take their bonny little Grandson out, and show him off, but neither of them have good backs.

Anyway, I have decided to check out other types of slings as listed by ChairmumMiaow, but also to get a rear-facing pushchair in the next month or so and to try a softly softly approach - as suggested by butadream.