Resorting to hairdryer - am i making a rod?

[WhoahThere]

DD is really struggling to self-settle at the moment (only at bed time, fine during the day). She's 6.5mo and when put down to sleep is just wriggling, rolling, trying to crawl, etc etc, until she gets herself into a pickle and starts crying. I comfort her and put her back and she just starts again!

We used to use the hairdryer or white noise early on with great success, and I've resorted to it again recently as it does calm her down. Bit worried about her becoming reliant on it though, does anyone have any advice?

And another question - is there a guideline on how much sleep they need at this age - albeit I know it will vary widely - just wondering whether to try cutting down on daytime naps in an attempt to get a bit more sleep at night....

All wisdom welcome!

Hairdryers are really expensive on electricity (makes the meter whirr round). Perhaps you could get a fan (that works well for us) or perhaps a white noise CD?

I used to use a CD of the sound of waves. Still use it sometimes...

You may be blessed with a child that needs little sleep. My DD (3.11) dropped her daytime naps quite early and still doesn't need much sleep.

I was given one of these by DS's very indulgent great-aunt - Sleep Sheep I snorted with laughter when we first unwrapped it but it proved to be very useful indeed. You can take the noise box thing out and pop it in change bag for travel etc as well so not a big deal if she does rely on it (and loads cheaper & safer to run than a hairdryer!)

my baby is the same age and going through the same thing. he can roll and very nearly shuffle/crawl so practicing his new skills 24/7! if he's really fidgety i sit with him for a bit and keep putting him back on his back and sometimes put the cot mobile on so he lies still-ish to watch it to fall asleep.

what about a cd of white noise, lullabies, classical music... my older kids listen to a cd for every sleep to help them unwind a bit and fall asleep.

We use the sleep sheep too, it's great. Helps DD go to sleep every night (she's 14 months). Sod rods, whatever works.

What are the naps like?

I remember having to change timing of naps at 6 months ish and took some time before we got it right. I doubt dropping naps is a good idea because she wouldn't fall asleep with the hairdryer if not tired? There is a big developmental leap around this age which causes havoc too!

Went through hairdyer, Hoover, radio tuned between stations for White noise. Worked for all three of ours, eventually they hit a point where it doesn't work any more, for us around eighteen months. We now have five week old dd2 who has very high tech White noise-an app I downloaded for I phone! Has five colours of noise plus trains, Hoover, hairdryer, Tibetan singing bowl, waves, rainforest!! But we like good old White noise!

Still using the white noise CD for DD's daytime naps at 21 months! Sleeps at night without but doesn't settle so easily in the day. I wouldn't worry about it - if it works, go for it. Sleep is sooo precious!

having had a little experience working in a sleep clinic, I am one of those annoying people who would strongly advise against using anything to get your child to sleep as at some point your child will need to learn to get themselves to sleep without any 'aids'. It is an essential skill in life and the more aids you use now the more they will have to give up later.
Ensure a really good bedtime routine, at a time you know they are really tired then put them to bed, If they start to cry then go in and reasure(stroke head once, say it is bedtime) and leave then keep going in without any communication and increase the time between going in, untill they fall asleep. If you decide to do this it is bloody hard work and heartbreaking but does work, as long as you never give in! If you do give in the next time will be sooo much harder. It very rarely takes more than a week and with both my children only took 2days.
Good luck in whatever you choose to do

we recorded the hairdryer and played it on a loop until dd was about a year old. she's 2.6 now and is fine at going to sleep. usually.

We recorded a hairdryer and played it on a CD loop as well. DS probably stopped about 8 months. Then he went onto music, and now at 2.9 he self settles reasonably well.

My brother once ended up having to take the hoover on holiday with him!

I used an iPhone app which has loads of sounds on it. DD loved the running shower noise!