The doctors say that the Only safe option for baby is on his back in the crib and that carries a lot of weight with me BUT my 5 day old baby won't sleep on back in crib. Here's where he will and won't sleep:
No- crib, Rock and play (only a few minutes), bassinet
Yes- my arms, swing, boppy lounger, middle of our bed, (on top of covers)
Am I missing an option? Given the options and my own need for sleep, WWYD?
nectarine / 2317 posts
Daytime we had lots of snuggle naps and swing naps at that age. I wouldn't worry too much about where they are napping! Night time we got her to sleep in the bassinet swaddled tightly, but she was still up every 2 hrs to feed (which is normal) sometimes more often. I think around day 5-7 there's a cluster feed where they just eat all the time and you think there's no way they could be hungry again but they are. Just rol with it. It ends, I promise.
nectarine / 2641 posts
Is the swing lay flat? That's my favorite option, because eventually you can slow the swing, then put them in a non-moving swing, and then they'll be ready to do the crib. And they're still learning to fall asleep independently.
nectarine / 2631 posts
All of your Yes options were my Yes options too! I let my kids sleep where ever they would! (as long as you are watching them in the bed/ boppy they should be fine)
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I'm not saying this is recommended or anything...
When she sleeps my baby starts the night and naps in the rock and play- always swaddled at night, often in a looser swaddle during the day. (Or in a wrap on me sometimes). After she wakes up the first time at night we usually leave her in the bed, either flat on her back in between us, above the point where our blankets start, or with her head on my shoulder and my arm around her. I did mention this to my pediatrician and she didn't have a problem, but I'm aware it's not as safe as flat on her back in a crib.
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
Naps are fine. It's just nighttime sleep I'm concerned about. When I'm not watching him.
@Jess1483: the swing isn't totally flat. It's on a slight incline. But it isn't sitting up or anything.
nectarine / 2641 posts
@travellingbee: Then (and I'm not a doctor, of course), I'd go with it. I know flat on back in the crib is ideal--and it's a great goal, but if it doesn't work and makes for sleep deprivation for Mama and/or Baby (which also isn't safe), I think you should make a solid choice about the next-safest space, rather than falling into really unsafe practices (falling asleep together in a recliner or on a couch...)
pomelo / 5084 posts
@Foodnerd81: We've done this too! He comes into bed with us around 6 am for another 30 minutes or so and I can't say I haven't fallen back asleep with my arm around him! 
pomegranate / 3516 posts
With both of my girls I used a cosleeper that goes on the bed when they were tiny. It allowed them to be on the bed but secure by the sides of the cosleeper.
The one I have is a little different but kind of like this:
clementine / 920 posts
First of all Congratulations!!! DS slept swaddled in the rock n play for the first few weeks. He was right next to the bed so I could check on him but it allowed us to get some sleep. Eventually I moved him to the flat pack n play and then the crib. Good luck 
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
@Bluemasonjar: Thanks! So did my DS, but this one won't stay in the rock and play.
@BelugaBean: we have something similar we tried but it didn't work with #1. Maybe I'll sig it out to try with DS2.
@Foodnerd81: that's usually what happens with us too, and I feel guilty. I let him sleep on me in the hospital too and everytime the nurses would come in and admonish me that baby must sleep in the bassinet. 
grapefruit / 4066 posts
Are you swaddling? Maybe that will help him sleep in rock and play or bassinet? If not, I would probably do the swing...
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@travellingbee: I ended up doing that in the hospital too and I expected the nurses to yell at me, but they actually peaked in a couple of times when she was still sleeping and I was half asleep and they never said anything. I feel like at some point my sleep deprivation is a greater danger to us all.
nectarine / 2987 posts
DS had reflux so he slept swaddled tightly in the swing or on the boppy lounger set in the pack n play for longer than I want to admit. I just put either right next to my bed so I could see him. I also tucked a burp cloth under his shoulder blades so he wasn't slumping forward in the swing. That plus a swaddle made his back flatter so his airway was more protected.
cherry / 157 posts
Out of the options I'd choose the swing. I only co-slept a couple of times during growth spurts and I couldn't really get comfortable with it. Another option is a side car co-sleeper though, I would be more comfortable with that. Maybe you could borrow one to see if it works.
grapefruit / 4291 posts
@travellingbee: my preference would be to set up a safe space for bed-sharing (so a bed rather than a couch or recliner, etc). Here's a link to some good guidelines:
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
@BelugaBean: just wanted to let you know that a bed co-sleeper is what has ended up working for us, for now. Thanks for the suggestion! I had one in the closet that we bought for DS1 and he never liked it. I totalky forgot about it until you mentioned it! 
pomegranate / 3516 posts
@travellingbee: That's awesome! Both of our girls would only sleep there (or on us) in the early days and it was a lifesaver!
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