Getting My Newborn to Sleep in Her Crib

Ride it out. Just do what works at the time, and the same thing may not work 2 days in a row! Everything changes so incredibly quickly the first few months (some refer to the first 3 months as the "4th trimester"...human babies are born very minimally developed so a lot of growth is still happening then). Their early nursing also helps establish your supply, so don't limit her (within reason, of course).
Find someone who is good with slings/carriers, if you get a good fit you'll hardly notice she's there! You should also be getting as much sleep as possible at this point, if laying with her gets you 2 the most sleep then do it! :) Get rest, and let your body heal.
I know there are lots of books and experts that talk about starting routines the first week or 2, and some babies fall into that easily but many don't. Personally, I strongly believe that any baby who falls into a schedule early would do just as well whenever you started--it's just their personality, not the system that was followed or how well you implemented it.
It's very common for newborns to want to be close to a warm body, especially mom. Evolutionarily, babies have been best off if they are close to mom--it helps regulate body temp, they are safer from predators, that's where the food is, etc.
And please please please remember that all babies are different! Figure your daughter out as an individual, find out what she likes/wants/needs--forget what some nanny-author who never had children says babies need to be. Try suggestions if you like them, but forget 'em if they don't work or make either of you crazy! There is nothing that is right for every child, every family.
I think my boys are a great example, especially when it comes to sleep. With my first, we co-slept--I never considered not doing so, didn't even buy a crib or set up a room for him. And he'd still sleep by me at 5 if given the choice. Many would say this is because of the early co-sleeping, but then I have to say 'look at my younger son.' I had the same plans for him. He slept with me the first couple of months, then i started putting him in the bassinet by the bed for the first few hours before bringing him to bed with me (actually i tried this with my first, too, but i couldn't sleep that way). By 6 months, my younger son would NOT sleep next to me. I'd try, i still try 2 years later, and he's just plain restless until he's in his crib. Just a different personality. But he's more of a daytime cling-on than my older one was a this age.
You just never know!
Congrats on new baby, enjoy her! I know time is probably moving slowly right now but it really does go by fast, very soon!!!

my kids slept fine in the crib as newborns. They liked to be wrapped tight in their receiving blankets though and that seemed to be what kept them happy while sleeping and slept on their side until they could roll over back and forth on their own then they decided they liked sleeping on their tummy and were good sleepers at 2 months sleeping 6-8 hours before waking up for a feeding then would go back to sleep for a few more hours once they ate.

Yes, she is TOO young to let her cry it out!!! What on earth do you have to do that is so important right now, anyway? Just hang out with your baby and relax. Your husband should be helping out; you should gratefully accept any offers of help from friends and family; and you should try to relax. This is very normal. Most babies want to be held and/or nurse constantly for the first month or so. And if they are colicky, it is worse. Get a mei tai or moby wrap and learn how to use it. Hold her. Unless you are caring for another child, there isn't anything that important to do right now besides holding her, anyway. And if you have other kids at home, turn on the TV. Watching some extra TV right now won't hurt them, and soon it will be much more manageable. Good luck! BTW, get Dr. Weissbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I'm pretty sure he doesn't recommend crying it out until at least 4-6 months.

She is 14 days old...the only thing you really need to get done is hold a baby. Just as someone else mentioned, that's all she's known for the past 9 months...you've carried her around with you all the time and she's heard your voice so she just wants to snuggle. If you have other kids and/or if you are back to work, then that would be different, but otherwise, just relax, hold the baby, and sleep when you can.

Yes, entirely too young. I don't like CIO at any age, and feel the research really shows it can be harmful, but if you are going to do CIO, please wait. The idea of cause and effect doesn't even come in to play until 8 months, so your baby will have no clue why you aren't attending to her needs. I recommend a good wrap. I like gysymama. Wear her in that so she can nap and you can get all the work done you need too. I also highly recommend reading the book The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantly.

I also enjoy co-sleeping, and don't regret it for a second.

Ann M. has great advice! Do whatever works for her at each moment-each night. Some nights my daughter (3.5mths now) slept in my arms with pillows all around me. Some nights in a bouncy seat-whatever works! They do not start forming habits this early. She just wants to be warm, swaddled and hear your heartbeat/voice.
I'm not a believer in co-sleeping with the child in the bed but a bassinet next to you might help. Our daughter was too noisy so we quickly moved her out of our room.
Good luck, hang in there!

She will want to eat every 3 to 4 hours and when she has a growth spurt ever 2 hours or so ("cluster feeding".) 14 day old babies take a really long time to feed so naturally you feel like she never wants to be put down. Plus the crib is a scary, empty place that does not vibrate or swing or keep her warm. She is much much much to young for CIO. You might get a better break if you put her in a rocking swing chair or similar, and swaddling will definitely calm her down, be remember, she is hungry all the time and that will not change for another 6-8 weeks. Hang in there. See if you can get some help from a family member or friend to hold her for a little while so you can take a shower or a nap. She might like being in a bouncy chair on the bathroom floor while you shower -- white noise is good.

