Baby won't sleep unless being held, is this normal or are we messing up? | DadHQ

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Baby won't sleep unless being held, is this normal or are we messing up?

3w ago·1 min read

Every time we put our 5 week old down in the bassinet he loses his mind within 2-3 minutes. But he's completely content being held or sleeping on my chest. I've heard the horror stories about creating bad habits but he's also a newborn who just wants to be close to us. We're doing contact naps on rotation. Am I setting myself up for a nightmare toddler or is this just how it is right now?

4 comments160 views

Comments(4)

JJosh M.Regular3w ago

You're not messing up at all, you're actually doing it right by responding to him. Holding a newborn as much as possible is what they need at that age. The sleep deprivation is rough but you're building exactly what he needs - trust that you'll be there.

PParkerNew Dad3w ago

This phase passes, I promise. Around 3 months my son suddenly decided the bassinet was acceptable. The contact naps during this stretch are hard but they're also kind of amazing if you can let yourself enjoy them instead of stressing about it.

LLucasRegular3w ago

Five weeks is peak newborn neediness. He's been in the womb for 9 months where he was constantly held and warm, so of course the bassinet feels like abandonment to him. White noise machine and a swaddle helped us get incrementally longer stretches, but honestly just surviving those first 12 weeks is the win.

JJoeyRegular3w ago

Totally normal. My twins are almost 4 months now and we had the exact same thing at 5 weeks. Newborns are basically seeking security and warmth - the bassinet just feels cold and lonely to them after being held. We used a heating pad to warm the sheet first and that helped a lot.