Falling asleep on the nipple

[RebeccaP]

My 5 week old DD only ever falls asleep when she is on the nipple. I'm worried that I've let her get into a bad habit and it'll be hard to change later down the line. Do you think I should be worried, or is it normal at 5 weeks to need a prop to fall asleep? I've tried dummies and soothing her in her cot but no joy so far. Do you have any advice on other ways to get her to sleep? Thanks XX

normal

espesh if it's your first...if it's holding you back you could try to take her off and burp her then cuddle and then try putting her in her bouncer/chair/cot and giving it a light rock.

if you like to have her near after a feed then don't worry about it and enjoy...it's a lovely time to bond. with DD1 i would get some snack, the phone, a magazine and the remote and settle down for a lovely long feed. now i have another DD there is no such luxury.

oh and don't worry about 'bad habits' etc...they all get there in the end. DD1 had no problems going from boob-sleeping to moses basket and then to cotbed.

5 weeks? That's completely normal. She'll almost certainly want skin-to-skin if not being on the breast. Being able to hear your heartbeat is important (having had that as her soundtrack for 9 months' gestation)

Everything changes every month, every week, every day with tiny babies. I wouldn't borrow trouble, just do whatever works for both of you for now.

Just enjoy it, don't worry about creating bad habits, she's only 5 weeks.

DD always fell asleep on the boob, now she's 8 months and sleeps in her own cot in her room with no problems. She goes down awake every night, sleeps 12 hrs and has two daytime naps in her cot.

Don't feel gulity for cuddling her and ignore the silly advice about 'making a rod for your own back'.

It really does go so fast.

I've read that you can't spoil a baby the first 3 months, and it's really been my mantra whenever I've been worriying if I'm giving her some bad habbit. Now she is closing in on 4 months and she has allready started testing me; Like spitting out her pacifier when she is put to bed, and then shouting for me to come and put it back in.

Enjoy these first months, you know when to start setting some boundaries

Forget what anyone says, my son only used to fall asleep on the breast and I would panic and wonder if he would ever self soothe, was I setting him up etc. As it is I wish I'd never stressed about it. His pattern didn't change until he was weaning (my sister's little one was the same) his naps were only ever 45 mins and I would look with envy at friends bottle fed babies who were in this amazing routine. He's now been sleeping through since he was 9/10 months and feeding ended at 11 when he decided he preferred a bottle thank you! At the end of the day they (and you) find your own way. Do what feels right for both of you, there's no such thing as too much cuddling and you will never get the chance to have this time again with this baby so don't waste it worrying. Enjoy