How can I get my baby to fall asleep on her own?

Question

My little sister is 19 months old and every time that I put her to sleep (either in the afternoon for a nap or at night), I have to put her on my parents' bed and lay down next to her. I've realized that she is obviously too old for this and I've tryed putting her in her crib with her favorite toy and leaving the room.

However, all she seems to do is jump, mess everything up, scream, and cry. I honestly have to idea what to do. I can't lay there with here every single day and wait for her to go to sleep. She is way too old for that and I simply do not have the time and patience.

How can I get her to fall asleep on her own in her crib?

Answer 1

whip her head boy!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

at 19 months, it will be hard to change her habits.  Is that how your parents put her to bed at night?  If so, then you will have little luck trying to change that.   At 19 months, they do have some reason, so try telling her that you will be putting her in the crib for a nap, then do so.  Tell her the faster she falls asleep the more time she will have to play when she wakes.   No toys in the crib.  You are giving her something to play with in order to keep herself up.

You may have heard the old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but cant make him drink.   That is very true, but you can make him thirsty.  

Same concept with children.  You can put them to bed, but cant make them sleep, but you can wear them out.

Give her nothing with sugar or caffeine 2 hours before nap time.  About and hour before nap time, start playing games that require her to run, jump, or otherwise use alot of energy.

It will be fun for both of you and it will help tire her out so that she will go to sleep faster.  

And lastly.....  let her cry.  This is the hardest, but she will need to learn how to put herself to sleep.   The only way that she can do that is to be left alone to go to sleep.

Answer 3

This is going to be hard for you, but you will probably have to let her cry if you feel you've tried everything else.  It teaches her how to fall alseep on her own.  It will be extremely hard for you to hear her cry, but as long as her diaper is changed, she's fed and not sick or anything, let her cry.  She is tired and needs her sleep.  This will work for you, but you have to stick with it.  When you put her down for a nap or bedtime, do your regular routine and put her in her crib and tell her it's bedtime.  Give her a kiss or however you want to end the day and close the door.  She'll probably cry for almost an hour the first time, but it'll get down to just a few minutes in the next few days as she learns that sleep is not such a bad thing after all.  Also, it's important to not go in and get her after you "can't listen to it anymore."  They are so much smarter than we give them credit for.  If you go and get her say after 15 minutes, she will remember for next time that she just has to cry for a few minutes longer and somebody will go get her.  

I never wanted to let my son (13 months old now) "cry it out" but I gave in eventually, it was so hard, but worth it in the end.  He still cries for a minute before naps and bedtime, but will sleep in his crib for about an hour for naps and through the night.

Answer 4

Okay, I'm not sure if it will work on your sister but my 18 months would takes nap on the sofa everyday.

When I know it's her nap time, i put down a comfortable pillow and have her lay down on it.  Normally, babies love to lay down with their butt up.  And, I will sit at the corner of the sofa.  Make sure you have ottoman or bring her back into her crib after she has fallen asleep.  Don't want her to roll and fall off the sofa.

She will fall asleep.  

Good luck...

Answer 5

She should have been sleeping on her own way before now. It is going to be difficult. Start by putting her in her own bed and staying there with her. Even get in the bed if you have to. Once she's used to that stay in there outside the crib but touching her. gradually get farther away from her until she goes to sleep without you.