For what it's worth: sleep is a learned habit. So if the infant learns to sleep in your arms it's harder for him/her to learn to sleep by themselves in a cot or bed.
But, obviously, what works for you is what's important.
> For what it's worth: sleep is a learned habit. So if the infant learns to sleep in your arms it's harder for him/her to learn to sleep by themselves in a cot or bed.
I consider this part of perhaps the most important rule of parenting: don't do (or stop doing ASAP) stuff you don't want to keep doing. Supplementary rule: expect friction any time you stop doing one of these things, and do your best to ignore said friction, or you'll backslide and never effect change, probably causing more total suffering (for all concerned) than if you'd just gone cold-turkey.
As a father of 7, I agree. You have to train your children how and when to sleep or someone is going to be up once or twice every night for years to come.
Training starts right away but it takes a while to reach the point they're sleeping through the night as defined as '8 hours of uninterrupted sleep three nights in a row'. A wake-sleep-eat cycle will help your infant get there by 12 weeks. This book will save the sanity of new parents - recommended. "On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep"
I consider this part of perhaps the most important rule of parenting: don't do (or stop doing ASAP) stuff you don't want to keep doing. Supplementary rule: expect friction any time you stop doing one of these things, and do your best to ignore said friction, or you'll backslide and never effect change, probably causing more total suffering (for all concerned) than if you'd just gone cold-turkey.