How do i break the habit of rocking bub to sleep

[shae-matilda'smum]

I have a six month old girl. Who has had problems falling asleep since birth. Once she is asleep she is fine she sleeps 10 hours straight at night and has done since she was 3 months. To get her to sleep we normally rock with her for 10 or so mins on rocking chair and then gently place her in her cot once she is asleep. I dont mind this but ii am going to have to drop the cot down(she is nearly sitting) and my arms are not long enough to gentley put her down. How can i break the habit of rocking her to sleep. I do not like controlled crying and want to know if anyone has some suggestions of how to train her to fall asleep on her own.

Thanks for your help

Shae

[cleighsa]

hi shaea
i have a 71/2 mth old girl and i used to do exactly the same. rock her in my arms for 10+ mins till she was sound asleep, then put her down in cot.

my husband and i both decided it was time to try teach her to fall asleep in cot. first i wrap her (i have always done this anyway) and rock her in my arms till she is settled down. then put her down in cot and gently rock her while she is lying on her back. (i have to hold her arms and her legs as she is very squirmy). if this doesnt work we roll her onto her tummy and pat her bottom till she falls asleep.

i started doing this when she was around 6mths for one sleep a day (it is alot harder than just rocking and takes alot longer and more patience). and now do it for all sleeps.
hope this helps
leighsa

ps make sure u put cot down soon. my little clever girl was sitting at 6mths and climbed out of her cot cause the matress was still up high! totally freaked us out :eek:

[Lachlan's Mum]

Hi there

I am not wanting to put myself out there to criticism again regarding the self settling thing.....but you may want to look at some of the previous posts in this section (don't think they've been moved to controlled crying bit yet).....myself and some other mums have talked about going through this same thing/stage...and some others have said why they've chose to continue rocking/patting etc. very interesting.

By the way no-one LIKES controlled crying or any version of it (I don't think many of us are brave enough to do the full on thing!)........you wouldn't be a normal mum if the thought of having to do this wasn't scary! ;) ;)

Look at Vonnie100 thread.

[Jolou]

Hi Shae,
If you can get hold of a copy of "The Baby Whisperer" by Tracey Hogg it has some great techniques that are gentle and don't involve controlled crying. I have been using it with Caitlyn (8 months) who has always been a terrible sleeper, for about 12 days and we are getting results. It takes time and lots of patients but is worth the effort. If your little one is already a good sleeper it should take no time at all to get her to sleep on her own.
Best of luck
Jo

[oscarsmilkbar]

Hi Shae.

I know that there are hundreds of books on advice about settling but there is one that myself and all the mothers in my mothers group rave about. It's called Sleep Right, Sleep Tight.

Hope this helps.

[redbaby]

Hi Guys,.. I sit with my 7.5month old daughter in the feeding chair in her bedroom and concentrate on my breathing,. I get it in time with hers, and then slow it down bit by bit,...after about 5 minutes she is heavy eyelidded and I then put her in her cot!