If you wore your newborn a lot in the day every day please advise

[sedgieloo]

If you wore your newborn in sling a lot, did it cause a problem with their sleep e.g. Self settling, independent sleep.

I find myself wearing dc2 nearly all day. He is 5 wks and will take ages to settle in his cot. Then will be awake 20 mins later. Carrying him about, he goes to sleep fast and for a long time.

I have a 25 month old so I can't keep resettling but is this going to cause me a problem later? I felt dc1's learning to self settle was key to her sleeping through at 5 months. She always napped in her cot.

Also is it good for them with muscular skeletal development in mind. I have the idea they should lay flat as much as possible

DD lived in the sling for the first 12 weeks. (DC 2 with a toddler so it was necessary). It's supposed to be good for their core muscles being upright. As he gets older you can do tummy time to help with muscle development. DD could sit up and crawl by 6 months.

I started putting her in the cot/pushchair for naps from 4 months and she really got the hang of her cot from 5/6 months. She self settles if she's happy (she's nearly 1 now).

You do truly forget just how dependent they are on you at that age. He's only 5 weeks old - tiny tiny! He will change so much between now and 3 months, let alone 5 months. The self settling and sleeping through could have been coincidence - I know plenty of self settling babies (mine included) who could do it yet still woke at night.

No, the opposite. Used sling all day every day for first 6-8 weeks. co slet for first few weeks as LO hated Moses basket. LO went into cot in own room at 3 weeks old and started sleeping through night in own cot in own room at 6 weeks old. Continued bf-ing (a bit) till 23 months though! Sat unaided for 10 minutes or so, at 21 weeks and flat head was never an issue due to lots of upright time.

Same here, no problems with self settling and sleeping,
I think that level of closeness promotes security which promotes independance !

I'd second that the closeness -> security -> independence and at 5 weeks old your baby is happiest tucked up to mummy.

I found it fine, DS was a great sleeper.

It's pretty good for their development too as long as you have a supportive sling (baby bjorn type not great to use for hours at a time) - it's like tummy time for them and helps strengthen the same muscles. Lying flat isn't actually great for their development, it's just the safest way for them to sleep if they're in a cot.

No, but I didn't really try to get DS to nap in the cot until he was about 5 months - the transition was fine though.

I meant, carrying/sleeping him in the sling constantly didn't cause sleep problems.

Transition fine here too - wore DS nearly all day every day until he was about three months.

Hope you don't mind me asking an additional question here - I'm in almost exactly the same position as the OP, with a toddler and a 5 week old, and was wondering much the same thing - so thread is much appreciated!

I use a baby bjorn when we're out and about (which I LOVE), and with DD1 I used a hug-a-bub fabric sling in the house, but it doesn'y suit DD2 at all. I really need to have her in the sling a lot in the house as she won't settle at all unless she's sleeping on your lap or in a sling - so I need to buy a new one.

With BertieBotts' comments in mind, what sort of sling is best for a newborn? I really like the solidity of the babybjorn and the fact that you just click a few bits and it's exactly right!

I've got an Ergo with the newborn insert and I really like it.

Ergo here too.

When dd was tiny I used a close baby carrier then when she got a bit stronger, switched to the ergo.

Thanks chaps - that does look to be exactly what I'm after...

I've been thinking about getting a manduca, is the ergo a better shout?

DD is nearly 6 months, so I can't comment on the long term sleep, but I would say up until now, no definitely wearing her did not cause problems. In fact, this may be me being a bit woo, but I actually really think it's helped her gain some confidence to sleep on her own. I wore her for all her daytime sleeps up until 4 months, when I noticed that she was starting to drop off when out in the pram. So then we had about another 6 weeks or so of all her daytime sleeps being with me pushing her in the pram (great for shifting the baby weight too!) and just recently she's started being happy to be rocked to sleep in the pram and then left with the pram stationary in the house.

This has coincided with her stopping needing to feed to sleep at night too. For the past week or so, she has stopped her evening feed, looked up at me as if to say "I'm done", I've popped her in the crib and rocked her and she's gone off to sleep after just a little grizzling. I'm sure you can appreciate this feels nothing short of miraculous and even makes me feel a bit proud of her.... [bblush]

So based on my experience so far, I really think this sleep thing just takes time to come together, so in the meantime, make life as easy on yourself as you can and just do whatever it takes to get your lo to sleep.

As regards to the physical effects of the sling. They are great for babies' physical development as help with head control and avoid them developing plagiocephaly (flat head) from always lying on a flat surface. BUT, not the Baby Bjorn style ones that dangle them from the crotch, as they're really not nice on their soft little hip joints. (I don't know much about parenting, being a new mum, but I am a paeds physio, so do know a bit about that!) I had a stretchy wrap sling and really found it the most snuggly for baby and most comfy for me (went to a sling library and tried loads) - they take a bit of getting used to tying them, but it's really worth persevering.

Best sling for speed was my Close sling and ok on their hips, stopp d wearing DC at about 5 months in that but got a wrap and still use that at 28 months!

Through dependence comes independence. So tiny, no need to worry about spoiling him or making a rob for your back, he is a weeny baby, let him be upright and comfy, we have gradually transitioned DC from FT co-sleeping to almost al night in the cot and it has happened slowly but painlessly.

The ergo costs more and needsa separate insert for newborns. So I went for the cheaper manduca. They're very similar.

I have a Mei tai (sp?) and a moby wrap.
Moby was great when DS was tiny but found it more difficult to tie him on once he got bigger and wrigglier. The Mei tai is great as its fairly simple to tie but still keeps him in a good position.