I have a four month old that just started and I think I need some new baby gear. I have a new born coming in October also. Then my next youngest is 18 months so it has been a it since she was this little.

So I guess what I am wondering is what are your must haves. I have a bouncy seat, 2 sausers, high chair, bumbo. There are so many new things out there just wondering what others have had god luck with. Also he hate sleeping flat it only lasts about 20 min so if there is something safe for him to sleep in that is not totally flat would be great to.

Reply

I have a 5 month old that has been here since he was 6 weeks old. I use a pnp and a bouncy seat. He is so large now that he has almost outgrown the bouncy seat (the kind that he lies in at an angle, not the one where he sits upright and his feet touch the floor). He loves his bouncy. I also have a swing. He is ok for minutes--literally 4 or 5 minutes--and he's had enough of that. I have a high chair I'm just starting to use, and that's all. I will bring in the sitting bouncy seat in the next week or so, I think. His favorite place of all is a blanket on the floor. I had one of those gyms that you put them on and the toys hang above his head, but he's too long for that now. He wants on the floor so that he can roll. If I had it to do over again, I would have skipped the swing. It's just temptation for the toddlers.

The best thing I got for him was a swaddler (at his mother's suggestion). He was doing the 20 minute nap thing too. She said he needed swaddled because he has a strong startle reflex and will jerk and wake himself up. When I swaddle him, he sleeps 1 1/2 to 2 hours, twice a day most of the time. Best $10 I ever spent!!

Reply

Do you still swaddle at 5 months

Reply

I swaddled my DS until he was 7 months or so because he wouldn't sleep without. Very strong startle reflex.

I have mostly babies here so I have a swing, gym, bouncy seat, rock and play sleeper, and a jumperoo!

Reply

He will need to learn to sleep flat on his back in the crib. Regulations in our state say infants are to sleep flat on their backs without anything that lifts or raises the mattress.

My licensor also just passed along some info to me stating that come Jan 2013, NOTHING (not even swaddler things) will be allowed in cribs with infants. We will be cited for ANYTHING within, I think, a 3 foot radius of the crib. So a blanket cannot be on the floor or near the crib.

In regards to infant equipment, I recently tossed ALL of mine. Now I use the floor and when a high chair when the child is old enough to sit in one. I no longer use a swing, a bouncer, a Bumbo or any other type of infant equipment.

On a side note, we learned some interesting news about swaddling and hip dysplasia now too.... http://aapnews.aappublications.org/c...32/9/11.1.full

I have no idea if it is true or not, it was just sent to us in our monthly newsletter from our licensor.

I have only had to swaddle ONE infant to be able to get him to sleep longer than 20 minutes at a time in all my years and if it is any consolation, he will be 1 years old next Friday and still does not stand yet. He won't even walk if you try and get him to hold your fingers.

Like I said, I have no idea if there is any correlation but mentioned it anyways.

Reply

What are the regulations if a baby can roll back to front but not front to back and is a tummy sleeper, Cat?

Reply

We have to put them to sleep on their backs. Tummy sleeping is NOT allowed ever.

We used to be able to have a parent sign off that their child can be put to sleep on their tummies but we are no longer allowed to let them sign off for that.

ALL babies (under 12 months) MUST be placed in the crib on their backs.

If they are old enough to roll back and forth all on their own, there is nothing we can do to control the sleep positions and aren't bound by regulations at that point.

But they still have to be on a flat firm mattress no matter what if under age 12 months.

Reply

My 4 month old DCG can roll back to front so that's how she falls asleep. I put her on her back and she rolls to the front. I know she cant roll back so it freaks me out! She has never slept out of my sight. Always in the pack and play in the same room I am in. Infants are so scary sometimes lol.

Reply

I would do as you are doing then and I would simpy make sure she is within your site at all times while sleeping so that you KNOW she is safe and breathing.....kwim?

I totally get what you mean though as that would kind of freak me out too.
I didn't take babies for the loooongest time because of my fear of SIDS and other infant dangers.

Reply

At 4 months do you think he is old enough to cry himself to sleep? He just started with me and mom has never let him do this and I am not sure if I should yet either. She came in and told me if you want him to take a good nap you have to put him in the swing. I said I was not aloud to do so. I have been rocking him and then holding if I want him to sleep for along time. It's a pain in the but. But I don't want to lay him in bed if he is to little to CIO not sure what to do.

Reply

Personally CIO is more geared towards kids ages 6 months and older.

They say what you should do is gently rock him until he is a l m o s t asleep but still a little bit awake and then lay him in his crib and he will learn to put himself to sleep.

His mom needs to be doing the same thing at home or it won't work. If she is "teaching" him how to sleep in any manner that you can't accommodate, things will only get worse.

I cannot stress how important it is for mom to be on the same page with you. I would also share with her the info about positional asphyxiation by sleeping in a swing......Oh soooooo dangerous!!

Here is a good printout for her to read http://www.idph.state.ia.us/hcci/com...ositioning.pdf

http://getbabysleep.blogspot.com/201...n-infants.html

Reply

I have a 4 month old dcb and he would only sleep 20 mins period.... I'm not allowed ANYTHING in the crib including a swaddling blanket. So, I started by putting him in bed awake... he cried for 4 mins tops (I stood by door and made sure he went to sleep) and he slept for 2 + hrs!! So, from that moment on now he gets put in bed awake (with all needs taken care of) and he crys for 4 - 6 mins and passes out Now, I've been told it's not CIO but that's the only way I can get him to sleep more then 10 - 20 mins.

Oh, and he's been sleeping 3 hrs right now. I also physically check on him every 5 - 10 mins to make sure he's still breathing as SIDS freaks me out.

Reply

I know he would cry for along time if I put him in there not just 4 minutes how did he get to that point?

Reply

I've not been around for a while. But I have 10 every day, 3under 16mo and I only use a crib or the floor for my kids. No seats, swings, bouncers, jumpers or bumbos.

Reply