Baby will only sleep in car seat

**lady boss** · 10-05-2011, 01:11 PM

Hi All,

I was hoping someone may have some suggestions......
I have been caring for a baby since January, and she just refuses to sleep unless in her car seat. As i have others to care for and the screaming was unsettling them i gave in and let her sleep in living room in car seat. Now i have her for a couple of days on her own for a month i thought i would get tough and try to get her to settle in cot. I have spoken to childs mother and she has no routine at home and sleeps in bed with parents every evening. The poor thing is obviously used to being close in contact to settle to sleep but i really want to nip this in the bud.
She screams all day up in travel cot and i keep going in to reassure her but i cant leave her up in bed the whole day, but as soon as her bring her down she is grumpy and wants to be held to go to sleep!!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated?

Thanks

**Monkey26** · 10-05-2011, 01:18 PM

What about getting the child to sleep in a pushchair? Its bigger than a car seat (assuming you mean a rear-facing baby seat) but not as big and daunting as a travel cot? You could also rock the pushchair, then gradually stop this over a couple of weeks? Eventually you could start moving the child into the cot once asleep?

I had to have one sleep in a pushchair when she first started as she would scream and scream in the cot. After a couple of weeks i would move her (once asleep) into the cot so she got used to waking in the cot. Still never settled in the cot unfortunatley so one day i tried her on a bed (with bedguard) and she was out like a light! We've never looked back

Good luck xx

**lady boss** · 10-05-2011, 01:48 PM

Hi and thank you both for your replies.
I was concerned about baby sleeping in car seat as i am not sure what Ofsteds take on this would be. I have my inspection in September and thought it would be good to get into a routine by then. Anyone know if Ofsted would have a problem with this??

**sarah707** · 10-05-2011, 05:20 PM

It is dangerous for little ones to sleep in car seats. They need to be stretched out so they can breathe properly - car seats push them forward and constrict the air ways.

I would try a lie flat buggy. I have lots of children who prefer to sleep outside, well bundled up in the buggy

**Mouse** · 10-05-2011, 05:34 PM

What about a first stage lie back car seat? You can get one that goes from a sit up seat to a lie flat one, but they are very expensive. Or could you use the next stage up carseat that can lie back when she is asleep?

How old is mindee? If you read the research regarding oxygen desaturation, it says that it isn't so much of an issue after they're 6mths old. It's worth looking into.

**babs** · 10-05-2011, 05:43 PM

one of the lo's i have slept in a car seat at home and at other cm's but i brought a lie back rocker chair and from day 1 put him in that no problems at all.. as for cot have you put the car seat in cot to get baby use to room and cot you could try this then move them to cot... or like others have said try a buggy ...

**Katiekoo** · 10-05-2011, 06:09 PM

I have a lo who will (lately) only go to sleep while held, my dd did the same so I knew what to do to get her to sleep in cot.
I lay a thick or doubled over blanket over my lap/front and hold the child in my lap to fall asleep - decreasing the cuddle factor each time! Then I use the thick blankets to transfer them into the cot without disturbing them too much, the thickness means they don't notice your hands moving around under them. You don't wrap the child in the blankets but tuck them round the matress so they aren't loose. It can be time consuming - I put this lo down after all the others are sleeping

Then before long they will go down in the cot without so much fuss!
I hope you give this a try as it's much better for the child to sleep where they can stretch out, and the parents will probably thank you if you can pull this off!

**Tina O** · 10-05-2011, 07:42 PM

as mentioned above I would be placing car seat in cot (if it's a travel cot starting off with in in same room as you have them sleeping in car seat at moment) to get used to cot, then move cot gradularly into the room you want them to sleep in and finally removing them from the car seat...... (by which time they are probably to big for seat anyway) xx

**buildingblocks** · 10-05-2011, 07:47 PM

What about sleeping child on the settee with you sitting next to them (I think you said you have time with just lo) then progress to the travel cot if you feel the need to.

**lady boss** · 11-05-2011, 11:13 AM

Thank you all very much for your advice.
I think i will try a buggy and see if this helps.

It's all ok for me to try these things while its just her for a month on a certain day, but im finding it extrememly difficult when i have other little ones needs to see to.

I am grateful for everyones advice and i will keep you informed x