Are we creating a rod for our own backs?

[Hotpotpie]

Have realised that OH has a bad habit of rocking the baby to sleep - is this going to create issues in her being able to get off to sleep unaided and if it is any advise on how we can break the habit now as its started? OH pretty much always puts her to bed but the last few nights I have and ive not managed to get her down to sleep without rocking/cuddling her like he does

How old is you DC. Cuddling and rocking to sleep is a habit that will need to be gradually withdrawn if you want her to go to sleep by herself but if it is working for you at the moment and once she is asleep she sleeps for a long stretch (depending on her age) then I would not worry yet.

DS1 was BF to sleep until he got to about 9mnths when I decided that we needed to break the habit. We used a technique described in a fantastic book 'Teach your child to Sleep' by the Millpond clinic where we gradually reduced the help we gave him to get to sleep. We did this over a couple of months with a few hiccups for holidays and sickness but it was very succesful and only involved a bit of crying (with us there to support him)

I can only tell you about my experience (given all families have different needs and all children are different). I used to breastfeed my dd to sleep and as soon as I put her down, she'd wake.
In the end I just made her comfy on the sofa and took her up with us. I was bombarded with criticism and told my back would be truly rodded.

One evening when she about 22 months she toddled herself into bed and that was it! She's 4.6 now, goes to bed at 7 after a story and is asleep 5 minutes later. She has never got out of bed, so it all worked out.
I'm kinda glad now that I didn't stress about it.(tbh she's my first and only and i was/am clueless).

Sorry shes 8 weeks old, shes doing brilliantly in terms of sleep, going from 9-10pm until 4-5am without waking, but actually getting her to sleep is starting to become hard work, and it wasnt thats the frustrating thing she was quite happy to be put down in her cot and she would sleep when she was ready.

OH has been trying to give me a break of an evening and since he has shes stopped being able to do this and will only sleep when rocked to sleep - Im not that bothered about doing it but dont want to end up with a baby that can only ever get to sleep after an hour of being rocked and she being my first baby Im getting all the 'well meaning' comments off family and friends that I just dont have the knowledge or experience to know whether to listen to or ignore

at 8 weeks she is till a tiny tiny baby and she will need your help to get to sleep. This article is really interesting and will help you understand your dd's sleeping routine and why you will still need to help her out www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/8-infant-sleep-facts-every-parent-should-know

i believe most places don't recomend sleep training till 4-6 months.

So basically don't worry about what the reletive's say and do what you need to do to help her. There are no rods at this age! :)

Gosh yes 8 weeks is tiny. I found with mine that they didn't really start to settle into anything until they were about 10 weeks and it wasn't until they were about 4 -6 months that routines (and do sleep etc) and life in general got easier. I found the book 'the no-cry sleep solution' really interesting. A very nice health visitor said to me that you don't have a sleep problem unless it is a problem for you. ie don't listen to anyone else if you are happy with how things are going then go for it. At 8 weeks they do need you!