Would you pick your baby up?

Question

I have a 5 month old, who sometimes likes to roll around in her crib at bedtime. I'm not talking just rolling around. I'm talking banging on the mattress with her feet so hard she shakes the bed, grunting, squealing, rolling over and over until she's at the other end of the crib, then rolling all the way back over. She bangs herself into the side of the crib too, which makes me nervous, because she got her legs caught in the rails before. She wears a sleep sack now, so that doesn't happen. She doesn't cry, but she yells out and when I go check on her, she squeals and wants to play. She's a crazy baby lol! I don't usually pick her up and she will usually fall asleep in a half hour or so. I hope that's ok to do. I have never let her cry it out, because, well, she doesn't cry too often. Would you pick your baby up if she/he did this? Is this the same as crying it out, even though it seems as if she's just playing? Is this normal? First time mom, here...

Answer 1

HAHA Bubba seems like a bundle of laughs. Heres a tip I have learnt from a nurse. If she isn't crying and she's breathing bums clean. why stress. for a new mum you're doing an amazing job

Answer 2

She just sounds like an energetic baby, who still wants to play even when mommy needs to sleep. I'd say if she's not crying then it's okay to leave her in there and not pick her up. She needs to get used to going to sleep when she's supposed to. Doing this will make it easier on you in the long run, trust me I have 3 children of my own. She will be okay but listen out for her at night, maybe put a monitor in her room, so you will know that she is okay.

Answer 3

Sounds like you have quite a playful little one!

I wouldn't pick her up.  That will just cause a horrible cycle that you will soon grow tired of.  I would just pat her on the back and softly tell her that its nite nite time.

if she is not crying or complaining, you can go ahead and just let her do her thing.  It may just be her own special way of winding down

Answer 4

As long as she is not crying she is ok but don't let her cry it out,  

Answer 5

She sounds like a wonderful, playful baby.  The only thing I'd have a hard time doing is NOT playing with her.  When my son (4 months) gets like this at bedtime or during the night it is so hard not to smile back and play with him.  I think it's totally normal for her and also for you to be tossed up.  I don't think she'll hurt herself though.  She'd have to be rolling at a pretty good force to hurt herself by banging into the side.  My baby also gets stuck in the rails and that's when he cries out.  He just stops moving around.  He doesn't know how to back himself out of it yet.  She'll learn too soon enough.  I can't imagine she'd hurt herself in this way.  I asked my mother about the bumpers as well because I was worried about the same thing.  Her response was that when she was raising kids they didn't have them and we all got stuck in the rails.  But we've never heard of a baby actually hurting themselves this way.

good luck!  enjoy your playful baby:)

Answer 6

im going to be a first time mum too but this just sounds like your babys playing if they were upset youd know it and even if they were upset you dont have to pick them up dont let them cry it out just put them back to sleeping position and pat them back to sleep and comfort them

you baby sounds so cute and psyco lol it sounds like your doing the right thing if they go back to sleep and dont cry

good luck with everything

Answer 7

my 6 month old does the same thing, she will tire herself out and go back to sleep within a few minutes, makes me feel better knowing that she isn't the only one rolls from one end to the other and kicks that hard

Answer 8

Do you have bumpers on teh crib?  I kept them on until my son could stand on them because I didn't want him banging or getting his feet stuck.  You could get the breathable bumpers if you are concerned about SIDS.

IF she's sleepy, no, I owuldn't pick her up.  She wants to see you and play, so I would actually let her hang in her crib alone.

Answer 9

First of all, Congrats! Babies are so wonderful aren't they? I think what you are doing is actually great. If she is not crying there is no need to worry. The fact that she can put herself to sleep is wonderful. Maybe she just needs that 30 min to get the extra energy out.This is what many parents dream of! I do recommend getting a breathable bumper (Sold at Babies R us) since she is so active... who knows where she ends up in her sleep! Do you have a bedtime routine? Maybe consider reading her a quiet story during this half an hour she uses to wind down. Always whisper to her so she knows its quiet time. I give my daughter a message during the half an hour before bed time. I NEVER let my love CIO. This helps me. Good luck !!!

Answer 10

Hi,

I think the most important thing to start with is to get your baby into a good sleep routine.  I had massive problems with getting my 4 month old son to sleep.  He would just lie awake and cry for hours, then when he finally went to sleep he would wake every hour or two hours through the night and cry again!  Talk about pulling our hair out .... we were absolutely desperate for sleep!

It was a baby sleep audio program recommended by a friend that finally saved us. We followed the advice and began by creating a baby sleep routine which included bathtime, dimming of the lights, putting James into his crib, final nappy change and then lullabies. We also made recommended changes to his naps during the day and used some of the other recommended techniques. Within two weeks he was sleeping through the night most nights with just the odd night where he would just wake once!

Definitely start by creating a good baby sleep routine though and you could find that solves most of your baby sleep problems.

Good luck!

If you want to take a look, the audio program is at http://www.babysleepsolution.com

Answer 11

From what I understand she is just playing.  My kids tend to get real "goofy" and playful at bedtime so maybe that is what she is doing.  As long as she is playing and not hurting herself I dont see why you would have to pick her up.  It seems to me you just got a good baby that will play herself to sleep so Congrats.