Where should 7 week old sleep?

[KikiShack]

I'm hoping for some furniture advice!
My DD is 7 weeks old and is a huge baby, 14.7 and long with it. She's nearly filling up the Miyo hammock we currently have her in (which says it lasts to 6-9 months) and also the moses basket I use for her daytime sleeps.
So my question is what could I use in my bedroom which will lastuntil she is about 6 months. I guess we might move her before 6 months, but we certainly aren't planning to move her any time soon.
I'm confused by cots, cribs, bednests, bedside cribs etc!! I just used the hammock because my friend had it a year ago and I thought it looked nice so she gave it to me when I got pregnant, I've never given baby furniture any thought really.
Let's assume for the moment budget isn't an issue...any suggestions very welcome.
I'm sure I'll be back with questions about sleep routines in a few weeks as we are planning to start training her in a fortnight. Any opinions about whether this is sensible or is far too soon would be very welcome too

I'm probably not the right person to respond, as neither of mine were partial to sleeping anywhere other than in the crook of my arm, and the bedside crib become a rather expensive bookshelf, but when we did use it, I really liked it, plus I got my money back on it on eBay! So, FWIW, this is just like the one we had, though not the exact model. Very sturdy, neatly fitted next to our bed and very height adjustable.

www.johnlewis.com/troll-bedside-crib-natural/p231463971?kpid=231463971&s_kenid=4a43fe28-a65a-4e68-eb02-0000523af71a&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

Re: training. Most people will tell you that it's way too early to be doing anything resembling training. Babies under 4 months are just reacting to primitive needs: food, safety, sleep. Establishing some bedtimes rituals is fine though. Having said all that, I'm a firm believer that everyone should do whatever gets everyone the most sleep. For us, that was co-sleeping for years. For other people, it may be working to a schedule or a strict routine, with everyone in their own room. You'll know what's right for you and your babe when it comes to it. You'll also know when you've had enough and something has to change. Good luck :-)

A crib is a bigger than a Moses basket, so should in theory last up til 6 months.
Cot is the size of a small toddler bed, so is bigger, but you'll have more longevity, and more still if you opt for a cot/bed (which can be converted into a toddler bed later on)

Bed nests are so you can co-sleep safely with your child but in my opinion, are quite small.

As far as sleep training is concerned, it's not recommended until your baby is about 6 months old, as right now your little one still needs lots of cuddles and feeds.

Also there has been research done which suggests that it is beneficial for the development of your child at this early stage, not to be separated from you.
Here is an excerpt of an article

Babies under six months should not be left to cry because they may be ill or need feeding, and at that age they are too young to respond to behavioural training anyway.

If you google baby bonding or sleep training in babies, you should find some interesting reading. Hope this helps.

Just go straight for a cot. Swaddle so they have some.cosiness.

How much space do you have in your room? Are you happy to buy something in 5 months? If money really is no object look at the Bloom Alma Urban Mini, amazing design.

And imo 10 weeks is far too young for sleep training, but it's never too early to try to help good habits along. Avoid feeding to sleep, get a gentle bedtime routine going. Though I don't agree with his methods Dr Ferber's Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems has illuminating information about baby sleep, especially sleep cycles and associations, that will help you make choices.

Sorry I hope this comes across as intended but please think carefully about 'sleep training' your little baby, it puts a lot of unnecessary stress on the whole family but mainly on your lo. I know you're probably shattered right now but it really is such a short time in the big scheme of things.
If you can fit a cot in your bedroom then I would think this is the best option as it will last her longer then a crib. Hope you find something that works.

"I'm sure I'll be back with questions about sleep routines in a few weeks as we are planning to start training her in a fortnight. Any opinions about whether this is sensible or is far too soon would be very welcome too "

Training her to do what?

We had a routine from.day dot but didnt train dd. She had a bath at six, milk at 6.30 and swaddled and down by 7 (in the lounge in those first few months then bedroom.later on). We didnt train her to do it, we simply led a routine and she followed. Neither of us felt any stress from.it,.and if she had refused to follow it I would have tried something else.

Routine and training are two totally different things.

Incidentally,.DD had a month or so at 10mo where she would wake and cry and we would go in and give her dummy etc. It was happening up to every two hours. So I bought five dummies.and when she woke.would.cry and I wouldnt go.in and within fove minutes she had found a dummy and saw herself back.over. Now,.at two, she settles herself if she wakes

Thanks for the replies. re training I really meant getting into a routine of bath, feed, story or something like that. At the moment we just keep her close and take her to bed with us.
We've been feeding her to sleep since she was born and I'd like her to be able to sleep without a boob in her mouth before it becomes ingrained. I also get her to sleep in the daytime by putting her in the sling, but again it require my presence and input, she can't self settle.
What is a good resource for getting her to self settle? And what is the difference between getting her into a routine and 'slee

DD just reached round while feeding and pressed post!
So I was saying what is the difference between getting into a routine and 'sleep training'? DP and I are actually doing ok for sleep and are happy to carry on as we are, but I thought that from about 8 weeks they could tell the difference between day and night so you should start the routine stuff. We already try and be animated etc during changes in the day and quiet at night but that comes naturally- who wants to sing a perky song about a dirty bum at 4am?!
So basically I'm confused!

