Intro and sleep question (a little long)...

LynnJess29

Good Morning Ladies,

I've been a lurker here and find myself in need of some advice about sleep. I'm a FTM and DD is almost 6 months old. A little history, she slept on/with me until she was 2 months old, then slept in a rock n play right by my bed until 5 months. The past month she has been in her crib. I always put her to sleep after bottle/nursing and rocking, we put her down completely asleep. She will wake up a few times in the first hour or two in her crib. We go in, pick her up and she falls right back asleep and we put her in the crib again. Usually after 8:30/9 we don't hear from her until 5 am. Her naps have not been very good and we are looking at starting to put her down drowsy. I hear from a lot of people that CIO is the best answer. I hate the thought of her crying alone and was hoping that some of you here had some advice on putting DD down drowsy so she can fall asleep on her own.

Thank you!

ncbelle

Do you feel you have a sleep problem??  Sounds like to me that you have a great sleeper!  The whole "babies should be able to put themselves to sleep" thing is just silly IMO and not something supported by what we know about baby's development.  It's very normal for a baby to need help falling asleep (and it will also be normal when she hits a wakeful spell!).

What specifically are you seeing with naps?

LynnJess29

I don't really think we have a sleep problem. I'm very glad she gets such good sleep at night and I don't want to do anything that interrupts that. I'm hearing from family/friends that we are creating a bad sleeper whom we will have to rock to sleep until she is 3 years old. I don't believe that but wanted to see what others were doing besides CIO.

Her naps at daycare 2 days a week are in a swing with one nap being 2-2 1/2 hours. With my mom 2 days a week and me the rest she usually takes 3-4 30-45 minute naps and we are usually holding her. On my 4 work days I travel about one hour each way and she takes a nap some portion of each ride.

opheliainwaders

FWIW, we found that DD needed to be rocked/nursed to sleep until about 9m. Then it was like something "clicked," and she can fall asleep if we put her in her crib drowsy. She sometimes will complain a little (she sometimes makes "mad" sounds for a minute or two), but we've never let her CIO, and I don't think we've created a monster :-)

LynnJess29

Thank you ladies!! DD does seem to do things when she is ready. When we put her in the crib at 5 months it was because she didn't seem to be able to get comfortable in the rock n play. She went in her crib great. I'm hoping when she is ready she will start falling asleep on her own. Until then I'll continue to get lots of baby snuggles!

olga1311

We rock dd to sleep to this day and she is 8 months. I do not think it's a problem. A baby will fall asleep on her own once she is ready. She needs you right now! Do not listen to your friends and follow your mommy instinct. I never heard of a 10 year old being rocked to sleep so she will sleep on her own eventually. Enjoy the snuggles with your precious one!

rae_dylanzmom

"I hear from a lot of people...." is the phrase I picked up on in your OP.  As I'm sure you've already seen, you will receive endless advice on what is best for you and your baby. It's tireless. Sounds like you are doing great!

I'd throw some energy into listening to your inner guide, mommy instincts, whatever you want to call it,... to look for some answers about 1) your expectations about LO's sleep (would more reading about it help?), 2) whether you have a problem at all (doesn't sound like it), and 3) how to respond to the 'helpful' advice ("this is what works best for us" is a common and useful phrase to have in your back pocket).

I'd read a little Ferber if you want to be more educated about CIO; but two books I've found useful are Happiest Baby on the Block and No Cry Sleep Solution. NCSS is one in particular that I go back to a lot, as sleep patterns change and the advice I need evolves.

GL!

LynnJess29

Thank you so much!! I've started reading No Cry Sleep Solution and think this goes along with our way of parenting. LO continues to sleep well during the night and we certainly don't want to do anything to interrupt her sleep. I'm enjoying my time rocking her to sleep because I know that there will be a time she won't need me too anymore.

Thank you all very much for the support and suggestions!