Community› The Bump Message Boards› Stay at Home Moms
Stay at Home Moms
New Discussion

Getting sleep vs learning to fall asleep

SocialworkgirlSocialworkgirl member
in Stay at Home Moms

As I have posted about before, I am working on getting my 4 month to fall asleep in her crib. We made some progress last week  but this week I haven't been able to get her to nap there hardly at all  even if I put her down asleep.  She has napped mostly in my arms.  I am worried this is going to undue any progress I have made but I also know that she needs to get sleep during the day.  How do you balance helping your baby to learn to fall asleep on their own with making sure they get the sleep they need in the short run?

She will fall asleep if we put her down awake after her middle of the night feeding.  We have to hold her til she goes to sleep at bedtime but generally sleeps well at night with only 1-2 wakings in about 12 hours. 

Report Reply to Post

Re: Getting sleep vs learning to fall asleep

  • SocialworkgirlSocialworkgirl member
    I meant to add that I am not quite ready to use a CIO method but if things don't get better may start in the next month or so.
    Report Reply
  • sbevmc09sbevmc09 member
    Honestly, DS wasn't ready for more than cat naps or sleeping in his crib when he was 4mo and I was okay with that.  At the time I did wonder "what if this never changes?!" and it scared me, but I just rode it out to see what happened.  He hit 6mo and it's like a switch flipped, he started taking 2 longer naps per day and he also moved to his crib shortly thereafter.  IMO when they're that young some times they're just not ready for it.  It doesn't mean that they won't evolve on their own if you give them time.  For me, I would just kind of periodically try it out.  If he woke I'd try to pat/shush him, but before he was ready when he woke up it was just over at that point.  Then, like I said, the switch flipped and he was ready for longer naps and also to do the napping in his crib.  :shrug:
    imagephoto 64bf363d-3af0-4dcc-b880-c06326daa418_zps78d8d389.jpg
    *My Blog*
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

    photo 0cc607b9-4233-4842-8175-d093f8f92ca8_zps7cc00875.jpg
    10/50 Read

    my read shelf:
    Stephanie's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • nrjones728nrjones728
    We did Sleepeasy (modified CIO) at 5 and a half months.  He was doing much better (down to two dreamfeeds) until teeth popped up.  We are trying to get back on track.  DS weighs almost 20 lbs and hardly eats in the mornings, so I am working on weaning one of the night feedings.  Last nights 2 minute nursing session did not go over well, so I am not looking forward to tonight because it is the first attempt at fully weaning the 11pm feeding and getting him to sleep more than 3 hours at a time.  He naps like a champ now though so Sleepeasy has helped him learn to get himself to sleep. 
    Mike'sBride8/08/09 So Blessed Image and video hosting by TinyPic FAMILYTICKER.COM Ticker
    Report Reply
  • SocialworkgirlSocialworkgirl member

    Thanks all!  This is reassuring that I am not way behind or something...

    Nanda, soothing without picking her up doesn't tend to work, it seems to make her mad or stimulate her more.  

     I have thought about buying and reading sleep easy, but it is helpful to hear that maybe I just shouldn't worry too much about it for now and it may be easier when she is a little older.

    Report Reply
  • jlh2716jlh2716 member
    I don't know, being a FTM and all, but I need sleep, A needs sleep, so we've scrapped the crib for now. She sleeps on me, next to me, or occasionally in her bouncer, and I'm okay with it. I'll keep trying, but I'm not terribly concerned about it. Might change my tune later on though...
    Report Reply
  • lpope9608lpope9608

    My son was the same way. He's 4 and 1/2 months old and the past week has been hell trying to get him to sleep. He was super fussy because he was so tired, but he couldn't fall asleep because he was overtired unless we were holding him. And like yours, he falls right back asleep after his middle of the night feedings, so we knew he knows how to put himself to sleep...it was always just the initial going to sleep. Actually, just last night I put our Fisher Price crib toy on his crib...it plays music, lights up and makes bubbles. It's been working like a charm today. He's been falling asleep on his own all day. He's mesmerized by the toy and he falls right asleep. 

    Now this has only been one day, so it could be a total fluke, but I'm hoping it isn't! Good luck! 

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • nosoup4unosoup4u member
    imageSocialworkgirl:

    How do you balance helping your baby to learn to fall asleep on their own with making sure they get the sleep they need in the short run?

    She will fall asleep if we put her down awake after her middle of the night feeding.  We have to hold her til she goes to sleep at bedtime but generally sleeps well at night with only 1-2 wakings in about 12 hours. 

    I have no idea, but that last paragraph about her sleep sounds glorious, in all honesty. Neither of my kids slept that well at that age. I wouldn't stress about the daytime thing, do you have a baby carrier? That might help with the daytime naps, in that you can get things done while she sleeps. She'll get better about being put down when she gets a bit older. I think I really pushed crib naps when my younger son was about 5-6 months, and it took sometime before he slept a decent stretch in it.

     

    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"