Rocking baby to sleep

[boyse4]

Hi,

My ds turns 1 on 10th July and I still have to rock him to sleep. I've done it ever since he was tiny and become such a habit that he won't go to sleep unless I rock him.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can stop this? As he's getting so heavy it's killing my back 😂

Just a note, I don't feel comfortable leaving him to cry.

Thanks for any ideas or experiences!

Lay down in a bed next to him, cuddle him in tight and rock him. Eventually rock less and less until your just holding him.

No advice but some reassurance… we rocked DS1 to sleep until he was about 2. Then started laying him in his cot and lying next to the cot holding his hand and stroking his hair until he fell asleep. Now aged 3.5 he can fall asleep by himself happily. Like you we never felt comfortable with leaving him to cry. It seems like it will last forever but I promise it won’t, I felt at times like I’d be rocking a 10 year old to sleep!

Do you have a bedtime routine e.g. bath time, story time, bed? If not then try starting one around 30 minutes before bed. Then you could try lying him down in his cot and rubbing his back/holding his hand until he drops off. Then you can progress to sitting nearby where he can see you and go from there.