Teaching him to fall asleep on his own is torture!
Landon is 7 months old and still needs me to bouce him to sleep (while standing) and/or with a bottle (not in the crib with him). It's a difficult decision to let him cry himself to sleep, because I really relish my cuddle time with him now that he's more mobile and active. If it was just bedtime that I had to do this I think it wouldn't be such a problem, but it's constant... nap time, bedtime, and when he wakes up in the middle of the night (which is at least once a night)... My back can't take much more of this and I am exhausted. So after talking to my mom and a few of my mom friends I decided that it was time to break the cycle that he has learned to depend on. Last night was the first time that I let him cry himself to sleep, he screamed for 20 minutes and my visiting sister picked him up and got him all calmed down and awake after she left I put him back down and he screamed for another 30 minutes before finally falling asleep. I know that I'm doing the right thing by not teaching him to rely on me to fall asleep but it's hell listening to him cry in frustration! He watches his mobile and snuggles his elephant until he realizes that he's alone and throws a fit. I don't really need advice just support... I hear "been there, done that" all the time, I need to know others are going thru it right now.
Thank you.
Our son is almost 18 months-old and has just learned to fall asleep on his own. It was so difficult to train him as he, from day one, had always fallen asleep in my arms (I didn't want to give up my cuddle time either)! We worked and worked and worked with him for MONTHS and it was physically draining every night to listen to him cry. We did not use the CIO method, but rather we used a kitchen timer that we set for 5 minutes and then would go in to reassure him that everything was alright. He still screamed bloody murder! Our pedi recommended we use the timer as it is an inanimate object and rather than the child get mad at the parents, they will get mad at the timer. The only thing I can tell you is to be diligent in teaching him to fall asleep on his own and eventually he will realize that you mean business and you are not going to hold him every time he goes to sleep. Hang in there mama...I so can feel your pain, but it will get better, I promise. You are just going through the rough part now...bluer skies are ahead!
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- JesusFreak3345
on Nov. 24, 2009 at 1:02 AM