How do you get LO to sleep?

sarahns80 · June 2012

I usually BF my DS to sleep and if he doesn't fall asleep nursing then for some reason he will let my DH rock him to sleep but he won't let me. He doesn't take a paci and I feel like if he did I could rock him to sleep, I dont know why he lets DH do it but he has the magic touch. We have not been consistent with CIO due to multiple ear infections. I don't want to let him cry himself to sleep when he's in pain. I'm just wondering how everyone else puts their kids to bed. I had such a hard time tonight. He didn't fall asleep nursing and I tried rocking, reading books and walking around with him but he just kept crying and trying to get down. I'm taking him to the Dr in the morning because I think his ear infection came back. So I put him in his crib after doing all that for over 45 min and let him cry for 15 min because i was at a loss and just hoping he would go to sleep on his own. I had to go get him because I couldn't take it and think he might be in pain (I gave him Motrin before all this btw) Finally my DH got home and rocked him to sleep in 10 min and was done! I don't know why I can't rock him. I don't know what to do if DH is out of town or something, much less when I wean.

WildcatPrincess · June 2012

DD was like this and I ended up doing the Sleep Lady Shuffle when she was 15 months old and becoming less consistent about nursing to sleep. It worked great in roughly a week and a half? I wasn't down with CIO, that's what worked in our house

+SMACE+ · June 2012

I did a modified CIO when he was about 12 months b/c he was waking every hour and I wanted to die. I didn't leave the room, I stayed but didn't cuddle him or rock him or anything. I'd pat him on the butt, rub his hair for a few minutes every so often to let him know I was there, but I didn't lull him to sleep. The first night sucked so hard but the next night *poof* it took a few minutes and he was out.

Now that he's in a big boy bed, we're having some fall asleep issues. He gets too excited to be in his bed and can't calm down. So I'm dealing with that with epic failure. lol.

sleepingbeauty825 · June 2012

We did CIO at five months.

I BF, brush teeth, Simon and I sing "You are my sunshine", put her in bed, close the door. Takes all of ten minutes. :knocks on wood:

MrsKR20 · June 2012

When DS was around one he would take a bottle and then go to bed. That then phased into no bottle, no cuddles, no book - just straight to bed. We would have to sit him in his crib because he would freak out if we tried to lay him down. He had to do it himself. Now we read a few books, give a kiss and off to bed. He will now let me lay him down, cover him and say goodnight.

All three instances he would fall asleep on his own in his bed. Before all of this happened we had to let him CIO a few nights.

Best of luck! He may have an ear infection or just want his Daddy.

IrishEyes0530 · June 2012

We did CIO at 9 months. It's still not perfect with night wakings but for naps and at bedtime he goes to bed awake and goes to sleep on his own. Best thing we ever did.

BrittRMere · June 2012

We did CIO around 10 months. He usually goes down pretty easily now after some milk and brushing his teeth.

If I can tell he's going to freak out when I put him in the crib, we sit down and read a book in his room to wind him down. If he's still fighting it after that, I kiss him goodnight and put him in there anyway. He never cries for more than a couple of minutes before he's out.

chardonnay24 · June 2012

We did modified Ferber (smaller intervals) at 7 months. Now, we put him down with Scout and he plays around for a little while until he falls asleep. Usually there are little to no tears involved. Also, a blackout curtain helped us immensely when it became lighter outside at bedtime.

HoolahZinger · June 2012

chardonnay24:
Also, a blackout curtain helped us immensely when it became lighter outside at bedtime.

The blackout curtain was life changing in our house too. We also did CIO around 10 months but i only did it in spurts of ten minutes for a while. Now, she know's her routine so she's taken to it really well. I think a good nighttime routine also helps for bedtime transition.

amykins1283 · June 2012

We did Ferber when Liam was around 8 months and he did great until we switched him to the toddler bed. After a few months of me having to sit with him until he fell asleep (and it taking longer and longer to fall asleep this way) I finally had enough and just let him CIO. The first night took an hour but it got less and less until now he goes to bed without a fuss at all. We read three books, cuddle and sing in the rocking chair to relax, and then I put him in bed give him a kiss and say "I love you. Goodnight." and he goes to sleep.

CIO isn't for everyone but it has worked really well for us. Liam is much happier during the day.

Ecy · June 2012

We bedshare so I won't be much help. I give her a bottle, read a book, brush teeth and then we lie down in the bed together. She falls asleep anywhere from 1 minute to 15 minutes & then I get out of the bed and finish what I need to for the evening.

anneimal98 · June 2012

We did CIO (though admittedly, there wasn't much crying) at 8mos. I think kids reach a point where they want to be able to fall asleep on their own (perhaps because its too stimulating to have someone else do it) but they have a tough time with it and that's why crying comes into play.

fancynewbeesly · June 2012

Nothing really. For the most part she is an amazing sleeper. She eats dinner about an hour before bedtime (bedtime is between 6:00-6:30). After dinner she gets a bath or plays in her room. She has the cup of milk from dinner up there with her. Then we get her pj's on, brush her teeth, listen to a book and in the crib she goes.

Unless she is in pain or sick, she usually falls asleep within 10 minutes or so.

walkercpa · June 2012

We are still BF to sleep also. There have been a few times when he did not fall asleep nursing...those times I gave him his bink and rocked him a little, then put him in the crib still awake. Each time he cried for a few minutes, then went to sleep (or at least stopped crying...I didn't actually check whether he was asleep). We did do CIO when he was about 5.5 months, so maybe that's why it's easier now? I also have no idea what I'll do when he weans...hopefully I don't have to deal with that for awhile.

mrebecca · June 2012

I usually nurse her to sleep, but lately she will sometimes lay down next to me and fall asleep without nursing.

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