Ok, I admit the whole darn family wants to hold 5 wk old DS all the time. Everytime I try and put him down he crys. Even in the crib. I try and let him cry for a little bit, but it seems like he wont stop. He will be asleep in our arms but the min we put him down he wails. Is he really that spoiled already? I dont know what to do. I need some of my free time back. HELP ME!!

You know, "they" say you can never spoil and infant, but I agree with you. My DS is the same way. After I'm done nursing he nods off. I'll hold him in my arms for a little while and when I put him down, he gets upset!!! So if I pick him up, he falls asleep again.

Exactly Mommie! What do we do just let them cry till they fall asleep? I mean, I know hes not hungry or wet because I just fed and changed him. This happens all the darn time. And I really need some of my time back to do things around the house. This house is so messy! LOL

I have this problem too, not all of the time but enough of the time! Do you girls use a pacifier? I know alot of people don't but it works miracles for me, he mostly screams when it falls out, then I put it back in over and over.But at least it stops him from screaming.

I didn't want to use a pacifier, but we have a few times and it really helped out. I was completely against it at first, but when he stopped crying, we all felt better!!

yah definetly likes his pacifier. but like you sweettea, it falls out and i have to keep giving it to him.

My DS used to do the same thing at that age. I started putting him in the swing after he fell asleep in my arms and he would sleep like that because it still cradles him and rocks him. After a few nights of that I swaddled him and put him in his crib and he finally sleeps in his crib. He still loves sleeping in his swing though so on bad nights I let him sleep in there for awhile.

My DS went through the same thing at that age. DH and I were just talking about it tonight. There were times when I held him all day and did everything with him sleeping in my arms, including going to the bathroom. He slept through it all in my arms. However a few tricks I learned, was one, I would sit on his boppy until it was warm and then put him in it. This way it had my body heat and laying in it it felt like he was being held. Of course, after he fell asleep in my arms. For awhile, DH and I got in the habit of somehow warming up where he was being put down at. This way we could fake DS out and it always worked. But the good news was, it was a stage he went through and moved on to something else. If I remember we went from this to being swaddled all the time and then on to living in the swing. Drives you crazy when they go through it but I look back now and I wish he was that small that I could carry him all over and hold him. On the other hand, what if you were to get a sling to carry him in. I know some one who had one and every one of her babies lived in it.

I read an interesting anology somewhere (I forget where now) that explained why babies are upset when you put them down. It said: when we go to bed, we lie down in our comfortable warm bed, soft comforter, soft pillow, now imagine that you woke up in the middle of the night, opened your eyes only to discover that you're lying on the floor in the kitchen, you'd be freaked out. Well, this book said, this is how the baby feels, when it doses off in your warm arms, next to the sound of your familiar heart beat, maybe even w/ a warm nipple in it's mouth....and all of a sudden it's being plunged on a cold, stiff, bare mattress. I don't think they're spoild

Yes, like the previous person said, it helps to warm up their spot (warm water bottle). And it does get better w/ time. My DS did that too, but thank goodness for pacifiers, it also always fell out and at desperate moments I would put a thin blanket underneath it, so it would stay in longer. Also until it gets better, you can wait until your baby is in deep sleep (limbs are limp) before you put him down.

I have the same problem from time to time with DD. She is also 5 weeks. Its like just when you think they are sound asleep.....forget it. 5 minutes after being put down in her bassinet she starts crying. My boyfriend (who usually takes over night time feedings) has to sleep with her on his chest on the couch every night just so he can get some sleep. With me during the day sometimes she will be fine if I put her in the bassinet other times she wants to sleep in my arms. Also as someone mentioned, the swing has really helped me alot too. She will sleep in that thing for 3 hours until her next feeding. Its so chaotic, I know. But just remember 'this too shall pass.'
I am right there with you... Just try different things. The post about warming the boppy pillow, great trick! ;)

Try swaddling your baby before you put them down; remember they were just in this warm cozy environment and now they are thrown to the wind with no motor or sensory control. Baby will fuss at first when you start to swaddle, but it does NOT mean they don't like the swaddling. I promise you will have a whole new baby who will sleep for hours. Just make sure it is a real tight swaddle (most receiving blankets are not big enough!!

Hugs

~Amy

Hannah 11-16-05

I totally agree with the swaddling thing! Also, my DS slept in his car seat for the first two or three months of his life :p He just like dthat cradling position. Then, I wised up and made some alterations to his bassinet--I placed a soft fleece illow to prop him up, and I layed a fleece blaket over it. Then I would wrap another fleece blanket around him and the lower part of the blanket to kinda "tuck" him in. I know SIDS fanatics would go crazy over this but he loves to be swaddled. My son also hates having his hands restricted, so I do this to his waist down. He sleeps SOOOOO much better that way!

Another suggestion is to get the "happiest baby on the block." some people swear by that book!

One last suggestion....the BEST gift I ever got was alex's bouncy vibrating chair. He will sit in there for hours, being soothed, listening to the music, watching me walk about the house and clean. As long as he can watch me, he'll sit in that thing for hours! I LOVE it. Mine hated his swing, so this thing was a godsend :)