At what age did you stop rocking LO to sleep? DS is 6 months old and a great napper and STTN (no nursing), always in his crib. I rock him for ~10 minutes for naps, and rock while nursing at the end of the night. DH never got the hang of rocking DS to sleep (I always do it, I SAH.) So when DH watched DS for a few hours yesterday while I went to a Dr's appointment, DS didn't nap. So I came home to a seriously cranky son.
I've read that I should put DS in his crib when he's "drowsy but awake." How does he fall asleep without crying b/c he's lonely? We are opposed to CIO. I'm hesitant to make any changes since everything's going great right now, but is he old enough that I shouldn't be rocking him anymore? TIA!
Post by karinothing on Aug 24, 2012 8:29:59 GMT -5
Ds hasn't really wanted to be rocked to sleep (on a regular basis) since he was like 5 months (he gets antsy). I nurse before bed and then sort of sway back and forth for a few minutes before laying him in his crib. I honestly don't think there is any specific point where you should stop rocking to sleep. Kids will grow out of it (you don't hear about 18 year olds being rocked/nursed to sleep).
DS does go down drowsy but awake now (but still after nursing, which I guess some people would dissaprove of). I think this started around 6 months or basically when he decided to roll and sleep on his stomach. Daycare is the one that got him there, so I can't claim credit for it. They told me they let him cry for under 5 minutes and he put himself to sleep. We tried it at home (and I felt very guilty) but they were right. He cried for I think 6 minutes and then was out. It took one time and then he went to sleep drowsy but awake every since.
If he is lonely you could try introducing a lovey?
When my older son was two he would still sometimes ask to be rocked, especially if grandma was available for rocking, Lol. My mom is apparently an expert baby rocker. I see no reason to stop unless you really don't want to do it anymore. Now he hasn't asked for rocking in a long time but will sometimes ask you to rub his back once he is tucked in.
DS2 just turned 5 months and I nurse him then sway like Kari described. If he wakes up an hour or two later DH usually goes in and rocks him back to sleep. I am a sahm so I just hold him for naps still and if he is being watched by grandma she will rock him to sleep. I like holding babies and it is really such a short time they want that type of comfort that I choose to just do what works.
Post by dr.girlfriend on Aug 24, 2012 9:30:03 GMT -5
It sounds like you are pretty much nursing to sleep at bedtime, which can be problematic. I would suggest moving the last feed up a little bit. We shifted our schedule to be nursing, then bath, then cuddling/story and then bed. It prevented the difficulty of nursing-to-sleep, and was much easier to transition to a toddler schedule where he was getting a meal, bath, and then cuddling/story and bed. Basically, whatever your baby needs to fall asleep is what they are going to want to return to sleep in the middle of the night. So, if they fall asleep while nursing or being rocked, they are going to want to be nursed and rocked back to sleep during the night. Not that you should be expecting or forcing STTN now, but routines you start now can definitely bite you in the ass later. :-D
Post by doctorsbaby on Aug 24, 2012 9:30:23 GMT -5
DD turns 2 in a couple days & we still rock her for naps & bed if we are home. I figure she will grow out of it when she's ready too. Besides, it's my favorite time of day, there is nothing better (to me) than rockin her to sleep & holding a sleeping, peaceful child for a few minutes.
Thanks for the replies. I think I'll keep doing it, and just teach DH how ;-) You're right, the cuddly baby phase is so short. Why rush to end it?
dr.girlfriend, DS has been STTN (not needing to nurse) since he was 6 weeks old. I'm very, very, VERY lucky I know. He self-soothes himself back to sleep at night all the time, so I don't think nursing him to sleep is problematic at the moment. He's in his crib in our room, and I regularly hear him wake up and babble, and will go right back to sleep.
Post by rubytuesday on Aug 25, 2012 11:47:25 GMT -5
As a mom of triplets it was a big deal for me to get my babies to self soothe. However, one of mine just didn't want to be put down drowsy. If I rocked him he STTN. I didn't fight it. I rocked him and at some point, maybe 10 months, he didn't want to fall asleep in my arms anymore so we made the transition and I don't remember it being a big deal. I say if it's working for you go with it. If he was waking in the night that would be a different story.
Post by GailGoldie on Aug 25, 2012 13:17:57 GMT -5
if it's not a problem, then don't fix it... though, as rubytuesday with triplets - having twins+1 = not being able to rock kids to sleep.
We didn't do CIO - we just always put them down drowsy but awake... sometimes they'd need a little pat on the belly/back... sometimes just having me sitting on the chair in teh room singing a song was fine... and slowly i'd go further and further away... to standing at the door... in teh hallway, then gone- and they are totally fine.
My boys are 3 and 5 now and go to sleep so easily on their own- it's fantastic. I'm glad i'm not trying to break a bad habit now -it's so much easier to go through when they are babies.
Post by DarcyLongfellow on Aug 25, 2012 22:52:27 GMT -5
It sounds like it's working for you, so I'd keep doing it. :-)
I will say, though, that Dr. G is right. I just stopped nursing my DD about a month ago -- right before her third birthday. I had no plans to nurse her that long (I'd wanted to stop around her second birthday), but she had such a strong nurse/sleep association, that I just kept it up. If I ever tried putting her to bed without nursing, she would flip out. She didn't fall asleep nursing very often, but it HAD to be the last thing she did before I put her in her crib.
We've always rocked DD to sleep - as she's gotten older she doesn't need as much rocking, these days she's just kind of drowsy when we put her down not asleep. Like PP said, there isn't much sweeter than rocking a sleepy baby and it doesn't last forever