My name is Stacey, and I am a Rock-aholic...

Mrs.Salt&Pepper

So I'm kicking my own a$$ for starting this bad habit and I am having a hard time breaking it. LO has to be held and "rocked" to sleep for naps and when she goes down at night. Aside from this most recent 4MW of hell, she has been a pretty good sleeper, STTN for a while, up until a couple weeks ago. I'm trying to be patient through this 4 month wake, but that is not the problem. I just don't know how to wean the both of us off of the rocking to sleep. If I put her down drowsy but awake, she either wakes up more once I put her in the crib, or starts crying and DOES NOT STOP. I'm not a huge fan of CIO, but I have let her cry for a bit, and she just won't stop. We've been on the EASY schedule, obviously with this crutch in the way. Anyone else have my problem? How'd you fix it? Do I just need to put on my big girl panties and suffer through the crying? 

I'm also super stressed because my easy-going, great sleeping baby has turned into a completely different baby in the last week or so and I go back to work on Thursday. Perfect Timing. Hopefully she doesn't send the Nanny running!

 

Any advice will be much appreciated ladies!  

Xles10

You can try the Baby Whisperer's "sush pat" method. Put her down sleepy but awake, like you've been doing. Then if/when she starts to wake up, pat her on the back (this may mean kind of tilting her on her side) and sush in her ear. I think the pat is what's effective, but sushing helps if LO is really crying. We don't have to do this anymore, but without it we would have never gotten Max to sleep in his crib. I think the pat is helpful because it lets LO know you are there, and if you pat in a certain way you kind of get their head jiggling which is kind of like rocking.

SandiaPinaMama

I started by holding LO against my chest, and walking/bouncing/swaying while patting his back and shushing.  It took about 40 minutes the first time.  Each time, I move myself a bit less, while keeping the patting and shushing.  Now, I hold him for a few minutes, pat, pat, shush, and then put him down awake, but drowsy, and out he goes.  This is just for naps, though, not bedtime.  I don't know if that matters.  GL!

goalieamy24

Xles10:

You can try the Baby Whisperer's "sush pat" method. Put her down sleepy but awake, like you've been doing. Then if/when she starts to wake up, pat her on the back (this may mean kind of tilting her on her side) and sush in her ear. I think the pat is what's effective, but sushing helps if LO is really crying. We don't have to do this anymore, but without it we would have never gotten Max to sleep in his crib. I think the pat is helpful because it lets LO know you are there, and if you pat in a certain way you kind of get their head jiggling which is kind of like rocking.

I didn't realize this was a Baby Whisperer technique, but I've used it with LO.  Something about being patted on the bottom seems very soothing to him.  I watched my photographer do it at his newborn pics, and stole the idea that night.  When I need some help, this is my trick to get him to sleep.  I usually sing very softly to him if he's really upset and crying as well.