SLEEPING ISSUES - WILL ONLY SLEEP IN COT

[LisaN]

Hi

Can anyone help - I have a 14week old son who will only sleep in his cot at home - which makes day trips miserable!  The routine is - at home I have placed him on his tummy in his cot for some time now and he is just so happy like this - he goes off to sleep by himself.  He gets very angry when he is overtired and will not settle/sleep in his pram/pushchair at all - he just screams and screams.....wondered if this was unusual or whether there is anyone else out there who is suffering in the same way - I feel like I need to train him to sleep in his pram but what is the best way - I hate to see him so upset and for the record, he cried for an hour in a busy restaurant today whilst I (tried) to lunch with a friend!!  It was awful and I felt very upset and also guilty for going out with him - but surely I have a life too??
A desperate mum,
Lisa

[Jaime]

hi Lisa,

sounds like you have a touchy baby???  i ask cause that sounds a lot like my ds.  :wink:

if that's the case... it is very normal.  it's so difficult for touchy babies to learn how to sleep in the first place, and then they find it very hard to have their routine disturbed.

you do have a life, but for a few more weeks i think you'll find it easier to just schedule errands & visits around naptime.  maybe you can have friends visit you.  i found it just got a lot easier on me when i just accepted i would stay home more for a bit longer.  when dh got home i would go out sometimes (and by myself!) for some recharge time.

the good news is that over the next couple of months you will start to find it easier to go out.  his routine will become very predictable and his awake times will lengthen.  he will still probably only want to sleep at home, but you will find it easier to get out!

HTH 

[NKmommy]

Hi Lisa,
Your little one sounds just like mine!  I have worked so hard to train him to go to sleep on his own in his crib, and now he naps so well, but ONLY in the crib.  If I try to take a pack-n-play to my mom's house, or try to get him to sleep in his stroller, he will scream for hours.  When we finally get home, he sees his crib, lets out a whimper, and falls right to sleep in it. 

It definitely makes it difficult to get out.  But I want to ditto the above post.  Now that he can stay awake for 3 hours, it is much easier.  So things will get better...

I am thinking of having him sleep in his pack-n-play in a different room in the house, just to get used to this.  Has anyone else done this?