Getting baby to sleep alone??

Courtney - posted on 06/03/2009

Thank you everybody for your helpful advice. The reason I need to get him to sleep on his own is because I have to return to work in 3 weeks (he will be 10 weeks) and I cannot expect his day care provider to carry him around for 4 hours while I'm away. I just want him to be able to sleep comfortably without me.

Ashley - posted on 06/01/2009

i agree with amanda. my son was the same way, but around 3 months i started laying him down cuz i was getting nothing done and he did great with it in fact he slept better than he was before. just put him down right after he feeds if he's asleep. i noticed with my son the longer i hold him before i put him down the less likely he is to stay asleep. for putting him in his own crib i would take the shirt you wore that day and put it in his bed with him so he still feels that your close to him. i do that sometimes if my son is having a hard time sleeping and it works like a charm:) good luck

Ariel - posted on 06/01/2009

I had the same problem with my daughter when she was a baby, and she still has sleep issues at 10 years old. While "Many children need the warmth and comfort of their mother through out the day and night", all mothers need to use the bathroom, shower, feed themselves, etc. throughout the day and night and those things are awfully hard to do with a sleeping baby in one arm. Some things you can try based on your parenting style are letting him cry it out (which personally I'm not a fan of), try out a sling so you can at least be more comfortable, let him rock himself to sleep in a swing or get him sleeping in the car and remove the carseat to the house. (I have heard of some babies that will only sleep in their carseats). Or try setting a portable bed, or infant bouncer or seat on the dryer while it's running. Babies have a built-in mechanism that puts them to sleep when they are unable to handle the stimulation around them, dryers are loud and jiggly and will have him snoozing in no time. From there you can slowly move him to the floor next to the dryer, then to his crib with a fan on nearby. He'll get comfortable with having the motion or noise near him while he sleeps,then you can finally put him in the crib itself with a fan on. The white noise will help. One thing to remember is to not lay him down while he's fast asleep, do it when he's content (full belly, clean diaper, etc.) and kinda woozy. Babies freak out when they close their eyes in one place and open them to find themselves somewhere else. This is all about being gradual. Once he's comfortable sleeping in his own room you can spend naptimes showering, or catching up on laundry! Plus, you can go back to cuddling while he's asleep at that point, so long as it's when YOU are able to, not every time. I started this with my son at about 7 weeks, I havent had to let him cry it out, he sleeps great now that my every movement doesn't jostle him, and I am much more relaxed since I can actually get things done during nap time.

Amanda - posted on 06/01/2009

The need to be held by a mother is not a habit, and doesnt not need to be broken. Many children need the warmth and comfort of their mother through out the day and night in the first 3 months, they have spent 40 weeks being held and cuddled by you in the womb, and still would like to enjoy being close. Enjoy it while it last, cause before you know it your son will be asking for the keys to the car so he can take his girlfriend out.