By Claire Lerner and Rebecca Parlakian
My 3-week-old son wants to be held all of the time. I can’t put him down without him crying within a few minutes. He sleeps with me at night, but only naps during the day if someone is holding him. Any suggestions?
As tough as it can be for new parents who just want a few minutes to themselves, the fact is that very young babies often just want to be held. When you hold your baby, he feels your warm body and hears your heartbeat, a sound familiar from inside the womb. He smells your scent. When you cuddle him, he feels safe; it reminds him of the good old days back inside your belly. Plus, the closer he is, the more likely he is to receive your caresses and kisses.
If you want him to start learning how to sleep on his own, try “swaddling” him,wrapping him snugly in a blanket,which can be very soothing to young babies. Stay with him and rock him, sing, or stroke his face or hand until he settles down. Babies this young simply don’t have the ability to calm themselves yet, so it’s important not to let him cry it out.
It takes time for babies to learn to fall asleep on their own. Helping him soothe himself during the daytime will help him calm himself at night when you put him down. So be patient, seek out help when you need it, and remember that these early days and months do fly by very quickly.
