Help with Sleep - Brick, NJ

He's five weeks old; most babies do not fall asleep by themselves yet.

I don't really know what to tell you; if it is that important to you that he "learns" to do this, then I guess you could try letting him cry it out or to self soothe with a pacifier.

Start a bedtime routine now. Give a bath or a message keep things a little quite get into comfy pjs give bottle maybe swing and sing but put baby to bed awake. Keep it the same every night. For example my girls get a bath, small snack, teeth brushed and a bunch of stories everynight. They are older but they have had basicly the same routine since they were 5 weeks old. It is okay for your baby to cry (my 2 year old still does sometimes). Let her cry for about 5 mins, I know it is going to seem like tourcher but do it then go in and pat her back and tell her you love her and then leave again. It is going to take a few days for this to work but I say 5 days tops if you keep it consistant that is the key. Let me know how this works out for you.

When my son was that age he did the same thing. He always fell asleep while I nursed him. So, I stopped that as soon as I could. I also wanted him to learn how to fall asleep on his own. So if he was nursing and started to fall asleep I would tickle his feet or take him off the breast (It was July so no matter how much clothes I took off him it was still warm). I'd wait until he woke back up and start over. If I had to stop 10 times I would, until he got it. Then when he was done I'd put him in his crib for a nap, awake but sleepy, so he'd learn to put himself to sleep. Now I have a 2.5 yr old who goes to sleep so easy every night. We read a book, turn on his music and turn out the light. There is no fighting every night or at nap time. If he wakes up during the night all I need to do is go in give him his binky and he goes right back to sleep, no problem. It may take him a while some nights to fall asleep but he does it by himself in his room.

okay... five weeks is still really young to be worrying about him falling asleep on his own... let him curl up in your arms with a bottle and let him fall asleep.. it is not somthing to worry about definitly not a problem. he is still so young.. my daughter JUST started to go to bed on her own... and thats only at night (she is 15 months by the way) during the day she still needs to be sitting next to me onteh couch leaned up against me with a bottle before she will snooze... its totally normal and nothing is wrong with him.. he is just aware of who you are and doesnt want to miss a moment with you... enjoy it! he feels comforted in your arms...

I feel your pain. I have a three week old baby girl. She has her days and nights mixed up and I dont know how to break this. People say keep her up for one day but its impossible. Her body cant handle being up around the clock.
My baby doesnt go to sleep by herself either. I am going to assume that this is normal after reading many books. Babys that age need soothing and need to be close to Mommy. This is a big adjustment for them as it is for you.

Good Luck:)

hi N., maybe is your scent.My son was like that, so i useto walk around with this blankie and than when it was time to put him to bed I would wrap him up with that blanki first (that had my scent) and he would actually sleep, till this day he sleeps with something of mines...weird right..but cute...they're just mommas boy..lol...hope that works...let me know ok...take care good luck

hi N., my daughter is 10 months now and she always falls asleep (at night) with me or while nursing, i never had a problem with it, so i let it happen. But i know if this was an issue for me i would start letting her getting used to sleeping or falling asleep on her own, now she's so spoiled that it's seems almost impossible, i dont even want to try (she will cry endlessly). Try setting bed time schedule and stick with it every day. put him in the crib and sit by your his bedside, without touching him or talking to him, as he falls asleep. Each night, move yourself farther away. Within a week or two, you should be out the door. that worked for someone i know, but not for me, i couldn't bare to watch her cry, but also i started this method a little too late (she was around 6-7months)also like someone recommended - putting a t-shirt or something of your may help as well. i hope this helps, good luck, Y.

