Best place for newborn to sleep?

[Plarka1]

I mean in order to promote movement, as in the Physically Superb book.  I know the absolute best according to Doman is a crawling track around the bed, but we dont have the space for that, we will be making a small one for the living room.

Our daughter slept in a moses basket till about 4 months, then the crib.  I am wondering if maybe a moses basket is too restraining, because as soon as we put our daughter into the crib, she started rolling over in her sleep.  I felt bad that she couldnt do that in the moses basket.

Is it best to just go into a crib at first? Or is a moses basket fine, just for maybe 2 months?  Especially if I have the baby on the floor a lot during the day?

[nhockaday]

I think a Moses basket is too restraining, but some young babies like that feeling. Most one and two month olds don't move around in their sleep anyways, and they just cry when they wake up b/c they are hungry! I recommend starting off in a cradle or the crib. That way they not only get used to sleeping in their own bed, but they also have the freedom to move around.

[Plarka1]

This baby will be born in February and it will be really cold!  Do you keep the heating up high at night so the baby doesnt need blankets and can move around in the crib?

[nhockaday]

My son has a small room, so when the door is closed, the heat gets sweltering! I do turn the heat up more that I would without a baby, but I also close his vent a little so he doesn't suffocate. I always let him wear the really thick pajamas to bed too.

[Frukc]

For cold weather, I would prefer the approach of natural parenting
http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/natural_parenting.pdf
page 123 +

[Twinergy]

That link looks fantastic Fruck.  I agree sleeping right next to mama is the best place for a newborn to sleep.  Here http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/T102200.asp is some info on co-sleeping and safety.  Both of my kids co-slept.  I can’t say it's the best way to encourage movement because I have no comparison, but I can say that snuggling close to me was definitely encouragement to move.  DS even learned to roll over in his sleep months before he could do it awake.   

[joyb]

Wow, Twinenergy, that is an interesting article!  What a scam backed up by big business!!  I'll definitely pass that one on and keep my baby right beside me.

[nhockaday]

The biggest thing to remember that it is much, much harder to get your baby to sleep on their own, in their own bed, after you have let them sleep with you for a long period of time. I know, I let my son sleep with me for 6 months. It seems almost cruel when I think about it. The poor baby slept, every night, next to his warm, familiar mommy with the sound of her heartbeat and breathing and comforting smell. Then one day he had to go to bed in his cold crib with no mommy by his side. Naturally, it took several days for him to become accustomed to his crib, but he did. It just makes me feel bad b/c he had no idea what was happening and why mommy was no longer there. I really loved sleeping with him, for the most part, but I don't want another baby to have to go through the trauma of the transition.

[Skylark]

My girl slept in the Moses basket right next to our bed. Even when I did put her in our bed, she liked it for a little bit, but always prefered and felt cosier in her own little place. I think it was a good arrangement, as she did fall asleep by herself independently, but at the same time she was close enough to us to not feel alone. Also, since she did not use diapers from 10 days old, and used potty even through the night, it was a good arrangement for us to wake up every time when she was asking to go.

She slept in the Moses basket for first 6.5 months, before she graduated to a crib ( which is also right next to our bed). I would not say that it hindered her mobility ( of course I do not have other kids to compare with...), she started to roll over at 5 months, crawling at 6, standing and walking along furniture at 7, standing on her own without support and walking at 8 months...

I felt that having her sleeping right next to us, while at the same time in her own bed was the best arrangement, and most of all she obviously prefered it that way as well. I think partly to the security that she felt from it, we have not had problem with putting her to skeep on her own at her bed or nap time, and just leaving her there, while going and taking care of other things in the living room or kitchen, she usually would put herself to sleep on her own. We never rocked her to sleep. But I do spend some fun cuddle time with her at her wake up time after nap and in the morning...

These are just some thoughts from my experience. And yes, Dr sears has some good advice on his site...

[mirra]

Hi,

** Best place for newborn to sleep is mom's lap. You can fold your legs and sit - as if you are doing padmasana yoga posture - put a soft towel or soft cloth on your lap and keep her in that. then you can slowly rock your leg. she will sleep happily and gently. Once she deep sleeps, say after 10 min, you can put her in cradle or basket in a snug position. Or put her next to you in bed.

when she sleeps near you or on you, she gets your body warmth too which is good for first 3 months.

This is done for 100's of  years in our country India. A cloth cradle is also common in our country.

[mirra]

Dear Fruck,

Read the article. This is done almost exactly as is mentioned in the articles about Natural parenting for several centuries here!!! and I do exactly as in that, I have never read this article till date. Grandparents has passed on this knowledge to us!!! One thing to add or I have added for my infant is - we give tiny quantity of herb mix to infant, to aid in proper digestion and keep away from cold or flu.

For cold weather, I would prefer the approach of natural parenting
http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/natural_parenting.pdf
page 123 +

[systeven00]

Hi, I was having trouble getting my little one to sleep and I found this PDF document extremely helpful, http://www.thepdfportal.com/how_to_get_your_baby_to_sleep_through_the_night_1_6.pdf
I hope this helps some one

[Skylark]

Update on or second one -- we co-slept with him from day one and still do at 18 months. In his case it worked the best 

[masterofmayo]

We swaddled our daughter for the first 3 months. I don't know what Doman thinks about that, but it worked brilliantly for us. Our daughter loved it. She typically slept for 6 hours+ from day 1 and we definitely attribute it to the swaddle. She slept next to the bed in an inclined baby cradle because she would throw up without her head being elevated. We also ran a sound machine for white noise. When it was time to move her to a cradle in her own bedroom we didn't have any issues. I attribute some of this success to the sound machine as it helped keep maintain a similar sleeping environment.

From what I've heard and read, it seems like there are as many theories about baby sleeping as there are babies. I think the trick is to find something that gives YOUR baby (and you!) the best night sleep possible. Everybody is better off when well rested.

[DannyandAmy]

I know of a Montessori mom who bought only the mattress that goes to the crib, but not the crib itself. She put the mattress on the floor, and allowed the baby to sleep there. (I think she put a yoga mat on the floor next to the mattress just in case.)

Her philosophy was, if the baby rolls or gets off the bed, that in and of itself was one of his discoveries (kind of like the Domans say every accidental crawling motion should be used to encourage and benefit brain development). As long as your house is clean and baby safe, (and might I add, no pets that come to "cuddle" and accidentally suffocate the baby,) I would assume there shouldn't be a problem.

Just for another point-of-view:

I know in traditional households in Japan (of which the Domans are fans), everybody sleeps on the floor. Babies co-sleep with mom, and are allowed all of the benefits the mattress on the floor offers. Kind of like the best of both worlds.
(And a sidenote: "kicking them out" of the bed is almost unheard of in Japan. The child does not go through the traumatic "eviction" many Western cultures have the kids do. I know many Western couples who cannot imagine sleeping with their children for years, but in Japan, it is the normal thing to do. Personally, I grew up this way and I think it works, but my husband on the other hand, who grew up in America, isn't so sure.)

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