Getting toddler to go to sleep by himself
By momoflilboys
@momoflilboys (74)
United States
February 24, 2008 11:03am CST
HI everybody. I am new here. My name is Patrice and I have three boys. 16 months 5 years and 6 years. My 16 month old was a breastfed baby until he was 14 months old. Most of the time he was nursed to sleep. I would also put him in the bed with me because it was easier for him to nurse when he awoke in the morning. Now he is use to sleeping in my bed and falling asleep in my arms. Another thing, which might seem weird to everyone, because its seems weird to me. He has to play with my belly button with his binky in his mouth to fall asleep. It started when he was about 9 months. It gets annoying at times. I want him to fall asleep on his own. I have put him in his crib, but all he did was scream. Very frustrating. I dont know what to do. I cant get my house work done when its nap time because I have to lay with him to put him to sleep. Any advice would be wonderful. Thanks
1 person likes this
3 responses
@isabeliever (164)
• United States
25 Feb 08
I nursed my son until one month shy of his 3rd b-day! SHOCKING! I am an older mother and I guess part of this attachment is due to know that he will be my only baby. It took us about 1 month of the reward system to get our son to sleep in his own bed but I have to say the reward was that we would a) rub his back for 3 minutes and b) leave his door open when we left.
'Messing around' or getting out of bed meant no 'rubbies' or the door being closed.
He still gets up 3-5 times a week at 3-4am and gets back into bed with us..but I'm just too tired to get up and take him back. If I do that, I will be awake for the rest of the night and then a total mess at work the next day.
My parenting class instructor says that he won't be doing this as a teenager and it is up to my husband and I to either decide we've had enough and deal with it or to let our son decide when he is ready to sleep alone.
Right now, we are still OK with him spending some time in our bed...so we just leave well enough alone.
@isabeliever (164)
• United States
25 Feb 08
OH - I should have mentioned that I also often nursed my son to sleep until we were separated for 1 week due to a vacation I could not attend. My husband & my son went to see my mother-in-law for her birthday. I couldn't attend due to new job obligations.
That made the whole weaning/sleeping thing WAY easier
@mommy2jason922 (529)
• United States
25 Feb 08
I let my son CIO and always have since he started sleeping in his crib. but now the only way he will sleep is if he has this little monkey that has a rattle in its belly and his binky. also if he starts screaming i give him his favorite toy and he plays with that untill he falls asleep!
@floramwaters (1595)
• United States
24 Feb 08
I went throw a parenting class not to long ago and they talk about this. They said to start off with a reward it takes a while to fully get this but here it goes. Night one tell him if he he stay in his own bed and is quiet for 5-10 minutes you will come in and give him a reward( a chesse it a sticker what ever you child likes)do this repeated for about a hour one of those times you will go in his room and find him a sleep. Every night add 5 minutes to that time frame after about a week you may not have to go back in his room. You can adjust the times that you feel fit your child. You can also sit a timer to help learn when you will be back in the room. A lady in my class did this and she said it worked like a charm. It is a lot of work at first but it is worth it in the end.
