bed time

[terbear1225]

need a little advice here. our little peanut (7 months) is a good sleeper, she's been sleeping through the night for several months now ( i know, we're incredibly lucky) the problem is getting her to bed at night. I know we're not supposed to let her fall asleep with the bottle or in our arms. at what point can you put them in the crib sleepy and have them fall asleep without 20 mintues of crying first?

 

[greyhound]

I know we're not supposed to let her fall asleep in our arms.

Why can't you let her fall asleep in your arms? I rocked all three of my children to sleep when they were babies. They had no problem sleeping in their own rooms or beds.

A family friend told me...They are only that little for a very short time. Hold them whenever you can.

 

[watercolor]

I think that is crap. The dr also told me to have her go to bed before letting her fall asleep in my arms. I just say do what you feel is best. I sometimes have her go to bed awake and she will babble for a good 10 minutes and then drift off on her own- but if she falls asleep in my arms- so be it.


Follow your instincts.

 

[MMDad]

Don't listen to the Dr. Spock types in the books. You know in your being how to take care of your child. Trust yourself. If you think your child needs to be held, hold your child.

Every child and every parent is different. You have to adapt the rules to what you and your child can handle.

The doctors practice medicine. As soon as they stop practicing and get it right, maybe you can start to take them seriously.

 

[Somdmommy]

need a little advice here. our little peanut (7 months) is a good sleeper, she's been sleeping through the night for several months now ( i know, we're incredibly lucky) the problem is getting her to bed at night. I know we're not supposed to let her fall asleep with the bottle or in our arms. at what point can you put them in the crib sleepy and have them fall asleep without 20 mintues of crying first?

Our son is 2 and has been sleeping through the night since he was about 4 months old. (he was 10 lbs and I think way over cooked) We used to give him a good nite formula bottle in his crib, wait till he was done and almost asleep take it away and give him his pacifier and walk away.

After he was done with bottles and into 3 meals a day, we just started putting him in bed with his pacifier and leaving. Sometimes he cried and sometimes he didnt.

Now, he goes to bed and we dont hear anything! Goes right to sleep.


MMdad is right dont listen to "Dr. Spock" our son has always slept on his belly, we could not stop it. I had a brother die from SIDS ( its a brain fart really) They just call everything else SIDS, there was nothing in his crib for him to smother himself on so he let him.

 

[terbear1225]

peanut's been sleeping on her stomach for a while now. once she learned to roll over we couldn't have prevented it if we'd wanted to. she's never taken a pacifer, refused it every time we tried. I guess part of the problem is she's up so late for a 7 m/o. I talk to other parents and they tell me how their kids go to bed at 7 or 8 oclock. last night's bed time was 10. I worry that she's not getting enough sleep since we have to get her up at 7 to go to daycare. anyone else have a night owl baby? did they start going to bed earlier as they got older?

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I think most will agree you have to keep a set schedule, especially when they're so young. You could always put water in her bottle so that you're not worried about sugars on her gums at night. :shrug:

 

[mAlice]

The only time I gave my child a bottle to keep with her was at bedtime, and it was a bottle of water. 20 minutes isn't a very long , considering she has nothing else to distract her. Find a favorite toy or stuffed animal that she only gets at bedtime.

 

[vraiblonde]

anyone else have a night owl baby? did they start going to bed earlier as they got older?

Yep, me They started going to bed at a decent hour once they started school. Prior to that I pretty much lived around my kids' schedule. They ate when they were hungry, they slept when they were tired.

I figured I could either drive myself nuts trying to make them eat and sleep, or I could just go, "Eh. :shrug: " and make it easier on everybody.

 

[vraiblonde]

And why aren't you supposed to let them fall asleep in your arms? That's the best part about having a baby - rocking them to sleep.

 

[Joewsesnica]

And why aren't you supposed to let them fall asleep in your arms? That's the best part about having a baby - rocking them to sleep.

I totally agree. My son is now 15 months old, and I rocked him to sleep until he wouldn't let me anymore. (Mr. Independent) Now I just put him in his crib with his pacifier and he normally falls asleep after a little while. But the one good thing I found is a thing you put on the rail of the crib and it plays music and projects a little "movie" on the ceiling. He will lay in the crib and watch that til he falls asleep. And, if none of that works and he does cry for about 10 - 15 minutes then I just lay down with him. I don't see anything wrong with that, everyone needs a little comforting and cuddling!!!!

