To let my baby nap on me and ignore DH?

[LuckyInStar]

Baby DC is only 5 months.

He's a great sleeper at night but in the daytime will only ever nap in my arms. He has two big naps in the day, probably for an hour and a half - 2 hours each and then at night from 10 - 6.

I am quite happy to let him continue sleeping on me in the day. Yes it's sometimes a bit limiting not being able to really get up and do much whilst he's sleeping but I love the snuggles and to be totally honest, it's my time to MN and watch telly with a hot drink.

DH thinks I'm creating a rod for my own back and I'll regret it. Need to start putting him down in his cot for naps (I've tried and he screamed and screamed every time and I couldn't bare it).

I think he will get better at it as he gets older and for now it's not hurting anyone and as he sleeps well in the night that's the most important thing.

So AIBU to ignore DH and continue "spoiling" as he says, DS with daytime contact naps?

Do what works for you and your baby. I don't regret one single snuggle with my babies. They're 9 and 6 now and quite happily independent sleepers. Have been for years. Ignore the rod for your own back bollocks

My 5 month old is the same, will nap on me or in the pram though he's now starting to prefer the pram. My dmil keeps saying I'm spoiling him but I don't care, she's not the one that has to listen to him scream if we try in the cot so on me or the pram it is.
Enjoy the snuggles, they don't last forever. My eldesr gets fed up of not even a minute of snuggles then he's off doing his own thing.

Are you happy with it? Then carry on.

I contact napped with my DD for a period of time when she was younger. She is 2.5 now and sleeps and naps perfectly fine, no rod for my own back, and I loved those times we spent together. I would watch Netflix or listen to podcasts or just read, or even have a snooze myself. Everything you do when it comes to babies apparently makes a 'rod for your own back' so fuck it and do what you want to do and snuggle your baby. They grow up so fast.

IGNORE. My daughter napped on me loads, especially for the first 12 months, she's 16 months now she sleeps perfectly through the night and goes to bed when she needs to. Enjoy it whilst it lasts, she won't nap on us now and I miss it.

This thread is making me miss cuddles with my babies. I couldn't catch the 8 year old, but I'm forcing a big snuggly cuddle on the 10 year old, she's not impressed 😍😍

I agree with everyone else saying ignore. I used to worry about this too, my daughter would sleep brilliantly in her cot at night but would only sleep on me for naps during the day. The second I put her in her cot she would scream. Then gradually from six months old onward she started letting me put her down to sleep. Now she's 13 months old and goes down for naps without fuss. You're not making a rod for your own back, you're just doing what you need to, and what your baby needs.

My two eldest napped on me or next until they were 2/3 years old.

My youngest is 10 months and is currently napping on me.

Co slept with them all too, other two until they were 4.

I love it. It’s only a problem if you don’t.

My oldest is 18 now and I look back fondly on all the snugly sleeps.

My DS never napped in his cot, would only fall asleep in the buggy or snuggled up with me. It was a bit of a pain sometimes but gave us a lot more freedom than people with strict cot napping routines. Talk to your DH about it, explain why you love it and see if you can get to the bottom of exactly what his worry is. You’ll feel happier if you can get his support.

I wish I had done more naps together, they are lovely memories.

DS is 3 and still naps on me. I love it

Dd would only sleep on me.

DS was the same. He contact napped until he was about 10 months old and he stopped completely on his own accord and now naps by himself upstairs in his room (1,5 yo). You aren't necessarily making a rod for your own back as some babies will naturally stop contact napping when they are ready. Your DH should be glad you have a system that works well for you and baby is having enough sleep and you get to have some chill time too :)

Not RFTF but I did this with mine OP and I absolutely do not regret it.

I used to set up a little ‘nap station’ with drinks and snacks and my iPad and enjoy the cuddles. I can’t remember how old he was when he started napping happily on his own but he wasn’t that much older. He is nearly 4 now and has never had problems with sleeping.

Trust your instincts - you can’t ever give a baby too much affection in my opinion.

I remember being on maternity leave and meeting a work friend for coffee at lunch times. I’d nurse DS and he would fall asleep in my arms… my friend would have to go back to work and I’d just sit there in the coffee shop cuddling him for ages afterwards until he woke up. I miss those times

Thank you 😌 been enjoying my lovely afternoon cuddles guilt free!

There is no such thing as 'making a rod for your own back'. You are doing exactly what your baby needs you to do, so enjoy it! You are meeting his needs. Society wants us to create independent babies who sleep through the night, away from us. This isn't biologically normal!

Check out Gentle Sleep Tribe on FB......its a wonderful page x

I agree with your DH.

Please just go for it. Utterly priceless snuggles. Valuable rest time for you.

@debbs77

There is no such thing as 'making a rod for your own back'. You are doing exactly what your baby needs you to do, so enjoy it! You are meeting his needs. Society wants us to create independent babies who sleep through the night, away from us. This isn't biologically normal!

Check out Gentle Sleep Tribe on FB......its a wonderful page x

I completely agree with this.

My theory is that a difficult sleeper is a difficult sleeper and there is not much you can do to change it so you may as well roll with it and do whatever makes your life easy!
I think the same goes with most aspects of parenting - fussy eating for example. It’s so easy for parents to beat themselves up if their baby/child doesn’t fit into the weird societal standard of ‘sleeps through 7 - 7 from 3 months old’ or ‘will happily munch through cabbage and broccoli at every meal’

They’re fabulous, infuriating, adorable, inimitable creatures. Just buckle in and enjoy the unique ride your little one brings you. Laugh at their funny little quirks and try not to lose your shit at the highly irritating ones

We ended up doing something similar with our first. Tbh you are creating a rod for your own back but if you can live with it abs enjoy the cuddles crack on. It was however hard to break the habit ahead of my little one starting nursery. My second was in the cot or sling for naps from day 1- I knew I couldn’t afford to mess around tbh.

My guy never really napped in the crib / cot. But he doesn’t do long naps, either. So, half an hour on the sofa with me / DH or same in the buggy or sling.
I was stuck under him for longer periods when BF, though! I just read, watched telly (and snacked!)

Enjoy the cuddles and do what is right for you!
I did the same with my DD and people were constantly saying she should be sleeping in her crib for naps and I was creating a rod for my own back. When I transition her to a cot for naps we had no problems and she slept very well.
I used the time to watch Netflix and read, I really miss it.

Enjoy it while it lasts, it really doesn't last for long.

It's okay if baby is not going to child care soon they won't hold at naps. My DS was a velcro baby and was put out of child care.

The real issues come when they no longer nap and you have to entertain them all. Frickin. Day.

I think if you like doing that everyday then that's lovely, lucky baby! I found it quite boring everyday to be immobilised by napping baby but then I'm the kind of person who likes being busy and getting exercise. My babies ended up sleeping in the pram or sling so I could go out for a walk. It is the most wonderful feeling to have a sleeping baby in your arms just not everyday for me. Never managed to get either baby's to sleep in their very nice cots