All Communities > January 2009 Babies > my 8 month old wont go 2 sleep alone what should i do??

my 8 month old wont go 2 sleep alone what should i do??

Kerry - posted on 09/03/2009 ( 11 moms have responded )

my 8 month old little girl will not go 2 sleep alone at night, i still have 2 nurse her how do i break this habit??

Join Circle of Moms

11 Comments

View replies by

Lisa - posted on 09/05/2009

111

I nurse my daughter to sleep and enjoy it. She settles for the night or may only want a top up or reassurance around 4am before back to sleep. With my 2yr old son we still occasionally lie with him until hes asleep...and did the same for my eldest daughter and there is no problems with her going to sleep alone. My son was a natural self soother but my girls were more clingy and after trying to let eldest sooth herself, found it made her unconsolable. Some babes just need a bit more comfort than others and theres nothing wrong with that other than it can be a bit time consuming!

Tracy - posted on 09/05/2009

You could try the pick up put down method by the baby whisperer. Put your baby down to sleep and if they cry pick them up, give them a cuddle,say you are just going to sleep and then put them back down again.If they cry pick them up again and do the same. I did this with my first son who wouldnt nap in his cot and it worked! I liked this method as you never leave them to cry on their own so not breaking the trust bond(hate controlled crying as I think they stop trusting you) and you are always there to settle them as you never leave the room but you do teach them to go to sleep on their own. You can also get daddy to help as she wont to be nursed by him so might settle quicker. Hope you have luck with whatever you try

Heather - posted on 09/04/2009

223

Quoting Mandy:

i dont know what the sleepeasy solution is, but i found Dr sears book the sleep book really helped me.
my son is nearly 8mo and still goes to sleep in my arms and i will do this for as long as he needs me to.

The only problem with allowing you baby to fall asleep in your arms is you will be putting them to bed like this until they are about 6 or so..maybe even longer.. Yes they do eventually grow out of it, but you suffer in the end..It is easier to break them now unless you want to have to deal with the toddler getting out of bed and throwing a trantrum everytime you put them in their room to go to sleep or laying with them in bed until they go to sleep everynight..

Allowing your child to go to bed on their own with out you or a bottle, grows their independence and it is a great thing to have an independant child.. It paves the road for a lot of other development when it comes to you doing things around the house, leaving them with others, ect.

It is ok for your baby to cry, it doesn't hurt them at all.

Mandy - posted on 09/04/2009

574

Quoting Nikki:

we had to use the cry it out method...took a few days, but it's getting better!

you do not have to do the CIO method. it is a choice

Nikki - posted on 09/04/2009

161

we had to use the cry it out method...took a few days, but it's getting better!

Mandy - posted on 09/04/2009

574

i dont know what the sleepeasy solution is, but i found Dr sears book the sleep book really helped me.

my son is nearly 8mo and still goes to sleep in my arms and i will do this for as long as he needs me to.

Michelle - posted on 09/03/2009

I have posted this to a bunch of questions already, but here it goes again :)

I used a book called "The Sleepeasy Solution." It costs about $15 and it is totally worth it. It tells you what might be wrong with the child's sleep environment, how to wean them from night feedings, and how to get them to sleep the night. It took 3 days and my son finally slept through the night. I didn't believe it at first! Seriously- get the book.

Here's the link: www.sleepyplanet.com

Good luck!

Kerry - posted on 09/03/2009

i give my son a soother, and put him down. he fusses, but i keep going in and picking him up, then putting him back down. sometimes this works. if he cries when i put him down i just rock him 2 sleep!

Heather - posted on 09/03/2009

223

I am having trouble also with my son who is eight months..I just started putting him down by himself. He doesn't like it at all, but what I have found is that if I turn on some music lulabies and leave the room for about 5-10 minutes and let him cry, then go back in the room pick him up hug him and talk to him about napping and sleeping and then lay him back down again, pat his back, it usually works. If it doesn't I go in again and just keep doing it until he falls asleep.

They eventully learn to go to sleep, you just need to be strong persistant and not give in to their cries, even though all moms can't stand to hear their little ones cry. By going in the room and hugging them you let them know that you are still there, but by making it a breif you are still tell them that they need to learn to take their nap on their own.