So my son basically needs to be held to sleep. The second I put him down in the bassinet he wakes up crying. My wife keeps saying it's normal but I'm exhausted and worried I'm doing something wrong. We tried the "wait 5 mins before picking him up" thing but he just escalates. Anyone else dealing with this? How long does this usually last because I'm losing my mind here.
Have you checked for reflux? Because sometimes babies who absolutely need to be held have silent reflux and being upright feels better to them. Might be worth mentioning at the next checkup.
The bassinet drop is brutal. We had the same situation and honestly we just kind of... accepted it for a couple months? Then one day he just started sleeping in it. Not sure what changed.
It's normal but that doesn't mean you're not exhausted, which is also valid. 8 weeks is still super new. Some babies are contact sleepers, it sucks, but it does usually get better around 3-4 months.
Honestly at 8 weeks if holding him to sleep is what works, just do it. The "independent sleeper" thing matters later. Right now survival mode is fine.
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You're not doing anything wrong but man that sleep deprivation is no joke. Have you tried the contact nap shifts with your wife? Like you do the night holds while she sleeps and trade off?
Your wife's right that it's normal but also being exhausted is normal AND bad for you. Don't just white-knuckle through it. Take the contact naps if that's what works right now.