Do You Rock Your Baby To Sleep?

Babies - Rock-A-Bye-Baby
@Chevee (5905)
United States
December 21, 2008 1:13pm CST
When my children was babies we had rocking chairs back then and we would rock babies to sleep. Now on the television I see parents putting their babies in their cribs fully awake turn the lights down low, close the door leaving it open a crack and leaving the baby to fall asleep by themselves. Do you have a rocking chair? Do you rock your baby to sleep.
2 people like this
18 responses
@lilcee (2703)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I have a Grandson who is 4 months old. He's gotten spoiled already being the only Grandchild. I watched him yesterday and when he got tired he was a bear. When he's not tired, he's as good as can be but when he get's sleepy - look out LOL. He already knows how to fight sleep. When my kids were little, I would put them in bed and let them go to sleep that way. Sometimes I would rock them but only til their bottle was empty. I didn't like to put them in bed with a bottle. Well, my Grandson is used to being rocked and walked. When he cries - or should I say screams lol - his Dad walks him to calm him down. Now he thinks he needs to do that all the time. He's as cute as can be - even tho he's just a tad bit spoiled. I hope he grows out of it.
1 person likes this
@lilcee (2703)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I should add that I don't mind rocking him to sleep. I enjoy it and always wanted a Grandbaby to rock. I have one of those glider rockers. The only thing I don't like is that it squeaks and we can't figure out why or how to fix it. But to get back to the discussion, I enjoy rocking him and singing to him. Guess that's the Grandma in me.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I wish my baby would go to sleep by just leaving her alone like that. I always rock her still she falls a sleep, or sing to her. both of my children love me to sing or rock them to sleep.
1 person likes this
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I think that is the best way to get them to sleep.
1 person likes this
@jcj_111776 (3216)
• Philippines
22 Dec 08
Hello chevee. We didn't have a rocking chair but I always put my son to sleep in my arms. The first few weeks were tough as he tended to wake up every 2 hours. But as he got older, putting him to sleep wasn't that too difficult any longer. And by letting him fall asleep in my arms, before laying him down in his crib, made him sleep more deeply and comfortably.
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
22 Dec 08
Occasionally I'd rock my son to sleep if he was restless or not feeling well. But I didn't make a habit of it. Most of the time I'd put him in his crib, turn down the lights and pat him gently for a few seconds to relax him. He'd usually fall asleep on his own. I had friends who walked their baby to sleep every night - and it turned into a big mistake. As the child reached toddler stage they were still pacing the floor at night because the child was so conditioned to it that he wouldn't sleep unless they walked him for an hour or two. I tried to warn them, but they chose not to listen.
1 person likes this
@redsponge (557)
• Malaysia
22 Dec 08
I do not have a rocking chair. But sometimes I will hold my baby and sing a lullaby to make him fall asleep. I treasure those times. When I have things to do, I will just put him in his crib, turn on some baby musics and let him fall asleep by himself.
1 person likes this
• India
22 Dec 08
chevee... i have two childrens one 4 yrs old boy and one 10 months baby... my boy hold me with hands every day and went to deep sleep... but my daughter she is now don't sleep on my side because when she go for sleep she want her mother milk..
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Dec 08
I let my son sleep on a hammock, sometimes I craddle him and sing a song, or just put him to bed and pat him. I think using a rocking chair to sleep the baby while you have him on your arms of chest is a good idea.
@royal52gens (5488)
• United States
22 Dec 08
I always rocked my children to sleep. It gave them and me great comfort. Rocking them allowed both of us to relax for a short time each day. There were times I did not need to rock them as they would fall asleep on their own. I would scoop them up and put them in their beds. I miss that time in my life. My children have all grown up and one is now rocking her own children.
@mayka123 (16555)
• India
22 Dec 08
I was a working mother. Had to depend on the baby sitter during the week and my husband would be at home in the evenings to look after the kids till I got home. So I did not make the habit of rocking the babies because there was no one to do that in my absence. They got into the habit of sleeping on their bed on thier own.
1 person likes this
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
21 Dec 08
You are going back about 26 years for me, but yes, I did rock my son to sleep.. When I found out that I was expecting, my husband bought a big heavy duty rocker, one that would last forever.. I used it everyday with my son, even for a daytime nap, I took a little while and rocked him to sleep.. I enjoyed it as much as he did.. I had the rocker for about 12 years when I put it out on my porch to sit in while I was outside, and one day we left for awhile and when we got back, my rocker was gone, in broad daylight, someone stole my rocker.. Now I don't have one that is as good as that one to pass on to him.. I wanted to give him the one that I used when he was little so he could use it for his own children, but some thief took that when they stole the rocker.. Oh well, I got off track, but yes, there is nothing any more soothing than to be able to rock a baby, any baby, now I am hoping for grandchildren.. you got my mind to rocking Chevee..
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 Dec 08
i don't have any babies but if i did i'd rock them if they wanted to be rocked. i do have a rocking chair.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
28 Dec 08
My fiance rocks her to sleep in the rocking chair. I used to rock our oldest when she was a baby.
@Indojo (242)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I used to try to rock my daughter to sleep, but it never worked. The only way she would go to sleep was if I nursed her. There is no way I could ever put her down in bed and just expect her to fall asleep.
1 person likes this
• China
22 Dec 08
i'm not a mom yet,:p ,but i will be a mother the next year.it's happiness to have a baby.
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
21 Dec 08
I never had a rockingchair. As I could never afford one. But I have always wanted one. Howver I still rocked my kids to sleep. I literallyw ould rock back and fourthw ith them til they fella sleep. I guess you could say I spoiled them. because my daughter being 8 yrs old still likes to climb on my lap and rock back and fourth.
@GardenGerty (157050)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I rocked my babies. My daughter rocks her little girl, but did not rock her clear to sleep. She has taught her to go to sleep by herself, without rocking. In some ways, that is a lot better. Her baby got lots of holding, but also slept a lot better than my two kids did. The experts in the books recommend doing it this way so I guess that is why she did.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
22 Dec 08
We rocked out kids for a while, but eventually, we stopped doing that. Sometimes they went to sleep on their own. Sometimes they didn't. Eventually, they got to to where they went to sleep on their own, withing a timeframe.
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
21 Dec 08
Wow! This is weird! I just responded to your latest discussion about favorite chairs and mentioned the bentwood rocker that I loved because I rocked my sons to sleep when they were babies. So, I thought I'd mention it here, too. Yes, I loved that chair! My oldest son actually began to get upset whenever I'd walk toward that chair when I had him in my arms because he KNEW it meant he was going to go to sleep. He didn't WANT to go to sleep! I think those babies on TV aren't very realistic. I haven't known of too many babies who would be content with just being put down in their cribs and left there... most of them would start crying right away!