Naps/Bedtime WWYD

[callie]

My 15 mo old wants to be held/rocked to sleep for her naps and for bedtime. It's been like this for like 3 months and I can't handle it anymore. I've let her CIO often and only twice she eventually went to sleep by herself. The other times I just gave in after 20-30 of her screaming. I don't know what else to do at this point. 

[lolo]

I would rock her until she's 95% asleep and then put her down. Gradually start putting her down more and more awake. If she protests, just rock her a bit more.

That's what worked for us.

[heygrey]

giving in after 20-30 minutes isn't cio. it's more or less just teaching her that if she hollers long enough you'll come.

[hopecounts]

Try Ferber (read the book for details there is more to it then check ins)
or try weaning her off, time it one day and see how long you rock her, the next day reduce it by a couple minutes, then a couple more the next day, and so on until you are just putting her down or doing a symbolic rocking of a couple minutes before laying her down.

[soozy87]

Yeah, I agree that letting her cry is an all or nothing ordeal. You either have to hold strong as long as it takes (unless there is something clearly wrong) or rock her to sleep with no crying.

[toesie]

I added steps between rocking to sleep and CIO: I put her down in her crib and rubbed her back till she's asleep. When I first put her in the crib she'd protest but once I told her "mommy is here" she would calm down. And then changed to put her down and stand next to her crib. After couple of weeks like that, I put her down, then leave and let her CIO in stead. I don't know if it's affective or not though.

[MadamePresident]

Has your husband done bedtime? Nods went to bed better for him, and once she learned to go to bed quickly it's now a habit and I can put her to bed easily also.

[dulcemariamar]

Agree with the other posters. You just have to decide if you want to CIO or not and then stick with your decision.

[callie]

I'm fine with CIO. I guess I've been hesitant for a longer period of time because she gets to the point where she's hysterical and breathing really heavily.

Putting her down being almost asleep doesn't work, she just wakes up, stands, and cries. That's what happens anytime I put her down if she's not all the way out.

Thanks for the replies, I just need to let her cry longer.

[motzie]

Would a projector or twilight turtle help? DD went through a phase like this. I would have to sing Twinkle Twinkle a billion times and then crawl out after she finally fell asleep. Her white noise machine has a projector that also helped. Usually after just a few minutes with it on she was asleep.

[callie]

I'll keep that in mind motzie, thanks. She feel asleep after 30 mins for her nap this afternoon. Screaming up a storm now for bedtime, fingers crossed she falls asleep in the same amount of time. Thanks again everyone.