Is it "normal" that baby won't sleep without us rocking him?

colsy · Oct 29th, 2009, 13:56 PM

Our beautiful boy is only 13days old, so I sincerely appreciate that he is VERY young. However, I was just wondering whether most new parents also have to rock their new babies to sleep, like we do, or whether this is one of those things that some people have to do and others don't have to do? I'm feeling super-emotional today and everything just feels really difficult today, and I'm being so negative - suddenly it feels like our boy is either asleep or crying, and it's like when he's awake he's feeding or crying and that's it. Is this just standard for a two-week old? Am I just having expectations beyond his age that he should be alert and chilled out while he is awake? I just don't really know what to expect of a young baby - anybody understand what I mean or able to give some helpful pointers? Thanks girls xx

JShaw · Oct 29th, 2009, 14:31 PM

Sorry to hear you're having a difficult day. I'm afraid my LO was the same. Around the 6/7 week mark is when he finally started to just look around and chill when we put him down. Before that he would cry unless one of us was holding him and moving of some sort (rocking, walking movement etc.) Even if we just stood there holding him, he would cry, so we'd be force to move around. In the night when I'd get too tired to walk with him, I would sit on the bed and bob around a little so he'd think I was moving... lol.

Hang in there.. it does get better in the next few weeks. *hugs*

PeanutBean · Oct 29th, 2009, 14:57 PM

It's totally normal. Byron couldn't sleep without some sort of comfort until maybe a month or two ago. But the support he needed reduced until it was just us sitting next to him or holding his hand. Little babies need to feel you and they feel most secure in your arms.

Lucy_lu_84 · Oct 29th, 2009, 16:10 PM

It's normal, its only in the past few weeks that I have been able to put my LO down for a while. But even then it's not long and as soon as he is even a little tired I just have to hold and rock him.

I remember feeling the same when mine was that little, either feeding, sleeping or crying but it does get easier as the weeks go by hun

sublime_ivy · Oct 29th, 2009, 16:13 PM

I still do at 6 months, dont get upset by it. Learning to sleep isnt easy.

tinkabells · Oct 29th, 2009, 16:24 PM

hollie will only sleep if im holding her, im hoping she will get out of this xxx

Angel2Fire · Oct 29th, 2009, 19:37 PM

Chaise was like this for a long time, then we discovered a DVD called the happiest baby on the block. We started swaddling him and following the other techniques and he started sleeping on his own. He still has off days though and sometimes we let him fall asleep in his vibrating bouncy chair.

Mum2b_Claire · Oct 30th, 2009, 05:00 AM

I went through a phase of rocking Ruby to sleep for her naps when she was very little, but I was refusing to give her a dummy at that point. When I gave her the dummy for sleep only she stopped needing to be rocked. It's totally normal, but I would try and stop doing it when you feel you can, you possibly don't want to be doing that in x number of months time.

Actually I've just discovered something that really helps Ruby calm down and drift off for naps - it's a book and CD by Amazing Baby, called Lullaby baby. Ruby is very spirited and alert and always has been, but this calms her no end, her eyes started closing after 5 mins of the CD this morning.

Oct 29th, 2009, 13:56 PM	#1
colsy Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Derbyshire/South Yorkshire border, UK Posts: 1,695	Is it "normal" that baby won't sleep without us rocking him? Our beautiful boy is only 13days old, so I sincerely appreciate that he is VERY young. However, I was just wondering whether most new parents also have to rock their new babies to sleep, like we do, or whether this is one of those things that some people have to do and others don't have to do? I'm feeling super-emotional today and everything just feels really difficult today, and I'm being so negative - suddenly it feels like our boy is either asleep or crying, and it's like when he's awake he's feeding or crying and that's it. Is this just standard for a two-week old? Am I just having expectations beyond his age that he should be alert and chilled out while he is awake? I just don't really know what to expect of a young baby - anybody understand what I mean or able to give some helpful pointers? Thanks girls xx

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Oct 29th, 2009, 14:31 PM	#2
JShaw Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 754	Sorry to hear you're having a difficult day. I'm afraid my LO was the same. Around the 6/7 week mark is when he finally started to just look around and chill when we put him down. Before that he would cry unless one of us was holding him and moving of some sort (rocking, walking movement etc.) Even if we just stood there holding him, he would cry, so we'd be force to move around. In the night when I'd get too tired to walk with him, I would sit on the bed and bob around a little so he'd think I was moving... lol. Hang in there.. it does get better in the next few weeks. hugs

Status: Offline

Oct 29th, 2009, 14:57 PM	#3
PeanutBean Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: May 2008 Location: Greater Manchester Posts: 18,226	It's totally normal. Byron couldn't sleep without some sort of comfort until maybe a month or two ago. But the support he needed reduced until it was just us sitting next to him or holding his hand. Little babies need to feel you and they feel most secure in your arms.

Status: Offline

Oct 29th, 2009, 16:10 PM	#4
Lucy_lu_84 Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rugby Posts: 3,622	It's normal, its only in the past few weeks that I have been able to put my LO down for a while. But even then it's not long and as soon as he is even a little tired I just have to hold and rock him. I remember feeling the same when mine was that little, either feeding, sleeping or crying but it does get easier as the weeks go by hun

Status: Offline

Oct 29th, 2009, 16:13 PM	#5
sublime_ivy Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,137	I still do at 6 months, dont get upset by it. Learning to sleep isnt easy.

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Oct 29th, 2009, 16:24 PM	#6
tinkabells Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 4,088	hollie will only sleep if im holding her, im hoping she will get out of this xxx

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Oct 29th, 2009, 19:37 PM	#7
Angel2Fire Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Derby Posts: 811	Chaise was like this for a long time, then we discovered a DVD called the happiest baby on the block. We started swaddling him and following the other techniques and he started sleeping on his own. He still has off days though and sometimes we let him fall asleep in his vibrating bouncy chair.

Status: Online

Oct 30th, 2009, 05:00 AM	#8
Mum2b_Claire Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Kent Posts: 13,907	I went through a phase of rocking Ruby to sleep for her naps when she was very little, but I was refusing to give her a dummy at that point. When I gave her the dummy for sleep only she stopped needing to be rocked. It's totally normal, but I would try and stop doing it when you feel you can, you possibly don't want to be doing that in x number of months time. Actually I've just discovered something that really helps Ruby calm down and drift off for naps - it's a book and CD by Amazing Baby, called Lullaby baby. Ruby is very spirited and alert and always has been, but this calms her no end, her eyes started closing after 5 mins of the CD this morning.

Status: Offline

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