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weaning off rocking/bouncing to sleep

1 reply

barneybear · 13/01/2008 17:24

i've worked out generally when my son needs to nap (3 shortish ones, although the lunch-time is longer if he's out in his pram...) but we're still bouncing himrocking him in our arms for a long time and then slowly moving him into his crib - often he wakes up and then we have to start it all again.

the HV was pretty blunt last week & said we're crazy to still be doing this and he's very used to it AND he may be waking up early because he wakes up thinking 'how did get here?' as he's gone down in his crib asleep not awake.

she suggested the 10-min of leaving him and then going in etc. on him rule.

i think that's a bit harsh but do want to start leaving him to settle alone - was working on the basis of 5 minutes, then going in to calm him but not pickk him up.

my main concerns are:

a) we move him into his cot tomorrow. do we start this process immediately or let him settle in his cot for a week as this will be strange to him.

b) do we start with the day-time naps which is what we struggle with most (he still feeds to sleep at night or just needs a gentle rock...so i know we will have to tackle this too but can't cope with doing it ll at once as i know it's going to be really tough.

c) do we allow him to go to bed with his dummy in while we're doing this. i feel he needs SOMETHING to calm him as he's a baby who works himself up into a very big state in a ery short time.

i'm really dreading this, but at the same time, i do not want to sepnd anymore time the way we're doing this. he's a stone now, so he's heavy, and i don't want the rare moments i have to myself to be spent rocking for half an hour, then having butterflies because i'm afraid he's going to start crying within 5 minutes which frequently happens.

he is 3 months old, bottle fed, still has some wind problems but getting better. but possets a lot after feeding.

ANY help as always gratefully appreciated.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
phlossie · 13/01/2008 21:46

I agree with your instinct about controlled crying in a baby so young - don't do it. You can't spoil him.

My ds was exactly the same. We tried a number of things that worked a treat:

  1. Swaddling - that stops the startle reflex where a baby suddenly starts and wakes himself up.
  2. I'd get him put him down sleepy, swaddled, slightly on his side, and rub his back saying shhhhh. White noise worked well - having the radio on quietly helped too.
  3. Rocking - during the day I'd rock his pram in front of the waahing machine on spin! Or jiggle in a sling - if he slept in his sling I could still do stuff.

He was breastfed, so I couldn't get him to use a dummy, but if I could have I would.

He's now nearly 2 and a brilliant sleeper, btw!

Just make sure he gets his daytime naps, and don't worry about how you get him to stay alseep. If he's well slept during the day, he'll sleep better at night.

Luckily my dd (also 3 months) is good at falling asleep on us and then being transferred to her cot. But she possets a lot too and that can make her wake up. We just put her up over our shoulders after each feed before we put her down, and have blocks under the cot feet at the head end - that helps.

Also, I don't think my 3 month old noticed that she was sleeping in a different place when we moved her to her cot, apart from that she had more space to sprawl, and so she slept better!

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