I have a big baby, 98th centile since birth, and recommend a cotbed if you can fit one in your room. I've got a lovely big one from mamas and papas, which I had to move into our room after DS outgrew his moses basket at 2 weeks old!

I also recommend checking maximum weight restrictions on toys before buying - my DM bought 11 week old DS a jumperoo for Christmas that he'll only get a couple of months out of by the time he can hold his head up (hopefully won't be long).

Sleep training generally refers to using some method to get your baby to sleep though the night, or at least for longer stretches. 10 weeks is generally seen as too young as th baby 1) has a small stomach so often wakes to feed 2) has a different type of sleep cycle from an older baby, child or adult, so naturally sleeps for shorter periods in lighter sleep (this may be important for SIDS) 3) may be emotionally affected by the method eg being left to cry for a short period 4) is too young for it to work effectively anyway.

A routine is anything you like really, a gentle way of helping your baby recognise the transition from day to night.

Read Dr Ferber's first few chapters, really (the method, of leaving the child to cry, I do not agree with).

Have you though about a co sleeper cot? I got one from Amazon which wasn't a lot although some are expensive. It was great for nighttime breastfeeding and ds2 stayed in it for ages before going to a cot in his own room.

Proper cot if you have the space, then there's no adjustment moving them out of it at 4-6 months.
You can buy dividers to make it shorter and use the other end as a play area with bright toys etc while he is still (a large) tiny.
Sleep train a newborn? Better buy a steel hat! Even though you have explained what you mean, you are going to be jumped on today by posters who will wish to ensure you know the difference.

Self settling - try not to jump as soon as the baby stirs and mewls a bit. Tricky when you are hoping a quick shushing will stop it all from kicking off in the middle of the night but you need to learn the difference between the little whinge and the 'I'm hungry' pre-roar that there's no coming back from.

Thanks for the kind explanations of the difference, I'll prepare myself for more 'assertive' replies!
We are definitely only thinking of setting up a routine, nothing more yet.
I'll measure up and see if we can fit a cotbed in, that might be a bit cramped for the next few months but will save us having to buy new furniture for very short term use.

Phew! I had images of you leaving your little 10 week old to cry it out!! A bed time routine is a totally different thing. We found that bathing and changing into pjs really helped our dc learn some sleep cues so they settled down in evenings so I think I know what you mean now. Good luck with the cot search.

Have a look / flick through in the bookshop at Baby Whisperer and (whisper) Gina Ford. You will find that your baby will naturally fall into a routine of sorts (depending on when you all get up) needing to sleep a litle every 2-3 hours fitting in nicely with the recommended* 4hrly feeding schedule at this age. I found them a useful starting place to figure out how I could structure my day to do something besides doze/eat biscuits on the sofa in between feeds with a sleeping child on my chest.

Dont mention sleep training on here until your child is at least 7 months and only then if you haven't slept for more than 90 min stretches in 7 months.....

Please note that schedule is also a dirty word on Mumsnet. Please be aware that any sort of schedule with a baby is merely aspirational* and subject to growth spurts, random leakages requiring wholesale changes of clothing for all nearby parties, and the famous "baby who never sleeps" syndrome. Undue attempts to encourage a schedule by delaying a feed by distracting your child for 15 mins are tantamount to child abuse.

You've had all the sensible advice about sleeping furniture and been politely corrected re: the use of the word training ... So all I have to add is that current advice is not to swaddle. Lots of people swear by it, but current guidelines are not to swaddle due to the risk of overheating.

Congratulations - babies are lovely

Whilst sleep training is definitely not recommended at this age I have recently found that my dd2 10wks will self settle. With my first I think I thought she had to be asleep to be put down. However with my second because I don't jump up at every little wimper, a lot of the time I can't, I have found that she will take herself off to sleep at night.

Not much advice on beds I'm afraid as I make little babies that stay in a moses basket for months!

Thanks again everyone.
I am going to spend the next week tracking her naps to help me understand her natural rhythms better then start some sleep cues after that. Thankfully we already do some of the things mentioned, like not rushing in at every whimper and different night time behaviour, so all we need is some regular pre-sleep routine, and a bit more effort into letting her self settle after feeding rather than feeding to sleep, though she is a guzzler (I've also had a thread in feeding about whether you can overfeed an EBF baby) and normally feeds hungrily until she drops off. I've also read some stuff on kellymom about nursing to sleep and I think I'm comfortable with continuing to do this a while longer, especially since she will also fall asleep being rocked/stroked/slinged.
And I never swaddle! I tried a few times in the first week just before that news story came out but DD is described to be an escapologist, she was standing for none of it! Even now we only put a blanket to about her waist, cover her arms and you soon know about it!! Luckily all her podge keeps her nice and warm.
Thanks for all your help xx

Ha, she sounds like a fab little thing! Enjoy her x