 

[mAlice]

And why aren't you supposed to let them fall asleep in your arms? That's the best part about having a baby - rocking them to sleep.

That was my worst nightmare. It didn't work. Every time I tried to put her down she woke up and started crying.

 

[aosmiles]

The sooner you can start the bedtime routine the better. my 20 month old has had a bedtime of 7-8 pm since she was an infant and she sleeps 12 hours a night, which is how much sleep babies need at minimum. My 7 month old son is now going to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 pm. I will nurse him, hold him a bit and put him to bed still drowsy. He may play a bit, but he puts himself to sleep. My advice: get a routine that works for you. As moms, we need to have "personal" and/or "husband" (or significant other) time, too. So, getting the kids down at an early hour helps them rest and helps you have some time to relax and accomplish those things you can't do otherwise. Do what is best for your family, but keep in mind the advice of others. You are the mom-trust your instincts.

 

[itsbob]

need a little advice here. our little peanut (7 months) is a good sleeper, she's been sleeping through the night for several months now ( i know, we're incredibly lucky) the problem is getting her to bed at night. I know we're not supposed to let her fall asleep with the bottle or in our arms. at what point can you put them in the crib sleepy and have them fall asleep without 20 mintues of crying first?

So she crys?? What harm does it do? Sooner or later whe will get over it. If you start holding her to get her to sleep, when she wakes up at night (which she does, you just don't know it) she will cry until you pick her up to get her to go to sleep again..

Let her cry herself to sleep, it doesn't hurt her, or cause psychological damage, but it does let her know that crying will not get her what she wants.

 

[itsbob]

peanut's been sleeping on her stomach for a while now. once she learned to roll over we couldn't have prevented it if we'd wanted to. she's never taken a pacifer, refused it every time we tried. I guess part of the problem is she's up so late for a 7 m/o. I talk to other parents and they tell me how their kids go to bed at 7 or 8 oclock. last night's bed time was 10. I worry that she's not getting enough sleep since we have to get her up at 7 to go to daycare. anyone else have a night owl baby? did they start going to bed earlier as they got older?

How much is she sleeping at daycare? If she's sleeping the day away at daycare, she may not be ready for bed until 10 or 11. We got lucky, Nicholas goes to daycare with a bunch of little people, and they keep him awake most of the day.. steal his pacifier, steal his blanket, bottle.. but he seems to REALLY enjoy the other kids. 8:00 PM he starts to growl, his signal that it's time to go to bed, and he wants to sleep NOW.. During the day, he'll sleep (little cat naps at most) just about anywhere, but at night it HAS to be his bed.

My first (this was 21 years ago) we would rock to sleep.. and get out of bed when she was crying and rock back to sleep.. well we created a MONSTER. She would NOT sleep through the night, and you had to pick her up and rock her to get her back to sleep. THAT was one of the hardest habits to break her from.. think several sleepness nights in a row.. Better to not develop those habits to begin with.

Doctor explained to us ALL babies wake up at night, they SHOULD go right back to sleep on their own, unless they expect to be held or rocked, in that case they will cry until they get what they want/ expect.

 

[itsbob]

That was my worst nightmare. It didn't work. Every time I tried to put her down she woke up and started crying.

Been there done that!!

 

[vraiblonde]

All you Mommies with babies - in about 14 years you're going to look at your child and wonder where all the time went. Rock the babies while you still can.

 

[terbear1225]

we had that problem too. I started out rocking/nursing her to sleep but every time I tried to put her down, she'd wake up screaming.

 

[RoseRed]

I rocked mine until she was *almost* asleep and put her down and rubbed her belly. I also played a Celtic lullabies CD every night and it worked like a charm for me. She will be 7 next week and still listens to that CD occassionally.

 

[greyhound]

All you Mommies with babies - in about 14 years you're going to look at your child and wonder where all the time went. Rock the babies while you still can.

My uncle used to say..."Stop doing that your spoiling them".

You can never spoil a child with comfort and love.