I'd recommend borrowing or buying an arm's reach bassinet and putting her in it right next to your bed. My newborn baby girl was up all the time during those first few weeks and it was nice to roll over and slide her into bed with me to nurse, then slide her back into the bassinet when she was done. You can move her back to her crib once she starts sleeping through the night.

Congratulations on your baby, and it is very normal to be overwhelmed by all the attention your baby needs at this point. No one can prepare you for bringing that baby home. I agree with all the other moms. Our local children's sleep specialist says absolutely no cry it out until 5 months. Try slings, swaddle (you can buy blankets at target etc with velcro that make it easier) bouncy seats, holding her, whatever works. No one mentioned a noise machine, but you can buy them almost anywhere (we got ours at Walgreens) and you can use a white noise setting or whatever calms her--some have heartbeat sounds which would be great (the womb is actually a noisy place with moms's heartbeat and blood etc whooshing around. The quiet may be unsettling to her). My daughter had reflux and started needing to be held at two weeks too...I couldn't put her down for more than 10 min during the day, and she was up and down all night. From the time she was 1 month until she was 3 months (when I ignored the docs advice and gave up milk --I was nursing--I sat on the bed all day and held her in one position, reading and singing to her when she was awake, watching tv and trying to sleep when she was sleeping. She had (has) food allergies which caused her silent reflux symptoms (she didn't actually spit up much) and only altering my diet helped. Lots of babies have trouble with cow's milk. If she escalates you may think about altering your diet. But for now, try to relax and realize she's trying feel secure in the big world. Try reading "the happiest baby on the block" (in your spare time--ha) or get the video from your library. It gives you hints on calming your newborn happy. And mamasource is a great place to get support! The first six weeks or so can be especially tough. Congrats and good luck and don't forget to take care of yourself! Oh yeah, and you just had a baby, so all you're supposed to DO is take care of baby and you.

I haven't read all of the replies. But, I had a similar situation with my kids. I would get them to sleep, go to put them down, then - BAM - they were wide eyed and awake. Our Dr.'s suggested that it was an issue of being put down flat on their backs for my kids. So, it was suggested that they sleep in their carseat. So, both of my kids spent their first few months sleeping in the carseat set in the bassinet/crib. It was a huge help for us - as nothing else seemed to work. Good luck, as I know every child is different, hoping you find something that works for you!

Man, and I thought *I* was impatient! :-)

It's a big adjustment--welcome to the rest of your life. A sling helps. My daughter as a preemie would get so nestled in and warm down in one that she'd sleep for hours. She slept through an entire Major League Baseball game in one once.

I co-slept with all of my children until they were a few months old. My daughter actually decided on her own at about a month and a half that she didn't want to sleep with me. I say: let your baby sleep with you at night. It doesn't hurt anything. What's the rush to get her to sleep by herself? When she gets older and more independent, you're going to miss it when she did want to sleep with you and cuddle with you. Trust me.

No, no, no to the cry it out method! 14 days is WAYYY to young! If you really need to get things done, she can cry for a little bit, but my best advice, and what worked for me, is a sling. You can put her there, safe and secure, and have your hands free to cook, vacumn, pick up, whatever you need. I used two slings I got from mammasmilk.com, but I am looking into a wrap for my third.

Take a deep breath, relax when you can, and enjoy holding your new baby!

It may not be the crib but gas and as she lays it makes it worse. Formula can cause speak to your Pediatrician and see if he thnks chging formula is a good idea... good luck.

When my toddler was born, I read that putting a newborn in a crib was like setting her in the middle of the ocean. It is a very insecure feeling for them. Do you have a bassinet or can borrow one? We left our daughter in the bassinet for several months until she was old enough for the crib. The bassinet stayed in our room at night and we took it with us for overnights at our family's lake home. When we moved her to the crib, we placed the bassinet in the crib for a week so she could get used to her new surroundings. That transition was very easy. You might also talk with your pediatrician for advice. Best of luck.

Definitely recommend a sling, but be sure to get a wrap, the Infantino one which as had some fatalities from their necks being bent forward and closing off their airway. Don't use a carseat for the same reason; a bouncy seat is at a better angle. Two weeks is a little too young to know yet, but if after a month or so, you literaly can't lie her down at all, you may ask the dr. if she has anything physically wrong, like reflux or something that is causing her to cry. But it's probably nothing. Some infants just need to be held more than others. Hang in there! And even though it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, like other moms said, try to enjoy it, because before you know it, she'll be a toddler and too busy for snuggling with you. :)

Congrats on your little one! she sounds real normal to me. Get used to the idea that you may not get a lot done during this time--you and she are still recovering from the birth. It's a big adjustment for both of you. What to do? hold her and nurse her (good for you!!) and enjoy her. You can do a good bit of other things like loading /unloading washer with one hand while you hold her with the other (as a newborn, she's still light enough to do that). This will not last forever. Yes, she is too young for CIO.

