HELP! 2 month old won't sleep/settle without being held! How do we break this?

[lovelypair]

I fear we have associated DC to sleep with lots of cuddling and being held.

Is there anything we can do to remedy this? I've tried rocking him in his buggy...

Last night DC slept on me for a couple of hours after not settling again after a BF, me semi upright - not good for either of us!!

HELP PLEASE! He's on the playgym now as I type wanting to be lifted AGAIN!

He's only 2 months old - don't stress yourself about it. All my DDs (5 yo, nearly 3yo and 25 wks) have been rocked or even fed to sleep and they're all really good sleepers now. Well, OK, the 25 wo is still rocked to sleep but she'll get there. As long as you are OK with it, just go with the flow.

2 months is still very very young.

could he be unwell? do you swaddle?

He's really young, and at that age (and TBH up till about 6mths, by which point he'll want to be rolling over and sitting up, and probably happier on the floor by himself) I wouldn't worry about "spoiling" the baby. I think you just giving your LO the basis of a loved feeling that will make him self-assured and confident as he gets older.

Once he gets to 3 mths, or thereabouts, you could always get a hammock chair or rocking chair thingy for him if you want to get on with other stuff.

If it's your first baby I think it's hard to get used to the "slow time" that babies and young children require - but honestly, try to relax and let other things slide, he will only be little for a few months...

This is totally normal and contrary to what some people believe, totally acceptable and will not create future problems. Some babies love cuddling to sleep, they and you, need this special time as it won't be long before he won't want you to cuddle him.

Try co-sleeping with you curled in a c shape around him. You're flat and he's getting the warmth and security of your body.

Do try and let go and just enjoy it. Honestly it's just a phase, it won't last forever.

PS, get a sling for day time use. Hands free baby holding and all that.

I recognise that astonished wonder at having to sleep with a lo on top of you. I got to three months and was ready to collapse with the discomfort and exhaustion of it all. I agree with the other posters though, as he is still v.little, and it really won't hurt him to have as many cuddles as you can give. The sleeping on you though has to be tackled, as if you're tired, you can't function. Does he have colic? My son had, and holding him with his tummy on me seemed the only position he was comfortable in. If he hasn't got colic though, try lying next to him. Put a reassuring hand on his tummy and hum softly. Don't keep switching approaches to settle him, but stick to being as relaxed as possible and as close as possible. He'll soon start associating this with his way of going to sleep and you'll soon get a bit more sleep too.

please don't try and break him
seriously just do what he wants
he is waaaay to young for you to be 'making a rod for you own back'

just relax and cuddle him

Thanks! I feel better now as I do enjoy being close to him. He likes to actually be on top of me (me elevated at that!), so curling doesn't help, although would be great if it did as I am BF...

smee yes baby does have colic, any suggestions?

Well Colic explains a lot. Poor him and poor you. I tried all sorts and nothing worked. With hindsight, the big thing to keep in mind is that colic isn't your fault and not to spend your whole time trying to fix things. Try the various things the doctors and therapists recommend, but in the end all you can do is hold him when he needs to be held and accept that it's a not very nice phase. When my son got to three months, he seemed to ease out of it a bit and finally stopped needing to sleep on top of me. Probably not a coincidence, as three months is oft quoted as the time colic goes. Hang on in there.