Sleep aids

[bana]

My LO will only fall asleep if i nurse him, bounce him, walk him or drive in my car. This is for naps and for night time. Im not going to go down the cc or cio route, i just wanted to no what age they can roughly just fall asleep on there own? Id love to just put him in his cot and him to fall asleep! Thanks x

 

[lyre]

I think they have to learn to fall asleep on their own without the sleep aids x

 

[MrsRH]

We put Joe down awake or dozey since birth so he's always been good at putting himself to sleep with no fuss.
He's a bit crabby with naps as he fights sleep then but it lasts only 5 mins.
You could try bedtime first, have a really nice wind down routine then try putting him down sleepy but not asleep. If he cries, return and stroke his head/cheek or rub his tummy, try not to lift and cuddle.
Repeat as necessary!!!!!!! might be a few times to start with.
He'll get the hang of it!
good luck
xxxx

 

[polaris]

My LO has been able to fall asleep by himself at bedtime since 12 weeks and for naps for the past couple of weeks. I don't think there's a specific age though, just as Lyre says that they have to learn the skills to fall asleep without the sleep aids, this won't happen automatically, they have to be given the opportunity to learn.

 

[third time]

Lucy was rubbish at falling asleep by herself but we started giving her a dummy, now I know that now it's a bit of a pain in the night to put it back in, but generally she sleeps from 7 til 5 and then we put it in and she goes back til around half 6/7ish so it's not too bad, the only problem is naps because after 45 mins I have to go and put it back in for her to have a longer sleep!! But if it gives you a bit of your life back I'm all for it!!!!!!!

 

[Lu28]

I agree that generally speaking babies need to learn how to fall asleep by themselves, it's not too often that that happens automatically when they reach a certain age. You could try watching for tired signs and placing LO in his cot and then staying with him until he falls asleep. I find shushing, singing, back rubbing, patting all help but be warned that you could be in there for a long time initially! As LO gets used to going to sleep in the cot while being patted etc you could reduce it to just shushing, then just to you physically being there in line of sight etc until he can do it totally on his own. It's a gradual process xx

 

[bana]

Ive tried all the above, he doesnt take a dummy and after 5 mins of lying in the cot he will scream the house down! Thanks for the advise tho.

 

[Seraphim]

Mm I was wondering similar today.
Hazel goes to bed at 6-7pm no trouble, but she gets sleepy with her last feed. The only time she goes to sleep in the day without being held is in the car. She's started chatting to herself before going to sleep lately, sometimes letting out a moan or two before she drops off. I wondered do all babies learning to goto sleep moan before dropping off? Depending on how tired she is the moan can sound quite upset - but on the motorway there isn't much I can do

 

[babynewbie]

does he have a mobile or cot light of some sort? from pretty much when he was born weve just put archie down in his cot awake after his bedtime feed with either his mobile on or he has a cot show thing that plays calming music and 'relaxing' changing colourful lights. after about 10 minutes he just drifts off by himself.

 

[bana]

Mm I was wondering similar today.
Hazel goes to bed at 6-7pm no trouble, but she gets sleepy with her last feed. The only time she goes to sleep in the day without being held is in the car. She's started chatting to herself before going to sleep lately, sometimes letting out a moan or two before she drops off. I wondered do all babies learning to goto sleep moan before dropping off? Depending on how tired she is the moan can sound quite upset - but on the motorway there isn't much I can do

yeah Tristan has a lil moan sometimes when im driving before nodding off but only in the car! weird. I just dont understand how they can sleep for the first week of life, then all of a sudden they need to learn it! im seriously at my wits end now. i wudnt mind every 2 or 3 hrs but every hr is taking the piss and mentally starting to suffer!

does he have a mobile or cot light of some sort? from pretty much when he was born weve just put archie down in his cot awake after his bedtime feed with either his mobile on or he has a cot show thing that plays calming music and 'relaxing' changing colourful lights. after about 10 minutes he just drifts off by himself.

Yes we have one of those projector mobiles that plays the music/nature an white noise but it seems to stimulate his mind and he gets bored after 10 mins! we also have to have a light on a dull one because he cant sleep without, i dont talk to him or have anything on like tv when i nurse him so that he knows its night. Ive seriously tried it all and i dont no what to do it started as the 4 month growth spurt/ regression and hes now 5 half months so its been a while!