6wk old son can't sleep in cot and without being near us?? normal or am i just anal...?

[suhfyera]

Don't know if i'm just being a control freak this early on, but of late trying to put my 6wk old down in his cot is a battle.

I'd rock him to sleep in my arms first, make sure he's properly sleeping then put him down in his cot; after about 15 mins he's screaming like his life depended on it! He will quiet down very soon after i pick him up. Patting him while he's in the cot doesn't help. Turning on the vibrating thing in the cot doesn't help. So far he likes our bed if we're lying next to him, or better still if we just held him constantly... what's going on, he's only 6wks old..!

Sadly I doubt that you're doing anything particularly wrong. Some babies just like being held all the time and some babies don't sleep very well. Sorry!

He is only 6 weeks old - so he wants to be near you. Take the opportunity to have a nap with him on the bed

My DS wouldn't sleep in the day unless he was sleeping on me. I wouldn't worry about it, 6 weeks is very early, he's still very tiny and if he's like my DS he'll grow out of it. My DS still goes to sleep pretty much anywhere as long as one of us is next to him, it's just comforting for them I guess.

normal

have you a sling? (not a Bjorn type) means he can nap while you do something else

although cmot's advice about napping when he naps is good

It sounds pretty normal to me but there are things you can do to make him feel more secure in his cot.
Swaddling might help, as might keeping a muslin down your top one night and putting that in the cot with him (so he smells you nearby). If he is in his cot, is it a big one? If so, he might feel a bit "exposed" so if you have something smaller for him to sleep in that might help.

Don't bother with the patting or the vibrating thing. With my DD things like that used to just wind her up and keep her awake so she was more tired and would have a total meltdown.

My ds was exactly the same. He grew out of it without any special plan of action by me.

Enjoy the cuddles and don't worry that it's forever!

thanks everyone, i really really feel so much better that it's NORMAL! I thought i was creating some sort of monster for myself later on :P

have tried the swaddling, but he hates his arms being stuck next to him, so have put him in a 2.5tog grow-bag instead..but doesn't make much difference really with regards to the sleeping..or no sleeping..? and he used to sleep so nicely by himself up to three days ago which was why i started worrying.. he could actually be awake but dozy in his cot by himself and fall asleep! i was so amazed..but nope, not happening anymore..

Also, yes, i do wear my baby, using a storchenwiege, one of those loooong colourful cloths that need to be tied, so then i worried if it was that that was causing this sudden neediness? cos he LOVES the wrap, falls aslp instantly... but yeah, i'm prolly just being anal...

thanks again all, i feel quite alot better...!

Try putting down BEFORE he is totally asleep - otherwise they fall asleep in one place and wake up in another - a bit disconcerting!

This means maybe staying close with your hand on him while he drops off to start off with.

They will sleep anywhere and everywhere before 6 weeks, so don't worry, this "difficulty" is normal - I always laugh when I hear people with newborns saying "oh he/she is SO good, just falls asleep anywhere"...

Just you wait, I think