The Imperfect Community

[becky2005]

So, Katie sleeps great in her crib at night. Generally she goes from 8pm-3am, eats and then goes back down until 7 or 7:30am with no fuss. She will not sleep in her crib during the day though, and I've resorted to letting her nap in her swing. Has anyone else been through this? Please reassure me that this is ok, that she will eventually learn to nap in her crib. Or give me tips for getting her in the crib.

If the sun is up, as soon as her back touches the mattress she's crying.

[Jessica]

With my older son, I napped him in the swing for 6 months straight. Scott thought that was abusive or something, so he kept turnign the swing off until Holden eventually got reconditioned out of the rocking motion.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. The rocking motion is soothing to them.

Graham, OTOH, hated the swing and wanted nothign to do with it. Holden was always a better sleeper, so I'm convinced the swing helped him learn how to go to sleep on his own, whereas Graham didn't learn that skill for years.

Just a warning, a lot of AP type parents, are appalled by the idea of allowing a baby to sleep in a swing, but they're appalled by allowing a baby to sleep in a crib too, so it's entirely up to you.

[Anthromomma]

I think we tend to get entirely too hung up on where or how a baby sleeps. All three of mine slept in the swing a lot-- when Seamus was a baby, it was the only place (other than in-arms) that he would sleep--like, for months. Eventually he just stopped needing it, and well before he outgrew the swing, too. He's in Ohio with Terry's stepdad this weekend, no swing necessary.

Actually, now that I think about it, what is the point of a baby swing at all if you aren't using it for naps? That's all we ever used it for.

[supergirl]

As long as my babies sleep, I really don't care where the actual sleeping takes place.

(And I must be a super slacker, because my 5 month old doesn't have any schedule and only sleeps on me still...I'm ok with this, although a swing induced nap sounds nice!)

[honeybee]

I wouldn't worry about it yet. Wait until she's outgrowing the swing and you are forced to stop napping her in it to start stressing about that.

Ethan slept in the swing for all naps and all night until he outgrew it. And then we got another swing that could acommodate a bigger baby just to milk it another several weeks. Once he had to start sleeping in his crib he did fine with it though. He's a great sleeper, always has been!

Paige is 3 months and naps in her swing and starts our the night in it (like at 8pm). We move her to her bed when we go to bed (11pm). She usually sleepss straight to morning and wakes to eat around 7am, after she nurses I put her back in the swing and she sleeps for another couple hours.
The problem with Paige is that she hates hates hates HATES being on her back, and if we put her in her bed without her being totally and completely zonked out, then she flips over to her back and immediately starts screaming her pretty little head off like there is no tomorrow. Yes, my baby is a tummy sleeper.

[Petulant Pixie]

Whatever works! The sleep things come and go, you know, and eventually, after much ado, EVERYONE ends up sleeping in a bed all through the night. I totally wouldn't worry about where she naps as long as it works for you.

[ExCareerGal]

JC only slept in an baby carrier for 6 months. He had trouble breathing lying flat. The swing worked as well. Do what works!
Janna

[becky2005]

[DietCokeHead]

I think that if you don't mind her being in the swing then obviously it is working for you.. don't sweat it. My first 3 all were tummy sleepers and Paige will only sleep swaddled up tightly and on her back!