My baby doesn't like to be held!

[YayJennie]

My daughter is 4 weeks old, and really seems to prefer to be in a bouncer/swing or laying in the pack and play over being held.  This seems so weird to me, and definitely different from my son, who would fuss if I left him alone for too long when he was that age.  But Emma will contently sit for an hour or morein the swing, awake, or lay in the pack and play and just fall asleep on her own.  If I pick her up, she fusses.  No matter what position I hold her in.  Sometimes, she's fussy and I'll spend 20 minutes trying to sooth her, finally put her down for a minute to go to the bathroom, come back and she's completely content, just laying by herself. 

We do co sleep, and I wear her whenever we go out of the house, and sometimes around the house as well, and she definitely likes being in the moby (although she usually just falls asleep).  So she is getting held.  I just thought all babies preferred to be held rather than just set down!  I am a believer in baby/child-led, so I've been leaving her be if she's content where she is.  But I feel like one of "those" parents, with my baby in a swing all the time.  Should I just enjoy that she's so independent right now and remember that everything is a phase at this age?  Has anyone else had a baby like this?  Did they continue to be like this as they got older?  I have to admit, I would love to have a baby that falls asleep all by herself without needing hours of rocking!  But it still feels weird to leave her without holding her for most of the day.

[P.J.]

Yes! Enjoy it! Your baby is getting loads of body contact by cosleeping and being worn, no need to worry about a lack of it.

I would consider it a true blessing if my baby could fall asleep on his own. There are certainly some precious moments rocking and singing him to sleep, but sometimes it would just be much simpler if I could lay him down and that was that, kwim? And I savor the times he is able to play on his own and doesn't need me (I know a 4 week old doesn't play, but this is just my current situation w/ a 7 m.o.). 

Still, your baby may change and need you to help her to sleep later on. I think at that age my DS still slept on and off all day without much of a routine needed but I can't remember when we had to start parenting him to sleep and doing the whole routine.

[McGucks]

Does your sweetie love being held while she is breastfeeding?  My son is 9 months old and has never been too into being held, so the breastfeeding times are all the more special because he "lets" me hold him then.  He did not enjoy being worn...good that your LO does. Guess they are all different! 

[EmTheWife]

My now 7 1/2 month ds also likes to be left alone, so you are not alone.  I too sometimes feel like "that" parent...but what else are you to do when the floor is obviously where your baby wants to be, and cries until he's set down?  I've learned to get my snuggles in while nursing and putting him to bed.

[katroshka]

My older daughter went through a phase when she was about 2- 4 months where she would squirm and fuss until I put her down on her playmat. She then grew out of it, though she still liked to sit in her high chair a lot and "draw" once she could sit up on her own, and has always been a cuddly, sweet child ever since (she's 9 now). I wouldn't worry about it. Once my second was born and wouldn't let me set her down for 2 seconds I was really wishing she was more independent like her sister!