anyone else still nurse to get baby to sleep

sperdue

my son is almost 8 months old and the only way he will usually go to sleep at bedtime or for naps is with nursing.  i feel like he is so dependant on it that he can't go to sleep on his own.  i've tried putting him down while still awake but he screams and cries uncontrollably.  i let him cry some but i just can't stand to see him cry.  i think he is so used to being nursed and rocked to sleep and i don't know how to break the cycle.  usually when he's asleep he'll only wake up once a night, but is this a bad habit for him and how do you break it when he cries so bad.  any suggestions???

beb4beb

I'm also the kind of mom that can't take it when DD cries.  DD was a couple of days shy of 9 months when I finally had to give in to CIO because she was waking up more and more frequently from nearly STTN at 4 months to waking up 4 times by 8.5 months.  It wasn't that bad, the first night was the worst but when I timed it she only cried for 15 minutes max and less each time she woke up, the next night only 5 minutes and once waking up for less than 5 minutes.  Next night only 5 minutes and bam! she did it finally.  With that being said, once she started STTN after about 2 weeks of putting her to sleep drowsy.  I got back in to the habit of nursing her to sleep but she's not waking up until morning and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

Angela814

I don't believe in CIO, and I was never too worried about forming a bad habit.  I still nurse DD to sleep for most naps.  She used to be really great at night.  I could nurse her and then put her to sleep "drowsy but awake."  Somewhere around the time she started climbing out of her crib (just before 2 years) that changed.  I now lay down with her until she falls asleep because I refuse to let her cry herself to sleep.  Frankly, I'd be happy with only one night waking and keep nursing him to sleep as long as it's still working for you.

Dobie_Mama

DD is 14 months and still nurses to sleep at night and for naps, when I'm home.  She falls asleep on her own for naps just fine when I'm at work.  I'm really not worried about it.  I know I won't be visiting her dorm room every night in college to nurse her to sleep.  We'll stop when she's ready.

newportbride715

DS was the same way. He even usually napped on my lap for a long time too!  He is finally now, at 12 months able to fall asleep w/o nursing. At nap time or bedtime, either DH or I take him in, walk around a little holding him with his head by our shoulder. We talk quietly and then put him in the crib.  He would always cry in the beginning. We would pick him up once, walk around the bedroom, (or rock, sway around, whatever works)a bit more and let him either cry or get drowsy, then out him in again, either already asleep or drowsy.  If he cries agin, we would gently hold him still so he could not get up. We kept him lying on his back. Each day got better and better. He either falls asleep on our shoulder now or soon after he is in the crib.  This worked well for us b/c we were always firmly against CIO if it meant leaving him crying all alone.  Try to have your DH do it as much as possible in the beginning. I think it's less painful for them to be put down by Dad rather than Mom, who has the boobs! Try not to worry too much. He may seem "old" now but he still is only a baby and it will end sooner or later. Good luck!

anna7602

DD still nurses to sleep when I'm home, but seems to be able to fall asleep okay with a bottle or even just a pacifier when I'm out of the house. DH doesn't have a problem getting her to sleep when I'm not home, but if I'm anywhere around, she freaks out and will only fall asleep at the breast. I figure I can live with this for now since she STTN and takes pretty good naps.

Have you tried having anyone else put DC to sleep when you're not home?

MrsAmers

My daughter couldn't fall asleep on her own until she was 10.5 months old.  Before that she was nursed, rocked or held until she fell asleep.

I started trying at 9 months to put her down "drowsy but awake", but she got so worked up that it would take me half an hour just to calm her down after 3 minutes of crying.  Totally not worth it in my book.

When I tried again at 10.5 months, she cried softly for 2 minutes and fell asleep.  And after that, there were many times that she didn't whine or cry at all.

If he's only waking up once a night, I wouldn't be concerned.  He'll be able to fall asleep on his own when he's ready.  Just try every 2-3 weeks, and at some point he'll be able to do it.  :-)