So we have major sleep issues with my little bug - it is all my fault. I love rocking my son to sleep - it is our special time - time to cuddle and be quiet together - I love his smell and listening to him breath and how he puts is little arms around me and lays his head on my chest. I have been rocking him to sleep since he has been born - but no more.
He use to sleep through the night and then he stopped sleeping through the night but when he woke up in the middle of the night - he would take a bottle and go right back down - but now he will not go back to sleep - I try giving him a bottle - rocking him - letting him cry - rubbing his back - but he is still up for between and hour to two hours before going back to sleep and now since I am back to work I cannot keep doing this - I need my sleep.
So I asked the pedi today at his 9 month check up and he said I have to stop rocking him to sleep - he needs to learn to fall asleep on his own because when he wakes up in the middle of the night he does not know how to fall back to sleep - so he told me to put him in his crib awake and just rub his back or pat his butt until he falls asleep and then do it less and less until I do not have to do it anymore -he said it is hard and could take up to a month.
So does anyone out there have any advice - tips - trick for me - I really really do not want him to CIO - I cannot handle it - is there any other way - any advice is appreciate.
I have to say I am going to miss rocking him to sleep.
6 comments:
When you find the answer, let me know :) Going through the same thing..ugh.
I was told the same thing 25 years ago when my first was a baby. I couldn't do it, and eventually she learned to go to sleep on her own. My second didn't want to be rocked - just laid down and went to sleep. Yes, I was tired sometimes, but looking back, I wouldn't give up one moment I spent rocking my baby.
We did CIO when Owen was a newborn and he learned that when I said it was bedtime it was easier just to nap.
I don't think I would do it at 9 months b/c he wont understand why you are changing it up. Have you thought about rocking him till he is close to sleep, put him in his crib, let him cry a little and try the pat on the back then?
Just remember everything is just a phase! GL!
Try rocking for just a bit while reading some books or quiet singing. When close to sleep lay him down and walk away. If heh cries, return for a minute and rub us back. Try not o pick him up! Good luck.
I could never bear to do CIO. Thankfully, it didn't come to that with our LO. She's 14 months now and sleeps through the night, has for a while, but if she wakes up now, I still go to her and meet her needs. I change her, give her milk, and put her back down awake. She is also put down wide awake for every nap and bedtime. She knows how to fall asleep on her own but I don't believe in abandoning a baby all night to "train" them. Start small - you don't have to jump to CIO right away! Take it one step at a time to see what works. Also, I put a book and a mirror (specifically for cribs) in the crib around a year (you might try now) and that gave her something to do while she fell asleep. *hugs*
unlike a lot of commenters, I did do modified CIO (ferber & sleep easy solution) with both of my babies and while it was hard, it wasn't nearly as difficult on either of us as I'd feared, and the results were definitely worth it for all of us. That said, you have to do what's best for your family and you know your son better than anyone, so trust your own judgement on that.
Basically I am in the same boat as you when it comes to rocking my baby(ies) to sleep. I rocked and nursed my first, and I rock and nurse my new one. This time is so fleeting and those moments are so special I can't not do it. IF it means I that I have to get up once a night, I can deal with that. But, like yours, my 9 mo old is wanting to play in the wee hours so we have to do something. For us I will sleep train him in the night, but continue rocking. I can't help it.
Have you looked into the no-cry sleep solution? I know that book has much gentler (though more time consuming) methods of sleep-learning that don't necessarily force you to stop rocking.
in my experience it's really easy for pediatricians to say "just do X!" and we walk away feeling inadequate. Do what's in your heart and your gut!! you're the mama and you know your baby. Not every prescription works for every family.
Good luck! let us know what happens!!
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