How do you get your 6,7,8 month old to sleep? How to stop rocking?

[DfanjoUnchained]

Just wondering.

My ds is 7 months and I rock him to sleep day and night. Pretty tiring tbh. Is there any way of stopping the rocking without feeding to sleep? I've managed to stop feeding to sleep which I'm glad about but this is more tiring than sticking a boob in his mouth :(

I stroke my nearly 6 month olds back (she is a tummy sleeper)

I used to pat my elder DD on the bum.

Both these methods seem to relax my babies and are a bit like rocking but in the cot.

I've been trying to do that, but when I lay him in his cot while he's awake he cries a lot, even with patting and shushing. How can I get him used to it?

I'm in the exact same dilemma. My LO is 12 weeks and a sleep fighter. The only thing I haven't tried is white noise.

You have to be brave and persist with the shush pat and settle in the cot. He won't like it as he is used to something else, but it will be better in the long run for him to self-settle. Rock him until he is nearly asleep then put him down and shush/ pat his bum. even if he falls asleep for a few mins then wakes crying just return to him and do it again. The next time you do it have him a little more awake, and after a week or so you might be able to put him down awake. Try white noise too

I forgot the white noise. and yes sometimes they cry but if its just a tired wail usually it won't be long before they sleep.

If they scream and cry maybe the timing is off. You are the best to cuddle and try again soon I find.

Thanks everyone. Been reading up on some techniques. Going to try the pickup-put down first then move onto verbal reassurance. Won't do cry it out completely but he's so strong willed I doubt a very gentle technique will work.

I put him to sleep while holding him today but no rocking, just stroking his back and he screamed for 15 minutes before collapsing on me :(

Also, he's teething right now so won't do sleep training this week.

Ok people, your babies are little. Especially you with the 12 week old. I certainly wouldn't expect a 12 week old to self settle.

With dd, I would put her down asleep then work backwards until she was awake and try and leave the room for a minute or two. If she grumbled, i would leave her and she'd sleep. If not, I'd go in and rock. This I started at around 6 months and she naturally got there. At 20 months, she's had plenty of regressions - in between 6 and 20 months I've had to go back to rocking. But I don't mind as know it won't be forever (she isn't my first).

I do remember that it takes longer to rock them to sleep if they're overtired. They trick you into thinking they're not tired, when actually they are. So try earlier bedtimes.

Also pick up put down is a horrible technique (did it with ds, stopped after 2 nights).

You can do gentle encouragement towards self settling, just appreciate that 1) you won't be doing it forever and 2) sometimes baby will just need you a bit more some nights more than others.

I admit I would sometimes tear my hair out with dd and ds not settling but once I relaxed a bit with dd, she's been so so much easier!

I meant to say at 20 months we're now at the leave awake stage again.

I agree with younger babies, i always bf my ds to sleep until he was 5 months. Then switched to rocking as didnt want him to always feed to sleep as he was very reliant on it. But now he's reliant on rocking and it's taking longer and longer to get him to sleep, plus he's huge and my back is killing me.

Managed to just cuddle today which is good and he's currently I'm my bed lying next to me nearly falling asleep on his own which is good.

I'm definitely ready for regressions and change though. Wasnt sure on the put down method either but my partner reckons it might suit him. I'm thinking I could just do the reassurance or ssh-pat with him in cot

And he's asleep :) just strokes his face and shushed him and he gently went to sleep. First time he's ever done that

Watching with interest. I still rock my 16 month old dd to sleep and she screams like I've left her .
I did cc with ds for bedtime from about 1 and that worked but struggling to feel able to do it again.
Just remember it's not forever, before you know it, it all works itself out.

Oh, and yes, 12 weeks far too young for sleep training.

And I've got nn envy dfanjo!

I used a Poing armchair to bounce/rock with him on my knee (much easier on the back). He self-settles in his cot now at 15 months.