Newborn Won't Sleep Unless Held - Am I Creating Bad Habits?

2w ago1 min read

My daughter is 6 weeks old and will literally only sleep if someone is holding her. The second we put her down she wakes up crying. Our pediatrician said it's normal but I'm exhausted and worried we're setting her up for bad sleep habits later. My wife and I are taking shifts but we're both running on like 3 hours of sleep a day. We tried the bassinet with white noise, swaddling, warming the mattress, everything. Nothing works except holding her. Is this just part of the newborn phase or should we be doing something different? Any tips from guys who dealt with this?

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Comments(4)

DDaniel R.Regular2w ago

Six weeks and contact naps are totally normal honestly. She's only just gotten used to being outside the womb a few weeks ago. You're not creating bad habits, you're doing exactly what she needs right now.

PPhil M.Regular2w ago

Caught a falling glass while holding my baby once and realized that's just the job sometimes. Let her sleep on you. This phase doesn't last forever even though it feels like it might.

MMason T.New Dad2w ago

This was our daughter at that age too. Felt like we were stuck in the holding trap but honestly it goes by so fast. Enjoy the snuggles because eventually they don't want to be held anymore.

KKevinRegular2w ago

The newborn phase is brutal but you're not messing her up. She's seeking comfort and safety. Try to catch some sleep while holding her yourself if you can.