I had a similar problem with my twin boys when they were just weeks old. I always had to rock them to sleep and they would never just go on their own. When they reached almost 2 months old when it was time for bed I would give them their last bottle, give them a nice warm bath and them place them in their cribs. I then played a lullaby CD or any type of classical music. At first they cried and cried and would eventually get to sleep. I felt soo bad letting them cry, but within a few weeks they were getting where they would lay awakw and cry very little before they let the music put them to sleep. Now they are 5 months old and have been sleeping through the night since they were 2 1/2 months old. After their bath I put Them in their cirbs turn on the music and within minutes they are out. Your baby is only five weeks old there is no need to rush just know that in time you should gradually start a routine that at first might be hard but will eventually get easy. And always remember every child is different try different things but don't get upset if they don't work for your child.

my son is 2 1/2 now but he was like that for periods at a time, sometimes he is still like that now. back then when he was that small it wasn't bad i had a tv in my bedroom. i used to let him fall asleep on my chest. he was still tiny. once he was sleep i would put him in his crib so he always woke up there. it wasnt a big deal to me i dont believe that is spoiling like some do.

I must agree with Sarah S. He's ONLY 5 weeks old. I didn't get a full night sleep until my son was 7 months old. The best I could ask for was a few hours when I breast feed him. Now at 15 months he still won't fall asleep without a bottle and wakes up during the night for another bottle. I don't know what to tell you. Most babies I know don't fall aleep by themselves. Just hold on it'll pass before you know it.

My son is 14months old now and I always hold him until he falls asleep. I have to admit, when he was a little guy (like yours), I didn't want to ever put him down! LOL It's not intentional, but as time went on, I would hold him while he had his 'bedtime bottle' and he would fall asleep after sucking it down (20 min), then I wait a bit, then lie him in his crib. This is not a prob because there's a TV in the room (he was in a crib in my room until recently). So, ultimately he's used to falling asleep like that. I did try the "ferber method" (also known as "crying it out) once. UGH!!! After checking on him a few times, while he was hysterical - he ultimately didn't stop crying for 50 MINUTES!!! When he finally fell asleep it wasn't a good sleep as he usually does (through the night) - he kept waking. So, I'm a mush and feel that since he finds comfort in me then so be it - he sleeps better that way.

He's probably used to your scent now and very comforted by you. In a nutshell, I know it seems weird (baby's change their patterns so often), but if he falls asleep with you, and you can put him down and he stays asleep - just go with it (if you can). I don't believe you can spoil a baby that young....and they're only young once....indulge and enjoy it. Good Luck!

I nurse my daughter to sleep everynight. I know, I know, its not the best thing to do. I know that she isnt learning to fall alseep on her own. She is four months old, & and my second child. We had no problem getting my son (he's two) to fall asleep on his own, once I got pregnant with Ally.
She is more than likely going to be my last baby and I want to enjoy every minute of her baby-hood.
I have a friend with a daughter about the same age as Ally. She stresses over every nap and every minute of sleep. She is ferberizing her daughter. I couldnt imagine letting Ally scream for an hour before bed. I dont want to remember her baby-hood like that. I would much rather remember rocking and nursing her to sleep.
So, anyway about your issue...I would say do whatever you can to get him to a peaceful sleep. You can get him to fall asleep by himself when he is older.

I am a first time Mom to a 6wk old little girl. Anytime she fell asleep and I put her down she would scream, so there are a few tricks I had to learn.
The first one is I got into the habit of anytime she falls asleep in my arms, I put her down, and I place a hand on her for a few moments until she is asleep or just peaceful. After a few days of her getting put down, screaming, etc.. she apparently has realxed and understands that it is ok to fall asleep in her cradle or anywhere else, and that she doesn't NEED to be held.
As far as bedtime, I try to maintain a loose schedule/routine. I start to prepare her to be in bed between 10 & 11 each night. We sit on the bed, change her, I feed her, usually until she has just about emptied one whole side and moved onto the next, then before she has been asleep too long (still in a light sleep), or while she is dozing I put her in her cradle. She then proceeds to sleep straight through until 7am (usually).
I could never let my little one cry it out, that surely works for some people, but it's not right for me. Also when trying that you need to think about the stress it is putting on such a young baby whose mental abilities don't even understand that their hand is attached to them, and not just floating by. It must be scary for them falling asleep and waking, not knowing if anyone is around, or who is around etc.
So if your baby isn't falling asleep on her own remember she is still young, and maybe she prefers to be comforted for now. Appreciate it while it's here, one day they will be old, and won't need us anymore, and we will miss these days.