Help! I need tips to help my 8 month falls asleep in her own bed!!!!

Question

Ok I know this really isn't her fault- It's all she knows- but I have to nurse her to sleep, multiple times, and ONLY in our bed. I can transfer her to her crib after she is really asleep. She is still waking up 2-3 times a night to nurse as well. We live in a small one bedroom apartment and we are looking for a house, but for now, I just nurse her because my husband has to get up very early for work. On the other hand, I feel that it is just going to be harder and harder for her to adjust. I will also say that putting her in her crib ,makes her hysterical, and she will not be soothed by rubbing, massaging ect. I have left her for up to an hour (once) I don't think I can go that route...

Answer 1

Are you feeding her solid foods as well? Try a late evening meal (spoon-feeding cereal or veggies etc) then nurse her and put her to bed. If she feels fuller maybe she'll sleep longer...

Answer 2

AFTER YOU FEED HER GIVE HER A WARM BATH AND RUB HER DOWN WITH WARM BABY OIL THAT MIGHT SOOTHE HER, IF SHE CRIES I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE HARD BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO LET HER CRY HER SELF TO SLEEP

Answer 3

my son had a hard time falling asleep on his own too. we used to rock him to sleep and then once he was out, we'd lay him down. but after some talking and thinking, we decided that it would be better for him to learn how to fall asleep on his own. i wish we had decided to do it younger though!! (he was about 18 months, i know, that's bad!!) but what i would do is get him calm, very sleepy and lay him down. he would get up and cry, but i would leave the room for about 2 minutes. then i would go back, lay him down and quiet him down. and leave again. it takes some time to do it. but each time you leave for longer. or you could try sitting in the room with her but not actually touch her. it's going to be harder on you then her because you are going to feel soo bad!! but it's going to be better in the long run and once she is sleeping on her own, you will be so glad you did it because it's less stressful on you.  

Answer 4

It was the hardest thing but the best even then when I got used to it and actually enjoyed it. Took up playing golf with my husband during the week when the golf courses are not busy---the fresh air, the walking, enjoying his company (where it all began) I used a child minding centre as they are more aware of how to deal with stressed kids and there are other kids there too. The children survived and I was a better mum and more healthy too as I had a break from the routine and my husband appreciated my company as well. In the beginning I just felt so guilty and not right but persevere it does get better and just a necessary break-----a change is as good as a holiday so good luck and keep trying even a breather is a good thing----plant some vegetables or pot plants outside so that you are not continuously subjected to a too demanding child. You do have a life so try to enjoy your time a little bit more. Goodluck.

Answer 5

Use the weekend and after  you feed her, lay her down in her crib and let her cry.  I know it sounds mean, but I don['t think anything else is going to work.  However, you might get her a moving bedside toy that can be wound up that she can look at and listen to.  Or a moving mobile with music.  Soft and slow music, not rap or rock.

Answer 6

My son was about this age when I started making him actually go to bed...  In a bed.  We were in a similar situation, in that his bed was in our room.  I realize this answer is hard, and it isn't fun at first, but now, I have time to do what I need to do in the evening, and my son has time to get sufficient sleep...

My baby is nearly two now, and I put him down between 8:00 and 8:30 every night, and he typically falls to bed with little or no crying (more lately because our routine got out of whack on vacation).  

At around eight or nine months, we started a strict bedtime routine, and it included a bath, a bottle (for you, the breast), getting his teeth brushed, a story, a song, a prayer, and then, I put him in bed.  At first, I patted him, but after a couple of days,  I realized it didn't help, so I just lay him down, and left the room.  I'd check on him, tell him I love him, and then, I'd leave again...  This is one of the best choices I've made as a parent.  

She will cry... It's okay.  She's old enough now not to be traumatized by this.  I believe six months is about when this happens...  She just has to know that the routine is followed by bedtime, period.  She'll begin to anticipate this bedtime, and her body will calm in anticipation.  Of course she'll be mad!  She wants to be held, and she can tell this "going to bed on her own" is optional.  Once you start a routine with her in the evening, she'll get used to it, and it will be better for her in the long run.

That being said, this is your baby, and you have do whatever you are comfortable with...  In the long run, if she is well loved and well cared for, she will stop waking up and wanting to sleep with you.  How many fifteen year old girls crawl into bed with mom and dad?

Good luck, and many blessings.

Answer 7

My son just turned 1 and i think my biggest mistake was waiting so long to do so but i found that giving him dinner at 5:45 or 6:30(depending on what is going on that day) let him play for an hour and a half then give him a bath and brush his teeth and get him dressed, by that time its 8:30 and i spend 30 minutes of mommy baby time before i put him down in the crib, i then walk out the room, close the door and after nine days of doing this (the first night he cried for 1.5 hours) he now goes to sleep with little to no crying. I know it hurts to hear your baby cry, trust me it ripped me to shreds to hear him cry but it doesn't take long to get the schedule down and this makes it so you are not having to deal with a power struggle when she is older.