going to sleep without rocking/holding

[waiting4bambino]

My baby is almost nine months old, and will not go to sleep by herself, i have to rock or hold her until it happens! Often then, if i put her down, she will wake immediately, and does a sound that sounds like "Ha!", she is then wide awake! And we have to start the procedure all over again! Not only can i get nothing done, but various limbs go dead when i continually hold her while she rests! Any tips?

I have always put mine down on their own from very early on so I'm not sure- I think it's harder once the habit is formed.

However, they say it only takes about 3 days to break a habit.

I think I would start off with making sure she has a really good bedtime routine. Feed her last feed in her room, then tell her that it is time to sleep etc and put her down in her cot. (I would probably use a musical toy/mobile etc to play a soothing tune). You could either leave and then go back in and soothe her if she cries- but don't talk much- just a cuddle and back down- everytime you go in give less until you are just stroking her head and saying, 'shhhh'
OR you could do the gradual leaving- stay near her soothing her until she settles, and creep further away as she settles.

Pick Up Put Down technique will work bu wil take time.

You cuddle until drowsy, but down, she wil complain, pick up, cuddle until calmed, put down, she will cry, pick up etc etc etc etc

You have to see it as teaching her that's it's safe & okay to go to sleep on her own without being held/cuddled/rocked

Tis difficult. With ds I used to cuddle&rock until he was sleep and it could take hours! But when he was about 9mo I went back to work 3 evenings a week and dh put him to bed. He was not of the cuddle for hours on end persuassion, ds just got used to it I think. With dd since she has been in her cot she gets milk, kissed goodnight by everyone and put in her cot with her mobile on. End of. Some evenings she'll cry or moan but never for more than 10mins. I know it sounds horribly cruel but it was the only solution that worked for us.

It's so hard though. On one hand, you want to do whats best for baby, but on the other hand, you want to hold and rock her etc etc. I've tried the Pick Up Put Down method, and always cave in after i've picked her up about 30 times! It kills my back getting her in and out of the cot, she's not the smallest of babies and I am short! And also, she seems to get more and more awake the longer it goes on! The fact that we co-sleep for part of the night may also confuse her etc, but she wakes so often, and we all love co-sleeping...

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