Whats your input on baby schedules?

Question

Well, I have a 7 weeks old beautiful baby girl that always wants to be held and rocked (and its hard not to give in to that cute face!). I read this book the other day that specifically said I should have her on a wake/feed/sleep schedule. I started doing this yestarday, and she seems to be a lot less needy- and did sleep better last night. She also wakes up happier...but the book also states that when I put her down for a nap I should let her fall asleep on her own even if she cries for a few minutes. I can hardly bear to hear her cry and I just want to do whats best for her. I'd like to hear other mom's opinions on this... Should I also pick her up and cuddle her when she cries (granted she doesnt need a diaper change, and is just tired and fussy) or should I let her put herself to sleep??

Answer 1

Cuddle them while you can. The first year is when they learn trust and security, So when my son (3 months old) cries I automatically pick him up. They are only babies once. And when they get older then won't even want a hug or kiss. I also have four other sons ages 18, 17, 11 and 9. The baby is the only snuggler.

Answer 2

I think some sort of schedule is great for any baby, however I do not agree with letting a newborn cry themselves to sleep. They need your love and attention so they can learn to depend on you for their needs! If she were say 4 months old I think it would be okay to let her cry for  a few minutes but not at her age right now she is still too young she needs you.

Answer 3

Is that Babywise? i read that book and came to the conclusion that routines are definitely for me, BUT i didn't follow the recommendations. They were just too rigid. I didn't feel like battling the instincts and needs of my baby.  

My baby has always been pretty regular. She does really well with routines and get very very cranky if her little schedule gets messed up. She's had a routine since she was about 3 months (which she created, i just followed, happily!). But before then she definitely had a rhythm --- eat, awake time, sleep, eat, awake time sleep, over and over again. i think it's great to get into a rhythm like that if you can.

Start tracking everytime she eats (how much/how long), when sleeps, etc. you may start seeing some regularities -- ie, maybe she get sleepy at the same time every night, or maybe she wakes up at the same time every morning, or maybe she wants to eat more in the afternoon than in the morning, etc.   If you pay attention to your babies natural routine/instinct you usually find patterns.  If you stick with those patterns then you can help your baby develop a nice little routine.  that's my two cents!! good luck!!  

Answer 4

At 7 weeks old, she's a bit young to be on a firm schedule. They've got no self soothing skills at that age. I'd wait until between 4-6 months old until trying any of those things. Generally they develop their own basic nap routines anyhow by then.  

Answer 5

I'm going through the exact same thing with my 7 week old (born June 23)! She will not let me put her down for anything. I've tried to let her cry herself to sleep but it's hard to listen to it & sometimes she screams so loud I'm afraid she'll hurt her throat. At night she sleeps beside me & has slept through the night a few times. I don't know how to get her on a schedule because she sleeps when SHE wants- not when someone wants her to.

Today is her 1st day of daycare & it was sooo hard for me to leave her there. I'm at work now but expecting a call anytime telling me she's crying & wont' stop haha

Answer 6

Scheduling babies is associated with failure to thrive for baby, breastfeeding failure for Mum. Don't do it.

Letting small babies sob alone is a SIDS risk, too. Throw the book out the window. Of interest: http://ezzo.info/

Answer 7

She will put herself on a schedule. We always cuddled and picked our daughter when she cried or fussed when she was very young. She turned into a very happy older baby who hardly fussed at all. When you put her down for a nap make sure she really is ready and if she fusses a little bit it's okay.

Answer 8

She is still to young to be left to CIO.  At 7 weeks she doesn't have the ability to soothe herself.  I do recommend that you put her down when she is drowsy but content.  Then she will start to learn to fall asleep on her own and not need you to fall asleep.  My daughter is almost 5 months old and we do not let her CIO.

Answer 9

Well what I learned is when a baby is crying there is a stage where they need to learn to calm themselves.  they are so used to their mommy calming them so it's like switching them to milk...It's a new process.  It is goina be hard for you mommy, but just think of it this way...While she is crying she's not anywhere dangerous, babies can't die from crying...you know.  So she'll be fine.  This is very good for her to learn to comfort herself.  

But at 7 weeks is a little early.  I didn't do this until my baby was 6months old and the reason why is because he still wasn't sleeping through the night.  

At 7weeks they need mommy and daddy's love.  Your baby is still new to this world and needs comfort that mommy and daddy is there.

Answer 10

Have you been reading Babywise?

Burn it.  Just burn that book.  lol

Honestly, and seriously- FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS!!!  If she is happy on a wake/feed/sleep routine then do it!  If she can't put herself to sleep at 7 weeks (and what newborn can, really... mine couldn't really... they had to be in a swing or a bouncy seat or something at that age), then do something to soothe her to sleep.

Don't expect one single baby book to be your "bible".  Instead, take the advice that works, ditch the advice that DOESN'T work, and you'll be all set because there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Good luck!

Answer 11

Instead of letting infants cry, American parents should keep their babies close, console them when they cry, and bring them to bed with them, where they'll feel safe, according to Michael L. Commons and Patrice M. Miller, researchers at the Medical School's Department of Psychiatry. "Parents should recognize that having their babies cry unnecessarily harms the baby permanently," Commons said. "It changes the nervous system so they're overly sensitive to future trauma." The idea, often heard these days, that babies can and should learn to "self-soothe," without any physical or emotional interaction with parents, is incorrect. The best and most effective way for a child to learn to lull himself quietly back to sleep after experiencing a night waking is for parents to have demonstrated their dependability and availability when the child was a baby. Otherwise, that emotional upset the baby suffered as a result of the traumatic event that aroused him from sleep in the first place may, be compounded by the terror and frustration of feeling abandoned and unwanted. If a baby learns that his mother will come to him whenever he awakens in distress and cries out for her, he is more likely to develop into a self-reliant and self-assured child who will have the ability to assess and manage his own night wakings without involving his parents unnecessarily. It cannot be overly stressed that depriving a baby or a child of emotional support when he needs or wants it runs the risk of creating an emotionally unstable child and eventually an emotionally unstable adult. Only good can come from cuddling your baby whenever he needs it. In the best of worlds, a baby would automatically receive all the cuddling he needs without ever having to ask for it