Have fun in your new adventure!

K. Z.

Too young for CIO yet , 14 days ago she was still inside you.What I found to be a success with my babies when they were very young was swaddling , babies like to be bundled up tight and secure (reminds them of being inside). Swaddle her and then put her down and see if that helps , if not then let her sleep in a bouncy/swing chair , whatever works. You will not get her into any kind of routine just yet , I found routines starting to come into place around 6-8 weeks.

I'd really agree with the swaddling advice. Sounds mean, but the tighter the better! They like to be held secure. Also, if you have a dryer in your house, you might want to put a towel in the dryer to get it warm, then put it in the crib to warm the mattress. Pick up the towel and lay your swaddled baby down. She'll be warm and snug in her crib. Yay!

I would recommend using either Peace & Calming or Lavender pure therapeutic essential oil. Rub a drop of either in Your hand and then hold the feet of the infant.
Rub some on your feet and or inhale, to help you as well.

Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night's rest. Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma that is soothing and refreshing. Because it is the most versatile of all essential oils, no home should be without it. Lavender is an adaptogen, and therefore can assist the body when adapting to stress or imbalances. It is a great aid for relaxing and winding down before bedtime, yet has balancing properties that can also boost stamina and energy. Therapeutic-grade lavender is highly regarded for skin and beauty. It may be used to soothe and cleanse common cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The French scientist René Gattefossé was among the first to discover these properties when he was severely burned in a laboratory explosion. Lavender may also be used to enhance the flavor of foods. Lavender has an approximate ORAC of 3,669 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter.

Blessings! PAM
www.Heyen Wellness Therapies.com
For more information on these oils go to
www.youngliving.org/pamelahe

Newborns need TONS of holding and attention. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. You can't let a new baby cry it out. She just came out of your body and is very insecure as all newborns are. Keep her swaddled like they do in the hospital and just be patient. You're not supposed to bounce back to the old routine this early. My latest baby is 6 weeks old (my 5th) and I'm barely able to take a shower! Just hold her and love her because they don't stay this little for long.

Those first few weeks, sometimes first few months, are so hard to get anything done but then that gives you time to feel better and rested if you enjoy just holding her for a bit. The problem is when you have more children needing you and I did have days with a baby wanting to be held and other children wanting things or needing me where I was totally overwhelmed as to what to do with the baby. But they all reached a stage where it got better. I remember the days of holding a little newborn and wish I'd been able to just sit and hold them all day as I look back now and they are grown and gone and have their own families. It won't last long. I would say around 2-3 months they can cry a bit more and I don't know if it's the child, your schedule, or what but I do know my last 3 were put down swaddled, and went to sleep at bedtime very young and maybe a short cry and that was it as I was not so worried about creeping out and all that stuff. They heard the other kids getting ready for bed, etc. and still slept. My first kids were a mess because of me holding, patting, etc. so I do think some patterns can be formed later on, not now when the baby is 14 days old and adjusting to life in general. So try to enjoy holding and know soon she will be able to not be held so much and you can know she is fine crying some later.

Hi M.! Congrats on your new baby! I agree with most of the other moms--swaddle! My little guy wouldn't sleep at all unless he was swaddled really tight or actually in my arms. Think about it, for 9 months she was in a nice warm uterus. Now she's out in the big world and it's not as warm. She's definitely going to be most comfy in your arms, so if you can mimick that with a warm blanket around her then maybe you'll get some rest of your own. Definitely don't let her CIO. My doctor always told me that the first few months, they need to know that when they cry mom is going to come in. She needs to know that she can trust you to be there for her. Crying is the only way she can tell you what she wants right now. Good luck!

she is way to young to let her cry it out, she is wanting to be close to you cause that is what she has known for the past nine months. My son was very clingy from the first day and up until about 4 months or maybe a little longer. Im a single mom so i was with him ALL the time. I tried a sling, i could not get comfortable, i always felt like he was going to fall out, i was paranoid. I tried a bouncy seat, and that worked while i could take a shower. They just want to be loved and be close to you. Now as far as sleeping in her crib, she might not get the hang of that for a couple more weeks. I can not tell you how many different nights we were in the living room or in the rocking chair. There were times i had the boppy pillow around my stomach and then a bunch of pillows under my arms so i was comfortable and him on my chest in the living room. We also tried the bouncy seat in his crib, we secured it and i was sleeping right next to his crib. We did however find out that he had acid reflux, and that was part of the reason for needing to sleep upright. Like others have said, she is only 2 weeks old and you both are recovering from the change. Get as much sleep as you can, and if she has to sleep with you then so be it. And to release some tension and frustration during the day, i like what the person said about the relaxing oils, also you can light a relaxing candle and have some peaceful music. I hope things get better for you and you can enjoy your beautiful bundle of joy! Good-Luck and i hope this might have helped you.