My babies are addicted to their swings/bouncers

The only time my babies are happy now is when they are in their best baby swings or bouncers with the vibrate on. They are literally in them all day long and night now. Last night Julia screamed all night until we put her in her swing. I tried rocking her in the glider and then put her down to sleep but as soon as I put her down her eyes pop open and she cries. Have I created really bad habits? Will my babies ever be happy without their swings/bouncers? Is it ok to leave them in them all the time? Is this normal? HELP!

 

YES! It is normal and I know a lot of us have been there. I could not have lived without my bouncers and was sad to remove them at 9 months. At this point, do what you need to do. We still were until 4.5 months, whatever it took to get them to sleep. My girls are now over a year and are sleeping like champs so it's really okay to do what you're doing!

 

I agree with Michelle...let them sleep wherever they want! I posted a similar question about my boys because one would only sleep in his swing. He eventually "let me know" when he was ready for his crib b/c he'd fuss and try to stretch when I'd put him in. He's a great sleeper in his crib now!
Good luck!

 

Nope, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

At that age, it's totally fine! I just had to stop putting mine in swings because they were grabing the fishies that go around on top,...and it was a sad day I didn't event try getting mine to nap in cribs until closer to 4 months, and we used the swings MANY times for naps until 6 months, and even then used them for "bad days" until just this week.

 

you do whatever works!! my girls used to sleep in their swings a lot..

amanda

 

QUOTE(Sarah© @ Sep 12 2007, 10:32 PM) [snapback]405534[/snapback]
Nope, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!



This is so true!
It's fine that they like to sleep in their swing/bouncy. My two loved sleeping in there until 4 months or so. They are too young to create habits, I think. Right now you have to do what works for them and you. We transitioned them into their cribs with no problems, it just has to be the right time!

 

Believe me, there will come a time when your babies will reject the swing/bouncy and be far too squirmy for it. You're doing no harm keeping them there if that's where they're happy. I had this issue with my first child, who was happy watching "Baby Neptune" (and only Baby Neptune). There was a lot of guilt about it, but I had to choose between an hour of screaming or an hour of DVD. I finally decided that if your baby is screaming and you've tried everything, just about anything is preferable to that. Wouldn't it be nice if they would all just settle down and let you rock them?

 

You might have to put them in their bouncies in their cribs for a while when you transition to naps in cribs. My Evan slept in his swing beside him crib for a few days before he made the leap to the crib for naps.

 

I wouldn't worry about it, but I felt the same way. I felt like I was always dumping one off on the swing but they kind of out grew it. The more I started introducing the crib the less they wanted to sleep in the swings and bouncies. They still nap in the swing but I have finally gotten them out of it at night. As soon as they would start to act tired at all I would put them in the crib, or after 1.5-2hours of being awake I would just put them in their crib and shut the door. I think they naturally ween themselves from it.

 

I wouldn't worry either. Lyla just realized she will NEVER sleep in her bouncy swing - though she used to only sleep there. She has to now lie flat w/ her feet touching and knees bent and her hands way above her head. They'll outgrow it naturally I think.

 

I bet they grow out of it as soon as they become mobile. I thought I'd never get my girls out; then they started to roll around on the floor, sit up, crawl...suddenly the swing is BOOORRINGG!

 

mine started to dislike the swing when they became expert rollers and tummy sleepers, they couldn't do either in the swing so for them it was just frustrating.

 

Another one here who says do what works and worry about habits later! My boys slept in their car seat or swing until 4 1/2 months.