How old should my baby be when I should start training her to sleep on her own? and without my rocking, bouncing, nursing her to sleep etc?
She is 3 months old and the time it takes to get her to sleep for each of her naps and to bed is so draining on me I'm beyond exhausted and frustrated. I know she is still little, but ANY tips on how to get her to sleep on her own would be MOST appreciated.
I really do not want to let her cry it out.
Until she was 4 weeks old it was hard to keep her awake. Since then she went through a colicky stage, which is now over, but my husband and I did everything and anything to calm her down.
Now I feel like I can start getting her to sleep on her own, but I have NO idea how to do that.
She gets tired - I can see it - yawning, rubbing her eyes, etc.
So I swaddle her, put her in her crib, try talking, singing, patting her, but she only cries. I pick her up and bounce/rock/shush her to sleep and it is getting SO exhausting!
I know it will be hard to not rock your baby to sleep but the sooner you put her in her crib awake the better off both of you will be. It will become a habit that neither one will be able to let go of and you may be rocking her until she is three. I started putting my daughter in her crib awake at about 3 months and she has been sleeping through the night without problems since 8 1/2 weeks. I hope this helps! Good luck!
The book Babywise is very helpful with helping your baby sleep on their own. It isn't the "cry it out method" but it is similar. You go in every 5 min to reassure. then every ten, etc. This takes a LONG time sometimes but personally it was worth it for us.
Do you have a mobile on her crib her to look at? I used to roll up receiving blankets and tuck them snugly next to my son (in addition to swaddling) for added security. I used to play music as well-the baby einstein lullaby cd. And the last thing I can think to mention is when your daughter is in the crib put your hand on her stomach and gently rock her back and forth a little bit. Good luck and I hope the suggestions help :)
Oh-also have you tried a pacifier? I didn't originally plan on using one but my son was 7 weeks premature and the hospital started using it with him and I found it very helpful. Luckily he weened himself off of it at 12 months. The time when he was using it, it did really help.
What really worked for my son was putting him in his crib when really drowsy but still awake. By not having me be the last thing he remembered before going to sleep really taught him to be a self-soother I think. So when he woke up during the night he could go back to sleep w/o expecting the rocking, shushing comfort. a quick reassuring rub on the back worked without having to pick him up when he did cry out during the night. good luck, it's hard but it's a good age to start teaching her this.
Hi G., We have all been through this. Maybe you could still swaddle her? My own experience has been at about 6 months, I started letting my kids "cry it out". I think 3 months is still too young for that. I don't know what your bedtime routine is, but try giving her a calm environment. Dim the lights, keep minimal sound. Make sure she is not over stimulated. Read her a bedtime story, maybe try a lavender scented bath, keep some type of quiet soothing music in her room. With my older daughter, I played calm quiet classical music on a CD player in her room. At a very low volume so she could bearly hear it. Check the music section at any store and they carry CD's of that sort just for babies. Good luck, I get a sense that this may be your first child. Hang in there, it gets better........A. E.
Pick up the book, "The No Cry Sleep Solution", it helped me so much with my 3 girls (#4 on the way). YOu don't have to read the whole book, just different parts that pertain to your situation. there is also, The No Cry Sleep solution For Toddlers.....sorry I don't have the author's name on hand. The author helps you get your kids to sleep for the night, through the night without having them cry it out. I found it so helpful.
Katie
I completely understand where you're coming from. I have 4 boys, now 6,4, and 2 1/2 yr. old twins. I'm still waiting to sleep through the night and/or not waking at 5:00am for the day. All my boys were poor sleepers. With my first we ended up with a sleep specialist, Dr. Becker, out of Children's (he was great if you ever need him and he comes to Waltham). Anyway from what I've learned if you go the "cry it out" route (whichever variation of it you choose) 6 months is the age to do it. In my experience I have learned to do whatever I needed to do until 6 months. Believe it or not but at 4 months,one of my boys spent a week in his swing at night. Many friends/ co-workers etc.. would offer me all kinds of "nice and happy" books. None of this worked for me. I read a lot from the Ferber book, and then modified it to fit what I felt comfortable with. Basically what I've learned is that the least amount of intervention to get them to sleep is best, for some lucky parents that means a pat on the back for others like me that ment picking them up, re-swaddling and rocking (until 6 mo.) I wish I could offer more help. After 4 boys I've learned to do whatever you have to to survive. Good luck, try not to be too discouraged if the "nice and happy" stuff everyone talks about doesn't work, it never did for me but somehow I survived and actually had more kids after that.
