Baby will only go to sleep in carrier

[shannonwren]

My 6.5 month old will only fall asleep without crying in the ergo. This is for naps (2-3) and bedtime. I've tried rocking, nursing, stroller, bouncing and this is the only thing that works without him crying for about 15 minutes. He has never liked going to sleep, is a light sleeper and wakes himself up easily.

Lately he has even begun fussing a bit for about 10 minutes in the carrier before he will go to sleep and its becoming difficult to get him out of it to lay him down without waking him and going through the process again.

Has anyone else had this happen? Does anyone have any advice on what I can try so that I don't have to put the ergo on each time? He's getting heavy! Does anyone have a baby that cries before sleeping and does this eventually go away?

Thanks!

[Louisep]

This was my baby until very recently, although he rarely cries when I try and put him to sleep he does sometimes and I think many babies probably do.

At about 9.5 months he suddenly didn't want to fall asleep in a carrier anymore and much to my surprise just wanted to be cuddled to sleep on the bed!! So I think they just grow out of it maybe?

I would sit on an exercise ball in the latter months to ease the burden on my back/legs etc.

Personally, I just figured out a way to get him out of the ergo and onto the bed. I found it easier in the Mei Tai too. I would take off the straps, slowly lower myself to a kneeling position on the bed, then sitting (while holding him in the carrier with my arms, and then I would shimmer to the side and lie us both down. I could then slowly slowly move away from him and leave him.

Good luck!

[Megamus]

We went through the carrier thing when Xander was smaller, especially for naps. He eventually grew out of it -I would try non-carrying every once in a while just to see, but if it didn't work I wouldn't push it. Later we went through a phase where he would only sleep at night if I was right next to him, so every night at 7:30 I would kiss my husband goodnight and climb into bed with my baby and my laptop. Now once he's down he'll sleep for an hour or two before waking up and looking for me.

My point is that it's going to get better. Just keep trying something else every so often and eventually it'll work.

On the bright side, carrying him for naps etc. made me lose more than 25 pounds in his first year!

[lurve]

yeah, for more than six months this was my babe. they do grow out of it, i swear. Megamus is right on the money. these things change. your babe won't be 20 years old and still need to go to sleep in the carrier, but at the moment he is still such a baby...

[Pepper44]

My DD went through a similar phase where she wouldn't fall asleep easily and also would not sleep on her own without me touching her in some way.

I've seen a lot of other mommas post similar things on here over the past few years. I'm certain that it's a phase many AP babies go through! It took my DD until after 12 months before she would nurse to sleep and then let me slip away or lay her down from the wrap. It was very frustrating sometimes, and kind of depressing and overwhelming at times also, but the phase did pass eventually!