Getting my 2-month old to sleep

Domino1138

My LO is my first baby although I'm no stranger to parenting. ( I became a stepmom to two boys, 2&4, 10 years ago)
I've read a lot here about how you shouldn't rock or nurse babies to sleep or they will depend on it... But that's the only way to get my son to fall asleep! Is he young enough that this is ok? I mean if I don't "get" him to sleep somehow, then nobody is sleeping. So I rock, walk, nurse, swing, whatever I have to do. At what point do I need to stop doing these things?


Oh and when he does fall asleep there's about a 10% chance he will stay that way. His crazy wild arms like to whack him in the face and fight any swaddle. The Woombie was working great but he sometimes wakes himself up trying to get out of it.

Of course he sleeps beautifully on his tummy but we can't do that because it's strictly forbidden (a cruel joke that the only position a baby will sleep comfortably is deadly to them somehow.)

PlainJane8350

Have you checked out Kelly Mom's website? I've found it a great source for BF moms that debunks a lot of the "don'ts."

beanie1977

Read The Baby Whisperer. I've had success with her methods so far. She also says not to rock, swing, nurse etc but gives ideas on what to do instead. I have a routine with my LO. I turn out the lights, I sing a few lullabies and then I pat his back and shush him without rocking. Before he's totally asleep I lay him down. The book suggests only establishing a routine you plan on keeping as soon as possible. She says 3 days is probably enough time to break bad habits and establish a new routine if the baby is under 3 months.

You can also swaddle and leave out one arm so he can suck his fingers. Maybe he wouldn't resist that as much.

Squirtgun

I nursed and rocked my first daughter to sleep until she was at least 9or10 months old. She is almost 2 now, and has been able to go to sleep on her own after bedtime routine (book, prayers, one song, bed) since she was about 11months old.
I'm in the "do what works for you" camp.
I will say that from about 2 months I started doing the bedtime routine while nursing her, so that may have made the transition easier when she was older.
I don't have any advice for you with the swaddling thing, though. Both of my girls have loved the swaddle so far. My younger daughter (1month) wakes up with her arm(s) out of the swaddle sometimes, but getting out doesn't seem to wake her up.

Bigboobsmcgee

Sounds to me like you are doing everything right. It's all trial and error with babies so find what works and keep doing it.

With my first kid, everyone told me not to rock him to sleep, he'll get dependent on it. I am so happy I didn't listen because my favorite thing in the world is rocking my kids in the rocking chair...just me and them, bonding and cuddling. Don't stop doing something you enjoy because before you know it, your LO will be too big to rock.

Don't worry about what "might happen" down the road. Concentrate on today.

I hated the woombie. Try a different type of swaddle and wrap him super tight. I liked the Summer Infant SwaddleMe.

Bigboobsmcgee

FWIW, I still rock my 13 month old every single night and for every nap. She sleeps like a champ too. No dependency on me to get her to sleep, we just like the rocking chair.

dgaleano

sleep

Bickey11

I did all those things, feeding, rocking, swaying, for my own sanity I did whatever to get him to sleep. The fact is, u cannot s a baby. My son is now 3 months and I regularly put him to bed tired, but awake with no issues. At 8 weeks what you're doing is comforting your baby and building the trust needed to give your child the independence when the time is right. I still rock him for naps because I enjoy the quality time, not because I have to. But at night when I'm exhausted and so is he, I plunk him in his bed and he sleeps within 10 minutes.