I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

I've been either rocking my baby or walking him around the house since he was born to put him to sleep for the night.

I just can't do it anymore. I'm 5 months pregnant and he is 16 months old weighing in at 31 pounds and 33 inches long. For the past two night when I got up from the rocker with him I felt my abdominal (I think) ligaments stretching. It was really scary.

How do I just put him in the crib like other people and he will go straight to sleep???I tried that last night and he kept screaming for a good 10 minutes! I gave in and rocked him again. Please Help!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

I would suggest either CIO or Ferber or something and do it quick b/c the older he gets the harder it will be... But if you stick to it, hopefully within 3 nights or so he should be going to sleep on his own...

There will be crying but soooo worth it IMO...GL!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

i agree, i would really just let him CIO..i know youll feel terrible, but i promise itll end sooner then you think and he'll be putting himself to sleep before you know it!!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

Talk to your ped for ideas. Or you might just have to let your DC cry.

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

What is CIO or Ferber? I thought I did one of those last night. I guess I just gave in to him last night :(. It is hard hearing him scream. When I went it after 10 minutes of screaming he got up so fast and grabbed my shirt for like dear life. I know I have to be stronger and firmer with him. It's my fault I should of done this earier with him.

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

I rocked johnny to sleep every night till he was 19 months old. It was something I didn't mind doing, but I wanted him to do it on his own so one day we sat with him, let him drink milk from his sippy, read some books, sang some songs, then laid him in his crib.

We handed him a book to look at, covered him with his blanket and left the night light on. Sure enough he bolted up and stood and cried for a bit the first night but it took about 10 minutes or so and then he was happily babbling away and reading his book.

The short crying episodes lasted about a week maybe...and since then its been great, no problems at night (he is now 30 months). I should have stopped it sooner, but you know how it is

You can always walk back in after 10 minutes of crying, gently rub his back and tell him he's a big boy, you love him etc...walk out, and try it all over again until he realizes he needs to fall asleep on his own.

You are good for doing it now!! Don't give in and keep rocking/holding him...with a baby coming you'll want to nip it in the bud now!! Good luck!!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

Also..my pediatrician said one of her sons was terrible at night and would scream and scream for them. She said she actually started by laying on the floor next to the crib and read books from there..and slowly moved away as the nights went on and it worked. She would hold his hand through the crib for a few minutes and it soothed him. Might be worth a shot!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

let him CIO, he may surprise you

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

Posted by maybebaby

I rocked johnny to sleep every night till he was 19 months old. It was something I didn't mind doing, but I wanted him to do it on his own so one day we sat with him, let him drink milk from his sippy, read some books, sang some songs, then laid him in his crib.

We handed him a book to look at, covered him with his blanket and left the night light on. Sure enough he bolted up and stood and cried for a bit the first night but it took about 10 minutes or so and then he was happily babbling away and reading his book.

The short crying episodes lasted about a week maybe...and since then its been great, no problems at night (he is now 30 months). I should have stopped it sooner, but you know how it is

You can always walk back in after 10 minutes of crying, gently rub his back and tell him he's a big boy, you love him etc...walk out, and try it all over again until he realizes he needs to fall asleep on his own.

You are good for doing it now!! Don't give in and keep rocking/holding him...with a baby coming you'll want to nip it in the bud now!! Good luck!!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

I don't have any "BTDT" advice. But I will say sometimes you just have to put your foot down, so to speak.

We did "CIO" with Ryan when he was 7 months. After 3 rough nights (cried about 40 minutes) night time became soooo easy.

First thing to do is establish a routine and stick with it. Children really thrive on schedules.

Once he is in his crib, that is it. No more going back until the morning. He will get it. And sooner than you think. But, if you keep going in there he is going to learn very quickly how to manipulate you.

I have heard of laying/sitting next to the crib and each night moving further away. I know for a fact that wouldn't work for us just because if Ryan needs me to soothe him it needs to be more physical than that. (being held, cuddled, kissed, etc).

Good luck!

Re: I can't rock or walk my 16 month old to sleep anymore. People say I'm crazy for even doing it still. Please help, need advice...

I don't have any experience with this yet, but I know that if you do a search there are a ton of threads here with CIO info. I think CIO is probably the way to go. Good luck.