Rocking to sleep

BabyMakes 3

So I love rocking Benjamin to sleep. But I'm afraid it'll be the only way he can sleep. However, this may be an irrational worry considering I only rock him at night. Anyways, I'm trying to stop rocking at night and put him down drowsy, even if that means an hour of sticking the paci back in. DH can't stand it and rocks him to sleep instead.

I would hate to look back at this time and feel like I worried too much about rules and what you're supposed to do. I guess I'm just afraid of repercussions later... What do you ladies think?

iggywan

I think you are his mom, so you get the honor and the burden of deciding such things (well, of course dh counts, too). Be confident in your decision. If you think it would be better in the long run to not rock him to sleep, then keep up with the soothing and paci, because he will learn to fall asleep on his own. Trust him. 

 

I personally don't rock R to sleep, and I really tried to help her learn to fall asleep on her own, and she falls asleep by herself in her crib at 8 every night... I think I always want to trust her to learn to do things, even now! 

iggywan

Oh, but if you love it... then rock him to sleep! Of course. Go with your gut!

 

gnomemom

ITA. I love rocking R to sleep. I work and only get to see him a couple of hours a day. However, I found putting him down drowsy really seemed to help him sleep better. I rock him to sleep anyway, although not enough for him to fall too deeply asleep.

He makes the cutest faces when he's falling asleep. He smiles and grins and I just love watching him.

alanap

I rock. Why else do they make rocking chairs?

zmoss

I rock to sleep I guess, but I figure that in the end he might eventually going to tell me my kisses are gross and not to smooch & cuddle him in front of his friends ( I hope not but you never know) so might as well love on them as much you can.

BTW-- putting baby to sleep is optimum baby smell time, I love to smooch his head and just give him extra love!

I think this has to do with him being in the NICU for 3 weeks and missing those nights with him   

chpswife

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you both enjoy that time why stop? I agree with PP you're the momma go with your gut and what works for you.

I personally don't as I wanted P to learn to do it by himself and my DD never enjoyed the rocking thing.

BabyMakes 3

zmoss:

I rock to sleep I guess, but I figure that in the end he might eventually going to tell me my kisses are gross and not to smooch amp; cuddle him in front of his friends I hope not but you never know so might as well love on them as much you can. BTW putting baby to sleep is optimum baby smell time, I love to smooch his head and just give him extra love!I think this has to do with him being in the NICU for 3 weeks and missing those nights with him :nbsp;nbsp;

I think about this all the time. You're right. Why fill this short period of his life with rules that keep me from snuggling and soaking him in. Makes me want to cry.

kieannb

I don't do it every night, but I will rock A to sleep once in awhile. I babysat for a friend who rocked her son to sleep every night and continued as he got older.. So at almost a year old he had to be rocked to go to sleep. If the car was in the rocker you didn't move her, or you got attacked, so most nights I had to stand and rock her son to sleep. I now have a fear of A being the same way so I wont do it every night

doggiemom4

Like PP have mentioned, it's all about what you want to do.

I rock Z to sleep every night and have since he came home. (I also am a SAHM, with no place to be or what not) DH works 9 days and is off for 5. Those days DH works, he doesn't come in until after Z has gone to bed. I know when Z gets older, he will leave his mommy in the dust and always want to be with DH. Which is fine and expected. When Z starts to get sleepy and DH tries to rock him, he cries until DH hands him to me to rock and out he goes. He's already a momma's boy I won't give up the rocking to sleep because I have tried to let him go to sleep by himself he cries and cries and cries and never gives up. Which is a good and bad thing. So for me, I will continue to rock him to sleep. I love that time with my little man.

LovinLife0710

kiraliz2:

I'll go against the grain here say no. I think making a habit of rocking baby to sleep is a bad idea, because sleep habits are *so* hard to reverse. We have never rocked H to sleep before his bedtime, we always swaddle and put him down sleepy. We have him now where he falls asleep in less than 15 minutes and without a peep (most of the time).

The exception I make is motn feedings. I feed him in the glider and then rock him for a few minutes before I lay him down again, usually just until he starts to close his eyes. I cherish these quiet, late night moments with him.

Ok, I can't bold on my POS computer, but I totally agree that sleep habits are SUPER hard to break, so if you are worried about it then I would find a way around it. BUT if you enjoy it, find times to do it, but maybe just not all the time. PPs have gave really good advice and I feel like all I would do is reiterate at this point, but do what your gut tells you. I rock Asa to sleep, but not always. I do love it though and wanna cherish it now before he gets too old for it  

puppy_love6969

I stopped rocking C to sleep a week ago. She has been fussing when I try lately, so one night I just put her in her crib and she went to sleep. So i'm trying to do this every night.

kateraid

I rock J to sleep for every nap and at night. During the day he also naps on me. I feel like hrs only little once and shoeing him comfort and lots of love can only be a good thing. I also have a very AP philosophy.

kateraid

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