kids

[imtaz512]

how do you break a baby of haveing to be held all the time. Besides sleeping,what can you do for a teething 4 week old baby?

[NannyB.]

Aug. 12, 2009 at 3:26 PM

Four weeks is very, very young to be teething.  I would more readily suspect a tummy ache, and there are drops you can get for that.

[MSugarKane]

Aug. 12, 2009 at 3:32 PM

They don't teeth at four weeks old.  They do get gas pains and grape water usually helps.  After feedings keep them upright for at least 20 minutes to help them digest the formula or breastfeeding.   You will know when they are teething. Their gums get rock hard , they put their fingers in their mouth and drool a lot.   

[MSugarKane]

Aug. 12, 2009 at 4:00 PM

The other answer to your first question.   How to break a baby from wanting to be held all the time.   My youngest grandchild is four weeks old this Friday.   He loves being held a lot.  He will wake up from a snoring sleep for no reason at all. 

OK so, this is what I told my daughter:

Think of being the baby.  For nine months he was cuddled up in your belly, snug as a bug in a rug.   When he first came out he was very sleepy and did fairly well on his own but you did tend to hold him a lot as others did.   Now he is more alert, more aware of his surroundings and can't talk so he uses his cries to let you know what he wants.  If he is crying and you know he is not hungry, he is dry, then do pick him up, snuggle him tight.   Use the recieving blankets and make him into a little taco with his hands inside the blanket, tight, just his little head sticking out.  When he gets fully asleep put him in the cradle in the little taco like blanket.   What wakes these babies up mainly is the startle reflex.   They hear something and it startles them awake.  Then they cry, it scares them.

And another reason is because the want MOMMY or DADDY to hold them for them to feel safe and secure like back in the womb.  So pick them back up, snuggle again and once they are asleep put them back in the cradle.  At some point they will learn to sleep in there for a couple of hours at a time.   Sometimes people use their own shirts they are wearing with mommy's smell on it to use as the wrap to keep them tightly wrapped.   This makes the baby think you are holding them.  

Its normal, and most infants prefer to be in your arms then in a cradle alone.   They do grow out of it if you are diligent and put them in the cradle when they are fast asleep.  Even if it only lasts fifteen minutes  or so.   They will grow to sleep longer and longer periods of time ,  in time.  

Enjoy!  They are only little like this once!