My boy is 11 months old and I rock him to sleep. Sometimes I don't mind because it works. Other times, especially when he's hard to settle, I feel my blood boil. Doesn't help that he's a big 98th percentile boy!
There was a brief period at around 9 months where he could be settled in the cot with patting and shushing. Suddenly, he went from 40 min naps to 2+ hour ones. I thought I'd cracked it and my husband thought I was a sourcerer. But it began taking longer and longer - he (my son, not DH) determinedly stood up, over and over again, with loud protesting - so I reverted back to rocking. And the 40 min naps returned!
For the last week I've been able to cuddle him to sleep (no motion, me sat down). But this only works at bedtime. He wakes at least 4 times every night, I breastfeed 3 times.
So please, please tell me. If you've been in this situation, how did you stop rocking/helping your baby to fall asleep? What did you replace it with? How did you not tear your hair out if you continued to rock into toddlerhood? Will my boy ever fall asleep on his own?!
Thanks in advance, from a still-clueless mother of an almost 1 year old.