# Do babies in slings sleep TOO much (and not eat enough)?



## Periwinkle (Feb 27, 2003)

My 2 month old baby LOVES the sling. He is currently in a KKAFP and I'm looking for a similar one for summer (but there's a whole other thread about that so I won't digress!).

He sleeps A LOT in it. As in, 2, 3, 4+, hour stretches! Sometimes I'm about to explode and so I get him out of the sling to wake him to nurse, and he's very hungry and nurses well. He nurses 6-9 times a day which I understand to be "normal" for his age. But sometimes I feel like if I don't wake him, he'll sleep all day in there.

So has anyone noticed that their babies sleep TOO much in the sling?

A sleeping baby is a good thing, right?!

Help me, I'm confused.


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## slightly crunchy (Jul 7, 2003)

I wouldn't worry about it, personally. Unless you are wanting to help him sleep a little longer at night. I think it'd be nicer to have the 4 hour stretch at night, for me. My son used to nap a really long time like that when he was tiny, but if it went close to or more than 3 hours, I'd wake him, just to help with night time. I think babies know how much they need to eat, and will somehow manage to get enough over 24 hours, it's just more of that may be in the middle of the night if they are sleeping all day.


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## lizabird (Jan 19, 2004)

My DS used to sleep a lot in the sling too (though maybe not as much as yours







)... I wouldn't worry about it either, I've never heard of anyone reporting that sling babies sleep too much and don't eat enough. There are sooo many other cultures out there that carry their babies all day long and when the baby wakes up and wants to nurse, the milk is right there, then they go back to sleep! I also understand that after a few hours you have a lot of milk, so I"d probably just keep doing what you're doing and wake the babe to nurse when you need him to.


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## TEAK's Mom (Apr 25, 2003)

Some of the 'mainstream' books warn about this and I think it's nonsense. But, if part of your parenting were to include schedules and lots of crying and not 'spoiling' then a happy comfortable baby would be a problem. Sorry, does my bias show?

Seriously, as long as you are getting enough rest, then all is good. Women have worn their babies for millenia. It works. Feel free to do the pull out to nurse when you get to full, but I think that, as your baby gets older, it will balance out.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

My DD slept nearly constantly when she was in the sling, at that age. As long as baby is growing well and well-hydrated, and you are not unhappy with nighttime, I think it's just fine. If you are worried about the feeding, you can of course try waking him up more often to nurse-- my DD ate every two hours at that age. But honestly, like the PP said, babies the world over have been carried almost constantly in slings, and done just fine!

Somewhere around 3 to 3 1/2 months, DD started to get more interested in the wider world, and began staying awake longer, and once we switched to forward-facing holds at around 4 months, she spent a lot of awake time in the sling. Now, I can't get her to sleep-- she's too involved in grabbing everything within reach! :LOL


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## daisyem (May 12, 2004)

I notice the same thing with my almost-2-month old. He will sleep forever in the sling, but he also sleeps well at night. He is a chunky little guy though (over 12 lbs at 7 weeks) and I just make sure to wake up up when my boobs get to full, if he hasn't woken on his own.

Our slings are SOOO comfy


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## Ravin (Mar 19, 2002)

My DD would sleep a lot in the sling at that age, but usually she fell asleep nursing, and since the sling hid the "exposure" I'd just leave my bra/shirt open and my boob next to her face so whenever she woke she could nurse again immediately.

But I know not everyone masters in-sling nursing so quickly. I had wrist problems and a C-sec scar to motivate me.


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## Mizelenius (Mar 22, 2003)

I have been waking up DD to eat every 2-3 hours (trying to get rid of jaundice). Maybe a coincidence but nighttime seems easier (I can't sleep nursing so this is big). But, ITA with pps that if you're OK with nighttime (and some it doesn't affect anyway), it's fine!

BTW, I vote hotslings for your summer pouch!


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## AmandaBL (Aug 3, 2004)

*and since the sling hid the "exposure" I'd just leave my bra/shirt open and my boob next to her face so whenever she woke she could nurse again immediately.*


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## Quindin (Aug 22, 2003)

nak
My baby sleeps so deeply and for so long when he is in the sling. I was wondering whether he was sleeping too much, but I guess he is so comfy and content that it is ok







He does nurse a lot too though - he keeps sleeping, but does eat well :LOL


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