Leap 2

[Rachel1210]

Hi all
My LO is in leap 2. It hasn’t been so bad so far and according to the app we only have a few days left. He’s eating a lot more but I wonder if that’s because of a growth spurt. But the 2 things I have noticed during this leap is that he won’t let me put him down to sleep during the day and he’s really difficult to settle to sleep. I worked hard during week 6 to get him to sleep in his moses during the day and he was doing really well - but the past few days he won’t let me put him down for a nap. He just wants to sleep on me. My question is - do I give in and let him sleep on me or persist with putting him down. I don’t want to undo all the hard work I’ve done but equally I’ve heard you should comfort a baby during the leap - so shall I just give in to it?

Also he is much harder to get to sleep. He screams so much every nap/bed time - but I know he’s tired. I dread every time he needs to sleep now.... it takes ages to get him off to sleep and the screaming is awful...any advice?

Don’t overthink it. He’s only 6 weeks old and he spent 9 months in your tummy being rocked to sleep. Let him sleep on you, or get a sling. I say this as a mother who drove myself crazy with my first trying to ensure I didn’t get into “bad” habits. But if he doesn’t want to be put down, so be it. He needs cuddles! You can try again when the leap is over, or in a few weeks or months. Everything goes out the window with the 4 month sleep regression anyway and the hard work you put in now will be pointless.

They grow so fast and then you’ll wish you spent more time cuddling him.

I don’t mean to be dismissive. Like I said, I was the same with my first. My second I carried round in a sling for most naps. My third is three weeks and currently sleeping on me. He doesn’t want to be put down today either so I won’t waste my energy trying!

I worked hard during week 6 to get him to sleep in his moses during the day

My DD is just entering leap 2 but she will never settle unless she’s sleeping on me, leap or no leap! How did you do this?

*so shall I just give in to it?

Also he is much harder to get to sleep. He screams so much every nap/bed time*

I should add my two pence worth which would be, yes of course comfort him - he’s so tiny and he just wants to be close to you.

We're currently in leap 2 and every night is different! Lots of co sleeping, at least for part of the night, works for us but not everyone. He sometimes goes back in his basket like he used to, but sometimes not. My little one is so alert he just won't stop looking around to settle. I gave up on daytime naps in the basket and let him sleep on me, as I love the cuddles and everything else can wait.

Re. Settling in the Moses basket - we did it through the usual tips like a sheet that smells of breast milk, warming first with hot water bottle, gentle rocking, feeding to sleep then gently putting him in the basket, and swaddling. He is my first but apparently too young to learn bad habits, so I'm not stressing about it. If he's too young to learn bad habits then he's too young to learn good habits surely?!

Leap what now?
Clearly my DCs never read the books.