Rocking & nursing to sleep....

DD is 3 months old today!!!

Her bedtime routine consists of a bath and a story read to her followed by me nursing and rocking her to sleep. I want her to be able to fall asleep without depending on me to rock her..... How do I go about in doing this?

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

I can't give you advice as I rocked DS for 16 months, but I honestly enjoyed that time so didnt try to break him! at 6 months he decided he wanted to be put down awake and that worked for a while, then he got sick and wanted to be rocked again. Then at 16 months he just squirmed until I put him down, and now at 3 we have never had an issue.

My point is if you enjoy that time dont rush it, it wont last forever.

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

I definitely enjoy the time BUT I have just returned to work so as much as I love to rock her for an hour each night, I don't have as much time free to do it.

I am also afraid that I am developing a bad habit by rocking her.... Am I?

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

i did not do this till 4 months- but i out him down drowsy after nursing - and then if he cried i would shush and pat his back - if he screamed i picked up till he calmed down and then right down again - we proably did this for a week or 2 and he was going to bed within a few minutes with just a little rub of the back and we could walk out

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

I can understand that. Returning to work was actually the reason I continued it. But I can see wanting to stop for the same reason.

Are you developing a bad habit, probably, but I can't say for sure as I never tried to stop it KWIM.

GL. I am sure the ladies here will have good advice for you!

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

I'm no help.

I did the same until six months when we did CIO (which went REALLY smoothly and easily!) and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I miss those times!!!!

I went back to work when he was 6 weeks old too, so I hear you.... but I loved that extra special time we had.

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

Just stop doing it. That's what we did. It was hard for a few days but then he just got it.

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

this was our routine, and DH is the one who does bedtime:

lights down, tv off, last bottle on the couch with DH. MOST nites DS will fall alseep by the end of his bottle. DH would then lay with DS or hold him and walk around, put DS in the crib. He started STTN by about 14 weeks when i went back to work. But there were plenty of nites he would wake and I would rock back to sleep or lay with him on the couch.

Now that DS turned 1, we're changing it a bit b/c I cant keep getting up to lay with him or rock him during the nite. We put him down whether hes asleep or not. Friday we let him cry 15 min before he fell asleep. Slept through. Sat he was asleep, but woke up at 10 and i had to let him cry a few min, then went in there and patted his back..DID NOT PICK HIM UP. And i've been putting him in his PNP to nap with toys..so he will play for a little while and then fall asleep on his own.

I really enjoyed the laying with him and rocking, so I dont think you're doing anything wrong. You can get them to learn to put themselves to sleep. IM not sure if 3mo old is old enough yet..6mo is a better age when they start to learn these things.

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

I love that time too, but I did some things to make it a little shorter so DH and I can enjoy our evenings together. Instead of nursing I give DD a BM pumped bottle at bedtime. She eats it much more quickly than if she was nursing. We sit in her dimly lit nursery with soft music playing (homedics white noise machine!); she gets her bottle; burped; then I rock her (get this...) and silently count backwards from 100...one time. When I hit 1, I kiss her and lay her down. She's usually asleep or very drowsy and rolls over and sucks her thumb to fall asleep. (sounds crazy when I actually wrote it down...lol)

Been working great so far! We get to have that nighttime cuddle but it doesn't last as long as it used to.

Message edited 11/2/2010 10:48:42 AM.

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

Your baby is still young so I wouldn't worry but I'd be careful here bc I have friends who have awful sleepers and are still rocking their kids to sleep. I'm sure it's a nice bonding time but you may want to break your DD of this habit in the future. My DD is an awesome sleeper and has been since she was little, We put her right in the crib when she is tired but awake and I think that has helped her in not needing me at night. I work full-time and have another on the way so for me this is the best way so everyone sleeps in the house :) Good luck!

Re: Rocking & nursing to sleep....

My doctor suggested to rock and nurse, then read a bedtime story...that way they are not asleep when you put them down. I started this and DS is fine with it! If he falls asleep before I put him down, he usually wakes shortly after and cries because he is confused! If he goes down awake, he knows he is in his crib, and can soothe himself back to sleep much easier. I say there is no reason to give up the rocking, just read a story after! I love it...plus story time is great for the baby.

ETA: DS is almost 5 months

Message edited 11/2/2010 11:32:04 AM.