Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

So Drew is almost three months old and finally the colic has subsided. However, I am confused about his sleeping... he sleeps SO much better in his carseat than in his crib. For example, last night in the car seat he slept from 6:30pm until 2am, woke for a bottle and went back to sleep until 5:45am. And he's sleeping again. But in the crib, I would have had to go in at least five times during the night to get him back tosleep.

Has anyone kept them in their carseat at night for longer than three months? I don't want to create bad habits but a a rested mommy and baby makes for a happier family!! TIA

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

not car seat..but DS is now 2 months and I just put him in his crib...since he was sleeping in his glider...


I was nervous and anxious about placing him in the crib...and to my surprise he loves it..I also feel better knowing he is sleeping in the crib rather than the glider...but that is just me...Why dont you try placing him in the crib again..maybe within time he will start sleeping like he does in the car seat...

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Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

my twins are 11 weeks, both still sleeping in the carseat. I tried moving ds to the crib last night and he layed there wide awake for an hour. i finally moved him to the crib and he conked out in 2 mins. i'm in the same boat, i want to move them out of the carseats, but they just sleep so much better in there!

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

I know Im going to have that problem with Christopher...he sleeps in his swing at night, it soothes him. i have been slowly bringing both boys to their rooms and put them in their cribs. i do it a few times a day, so they get used to it.
It is hard now because we are doing construction upstairs so I cant have them in their overnight yet

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

Roman slept in his carseat in the crib from birth until about 6 months. He would sleep from around 7:30pm-6:00am straight! It was heaven. When we took him out at 6 1/2 months he would sleep in his crib for about 4-5 hours wake up then go back to sleep for another couple of hours. At 10 months now his sleeping is WACKY to say the least. He moves around so much he wakes himself up every couple of hours because he hits the sides of the crib.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

Your baby probably likes the coziness of the car seat, and they don't get that in the crib. When we switched my DS to the crib from the pack and play, he didn't sleep as well either. But eventually he got used to it.

What about trying to swaddle him. That way they feel a little more secure? Also for the transition, maybe put the car seat in the crib so he gets used to the surroundings as well.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

In order for DS to feel safe and cozy in his crib..I took 2 of his fleece baby blankets, rolled them up and placed them on each side of the crib. I then place DS in the middle (same concept as the sleep positioner). The blankets are below his arms. Since I did this,,he hasnt woken up unless it was time for him to eat.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

When you have your children sleeping in the car seat, do you have it on the floor next to the bed? DD sleeps pretty good in her bouncy seat - I'm wondering if I should try this - but I'm worried about not seeing her right next to me like I do with the bassinet...

xxxxxxx

Message edited 2/9/2007 8:24:57 PM.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

Thanks ladies - I do let him nap in the crib and the longest he has gone is two hours. He has no problem falling asleep in his crib at night, its just staying asleep. I will try the fleece blankets - I also think it might be easier for him to breathe being slightly elevated and maybe this is why he likes it. He is definitely an active baby and his arms are always flailing all over the place and wakes him up. Unfortunately he breaks out of the swaddle - even the MIracle Balnket.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

Jacob slept in the carseat for the first 2 months, it was a combo of reflux and the closeness of the carseat for him. But i was noticing that his head was always falling to one side in the carseat and the docs were getting worried about that, so i finally moved him to the crib at 8 weeks but he had to be swaddled. Again, the closeness factor. He was swaddled until 8 months and when I finally broke the swaddle i had to build a receiving blanket fort around him so he would feel closed in again. Finally finally around 9 months he was completely fine to have free roam of his crib. Now he is all over, some nights he isnt even in the video monitor screen. He winds up traveling all over!

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

I'm embarrassed to say that my dd sometimes will sleep in her infant/toddler rocker. At least 3 - 4 times a week she refuses to stay in her crib and falls right to sleep in her chair. She's 14 months.
I always feel so bad, but my twins share a room so when one starts crying it wakes the other up, so we always end up having to take her out of her crib.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

DD is just about to turn 6 mos and started sleeping in her crib at night when she was 4 months. Before that, she slept in her swing. She still naps in her swing and refuses to sleep in her crib except at night. She cried for a bit the first night we put her in the crib but does fine now. Good luck.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

DD is 4 months and only sleeps in her swing. She goes for 12 hours at night. She screams her head off in the crib and can't fall asleep in it. I'm pretty stressed about it & have no idea how to get her to sleep in the crib. We've been trying several times a week for 2 months & no luck. We've tried swaddling, sleep positioner, elevating the head of the mattress, the aquarium, music. Nothing seems to work.

I would advise getting your little one used to the crib ASAP if possible- try swaddling, as others suggested.

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

What do you guys do when they outgrow the carseats, swings, etc? That's what would make me nervous. I know James would sleep like a champion in his swing, but I refuse to do it at night (only for naps) because then I feel like it would be torture later on. He didn't like his crib at first, but I just kept putting him in there during the day to get used to it, and he sleeps in there no problem now at night. He doesn't sleep as long as other babies I guess, but I can get a good 5-7 hour stretch out of him. I would just keep putting him in there until he gets used to it if I were you, because eventually you'll have to do this anyway. Good luck!

Re: Sleeping in Carseat instead of Crib

Christopher slept in his car seat for the first month. Kaylee wouldn't sleep anywhere but my arms for the first couple of weeks. I started putting her in the crib sooner. They're both belly sleepers and I think that may have something to do with the process going so smoothly.