How to break the rocking habit

[Deleted]

DS is 9 months old, and I rock him to sleep for every nap and at night. I think it's time to break that habit, but I don't know how. The rocking was fine for the longest time, took 10-15 mins and I would put him in his crib asleep and he would stay asleep. The last week or two though, he'll either wake up as I'm setting him down or 5-10 mins later, which means I have to rock him all over again. I thought his shitty nighttime sleep (for the last 2 MONTHS ) was teething, but lately WITH ibuprofen he wakes up screaming and the only way to get him back down is to rock him to sleep. He clearly wants to be rocked, he nestles into my arms and falls asleep. FYI he's not hungry, he hasn't nursed at night since 6 wks. He's dry and warm.

So HOW do I stop rocking him? Can someone please break it down for me? He does take a paci when falling asleep. If i put him in the crib "drowsy but awake" when he's in a good mood, he just rolls over and wants to play. If he's tired and therefore cranky, he cries. I don't want to CIO but I do recognize that some crying will be involved. I was thinking maybe check-ins? If so, how often? I am tired tired tired of rocking him back to sleep several times EVERY night, I am at my breaking point. How do I stop? Thanks!

[pescalita]

I know lots of kids need help breaking the habit, but he may give it up on his own. My kid went through some time around 10/11 months (got 7 teeth in less than 2 mos and started crawling) where he needed rocking down several times or had to sleep with one of us. Then he just decided he was good and goes right down drowsy but awake. He's been a pretty adaptable kid though, and gave up the pacifier and night feedings the same way.

I don't mean to frustrate with my easy experience, but I've spent a lot of time worrying about how I'm going to break one habit or another only to have him do it on his own when he's ready.

[ijack]

eh. DD2 needed to be rocked to sleep for a long time, then at about a year she started arching her back and reaching for her crib when I tried to rock her because she wanted to just be put down. Now we rock for a couple minutes, but she goes in her crib awake.

[Deleted]

I did CIO with going down drowsy but awake at 7 months. Now he does what ijack describes. He wants to be in his crib. He has been having crappy sleep ( waking up screaming 2 times a night) but now he WONT let me rock him. He just screams until he falls back to sleep, even if I hold him. I kinda wish he would let me help him. You just can't win as a parent.

[Deleted]

We did Ferber with them when they were around 8/9 months old. That worked while they were still in their cribs (I could put them down awake and just leave the room). We did the check-ins where we would pat their backs in increasing five minute intervals (after 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, 15, etc.).

However, now that they're in regular twin beds I have to lie down with them. But it's really not that big of a deal. It only takes about 10-15 minutes at the most and it's nice to have that time with them. I'm sure they won't want me to do it in a couple of years.

[jena]

When DD1 stopped nursing to sleep at 9mo, I had DH take over bedtime. It was awesome She always behaved different for him than for me. I also let him develop his own routine, so he didn't try to duplicate what I had done.

If your bedtime routine isn't working for you, then of course you should change it. But rocking to sleep is not a bad habit that needs to be broken.

[vanillacourage]

I just posted about this yesterday! We figured out that DS2 was getting another tooth, hence the crappy sleep lately. We'll do CIO after he's done teething if he doesn't settle back down.

I don't know about your kiddo but I know that I regret not swooping in and trying to fix this problem before he started pulling up & cruising around the crib. It's really hard for him to settle himself back down without help now.

[everam01]

I rock my 18 month olds to sleep most nights so I have no advice. They do go down for naps on their own at daycare, though.

[Deleted]

Dec 6, 2012 11:36:05 GMT -5 jena said:

If your bedtime routine isn't working for you, then of course you should change it. But rocking to sleep is not a bad habit that needs to be broken.

His bedtime routine is fine. DH changes him, puts him in his PJs, plays him some ukulele, and I nurse him to sleep. He just won't STAY asleep. He either wakes up as I try to put him in the crib, or starts screaming 15, 30, or 45 minutes later. He has 8 teeth with more coming so he IS teething, but even if I give him ibuprofen (so there is no pain to keep him awake) he still wakes up screaming multiple times a night. So I rock him back to sleep. I don't think he ever learned how to soothe himself to sleep. I've always done it.

That being said, I love rocking him during the day. I will be so sad to lose that. But I am at my breaking point with the night waking. If he needed something (food, diaper change, was cold) I would understand, but he just won't stay asleep. Most nights I am up with him for 2-3 hours, rocking him to sleep and he wakes up as he leaves my arms to be put in the crib. I rock again (takes longer this time). Rinse and repeat. Finally get him in the crib, I go to bed, and he's screaming again 2 hours later.

I can't take it anymore. I've tried everything. Pain relievers (tylenol, motrin, teething tablets), lots of naps (maybe he was overtired?), less naps (maybe he's sleeping too much during the day?), lighter PJs and sleepsack (maybe he's hot?). It has to be the rocking.

[Mushe]

We went through something similar lately. My baby is just over a year old.

He often nurses to sleep, but wakes up when I put him in the crib. Now I put on his sound and light machine (with timer) when I put him down, and say good night, rub his tummy or back for a minute or less, and leave.

The first few nights he protested a little, maybe 10-15 min, but went down.

For the middle of the night, I would rock him a short while, with the machine playing, and then put him down. With the machine playing both times, it's become his cue that it's time to sleep.

[knitty]

I would gave a read of te no cry sleep solution.

It it were me, I'd set up a bed where I could lie too, then sit/lie next to him, comforting him until he falls asleep. He might cry, but you're there to comfort him, which isn't all unreasonable. Then nce he can fall asleep lying flat with no motion you can work on him doing it when you're just nearby, not next to him.