Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I've read a bunch of books that all say to put the baby down when they are still somewhat awake but it has never worked for us.

Lucas is such an affectionate child - always has been - and does so well being held. He goes from awake to asleep so quickly in my arms and goes into the crib without a problem. Only when he's sick will he wake a few times to be held - which I do - and then goes straight back down. So this works for us. I know it might not be the best method for most but for Lucas it seems to be.

Any mom's out there do/did the same? How do you transition? I won't be able to hold him forever but, when the time comes, how do I get him to go down without me holding him and without the screaming? Is that possible?

Message edited 3/13/2008 9:20:21 AM.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I'm wondering also. DD is a cuddler too. DH rocks her for a few minutes, maybe 5 and she just relaxes so much and falls into a light sleep. She wakes when he puts her down and then she puts herself to sleep afterwards.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I never got DS used to the rocking. I put him down for bed still awake but sleepy. He cries for about 3 minutes and then is off. I put on his Leap Frog lullaby and give him a little blankie to hold. He cries for a bit but it stops

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

My kids are little mushes too but I have never rocked them and have always put them down half/fully awake from day 1.

Unfortunately, in order to break that cycle, you are going to have to give a little tough love and there will be crying. That's going to be the tough part.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Id love to know this too. DS is 10 months and will fall asleep instantly if I rock him but will sit awake for hours if I try to just put him down.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

We don't rock DD to sleep, more like bounce/sway/tap her back to get her to sleep while we're standing. I know it's not recommended, my ped even nagged me about it, but it's what she needs right now and I don't mind it one bit. I'm sure at some point we'll need to change or she'll decide to change, but I really am ok with it now. I can count on 1 hand the # of times she has fallen asleep in her crib on her own throughout her lifetime, and she's 8 months. She'll fall asleep in the car though.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I personally think if it works for you - and he's not waking up screaming every time for you to come and get him then stick with it!

Jack goes down awake now - since he turned 6 months - but that was because he kept waking when I put him down - and he was just too darn heavy to rock anymore!

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

9 1/2 months and we rock her for bedtime....for naps....we're a "rockin' family" over here!

Message edited 3/13/2008 9:37:42 AM.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

raising hand sheepishly

I still rock dd to sleep but most nights she goes into the crib, wakes up and cries for 5-10 minutes and goes to sleep, I used to rock her until she was sound asleep but not anymore

If she get hysterical, I will go in and rock her some more,

this system has worked great for us, dd has always been a great sleeper

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Posted by chelle

for bedtime....for naps....we're a "rockin' family" over here!

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Posted by stephanief

I still rock dd to sleep but most nights she goes into the crib, wakes up and cries for 5-10 minutes and goes to sleep, I used to rock her until she was sound asleep but not anymore

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I used to rock them to sleep, and as they got older it naturally progressed into sitting in the glider in their room in the dark, snuggling, talking about what a great day it was and then I put them down awake. Now Sarah will get into bed on her own but we still sit and snuggle and talk about the day.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I rock Steven. It all depended on his mood. Some days I could put him down just drowsy and he would go asleep. Some days he needed to be rocked until he was sleeping. I just did whatever he wanted

Now, I rock him then put him in the crib awake and he usually falls right asleep, sometimes it takes him longer but I hardly ever have to go back in there once I put him down.

Some nights he says "goo niiii" while I'm still rocking and he's done. that makes me sad (but happy too) .

ETS: So basically he doesn't even have to be rocked anymore. I do it for mommy more than for baby

Message edited 3/13/2008 10:04:46 AM.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

I never answered your question

I would just follow his cues. Start by putting him down when his eyes are closing, but he's not fully asleep. Do that for a while. Then, slowly put him down sooner and sooner. Now, we do two songs and a prayer.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Posted by pmpkn087

... So basically he doesn't even have to be rocked anymore. I do it for mommy more than for baby

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Posted by Ang-Rich

Posted by CathyB
I used to rock them to sleep, and as they got older it naturally progressed into sitting in the glider in their room in the dark, snuggling, talking about what a great day it was and then I put them down awake. Now Sarah will get into bed on her own but we still sit and snuggle and talk about the day.

Posted by pmpkn087

... So basically he doesn't even have to be rocked anymore. I do it for mommy more than for baby

Thank you both so much! I feel better knowing that things will progress...I am going to start watching his cues and slowly we can try to change things.

I feel so much better now...I was worried that maybe I did this all wrong and would have problems down the road.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

DS is 9 mths old and we still rock him to sleep. We did it with DD for a long time too....

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

My daughter is 3 months and I noticed 2 days ago that she would cry the same amount (if not more) when I rock her to sleep as when I put her down to sleep her on her own. Plus she is the kind that wakes up if you put her down and thus we had to hold her most of the evenings. Once I noticed she cried the same amount, I now just put her down and 2 minutes later she is out. She gradually transitioned to that. At night, I always put her down awake, but naptimes we had difficulties. But, once I noticed she cried the same amount, now I just put her down without rocking.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

ds wakes up in the middle of the night or doesn't go to sleep with his bottle we have to rock him or walk around him and rock him for him to fall asleep.

He's never just fallen asleep when we've put him down.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

We rock and cuddle for a little while- tell stories, sing songs and I know when she get fussy(she is really too big for me to hold her well in the glider anymore) its time to put her in her crib. She usually goes in wide awake and says bye- its pretty funny.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

OK Gavin is 8 months..and not only do I rock but i BF him while rocking..Usually 95% of the time he goes down drowsy but awake, but he still gets rocked and breastfed..not looking forward to breaking that cycle...plus I lvoe rocking him for 10 minutes..I work all day and I love "our" time!!!!

Message edited 3/13/2008 11:25:47 AM.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

Bryan never really took to the rocking. Only if he was sick.
I have been putting him in his crib wide awake and he plays with his bunny and falls asleep a few mins. later.

Re: Any Moms still rock their child to sleep?

We don't rock DS, he goes to sleep awake and instantly knocks out. But there are nights when he is very cranky and just wants to be held and we do...we alternate between my husband and I and get him drowsy that way. I can't imagine doing this every night, but during the nights that he wants to be held and rocked, we do. With that said, if thats what Lucas wants and he is satisfied when you do so, then it obviously works for you and so continue to do it.

ETA: I missed the end of your post...I would maybe slowly put him down in his crib and maybe just hang out next to the crib, rub his back or put your hand on his chest so that he feels your presence when he closes his eyes. Once he knocks out then you walk away. I would sometimes stay in the room but straighten up or do stuff while he is going to sleep and my presence was comforting to him.

Message edited 3/13/2008 12:25:05 PM.