How do you put your baby to sleep?

K

katelynBB

Registered User
Wondering how others put their baby's to sleep.
With my eleven month old, ever since she was born, I would start the bedtime routine with a bath, then breastfeed her and she'd be asleep by then.
Now that she's almost a year old, I am starting to wean her off of breastmilk and am not sure what to do with the bedtime feed or how to put her to sleep, my goal is for her to have milk from a sippy cup, then slowly nod off on her own when placed in her crib. hmmmm... does it sound too perfect to be true since I've already spoiled her with the breastfeeding to sleep.... =)

How do most babies go to sleep???

Thanks!
 
i do mostly the same thing, but as my baby is also 11 mths, I have added in a story time with her after the bottle (since they say when they have teeth, they should not sleep immediately after they drink milk as there is a lot of sugar and it is bad for the teeth)...right now, she knows after the story and a good night kiss she gets put down into bed (no matter she is tired or not) and that it is bed time for everyone.....
 
My baby is 11 months old and since she was three months old we would:
  • read several books
  • give a bath
  • lotion/massage
  • bottle
  • bed
She used to fall asleep when she drank her bottle but stopped doing that several months ago. Now she will play in her crib anywhere from 5-45 minutes before falling asleep. I don't mind that she is happy and playing in the crib though. I much rather that, then crying. Also, she has this blanket that I semi-swaddle her in for bed and everytime I bring it out now, she will go to it and lay down on it. I think she has now associated that blanket with sleep :smile: Hope that helps.
 
Since he was a week old, I have had the following routine: bath, breast, song, sleep. He usually falls asleep, or nearly, at the breast, and so the song is fairly short. I have tried to put a book in there, but when his bath is finished, he`s practically gagging for my breast, and then he`s too sleepy for the book. I have tried feeding him before the bath, with mixed reviews from him.
For naps, I do things differently - I sit down with him in his room and we look at a book for a while and I talk softly to him, then I hold him for a minute or 2, then I sit him in his crib (mind you I have just weaned him from his hammock so the crib is still new for him) to play with a few of his `sleepy` toys, then lay him down. I also stay there for a few minutes and if need be, keep my hand on his back for a while (he goes on his side). So, sometimes I do this for nights too, depending on how sleepy he is after the breastfeed.
How about BFing shorter and shorter each night, while offering her sippy cup afterwards? Or putting another activity, such as a book or a song, into the mix?
 
Thanks for sharing!
Naptimes are easy, I had always fed her after naps, so she doesn't really need the soothing of the breast to fall asleep.
Its the night time feeding that I worry about.
I will try mixing in a book and/or song...I just don't know if she will be awake by then.
Just like Shenzhennifer, once I give her a bath, she goes right to the boob and knows right away its bedtime.

I might have to get hubby to do the bedtime routine when I start weaning her from me. (I'm really going to miss breastfeeding)
 
Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it. Give your baby a bath, have a last nursing session or bottle, read a story, say a personal, meaningful goodnight to each of your baby's 47 stuffed animals 'whatever. It doesn't really matter what your ritual is, as long as it's soothing, not stimulating, and you're consistent.
 
Theresa - may I ask the reason you are weaning your baby off your breast? Just curious since you said you are going to miss it.
 
I breastfed my baby till she was 14 months and when I did bf I would do so till she fell asleep. So like you I was worried that after weaning her she wouldn't sleep that easily. But to my surprise she had no problems. I would just bathe her and then put her to bed after a short cuddle and prayer.
 
Also, I think that since you don't bf her before she naps during the day, that she isn't dependent on that to fall asleep. So maybe the transition will be easier because of that.
 
My 18month old has got used to sleeping on bf, and i realise its getting difficult day by day to change this habbit.

How to stop this for this big baby?
 
We sleep trained our 16 month old daughter 2 months ago. Before this we used to rock her to sleep (She weighs 13 kgs and it was becoming physically painful for us) and she used to wake up for breastfeeding. It took us 2- 3 days but since she started sleeping on her own she stopped waking up for night feeds also. So it was easier to wean her too which I did last month.
I co sleep with my daughter so instead of rocking her to sleep I lay down next to her, she got up started playing around in the bed for a while then started whining and crying and after 30- 40 mins she went to sleep. I did this for 2- 3 days and each time her crying became less and less. Now she doesn't cry at all just tosses and turns for 10- 20 mins and falls to sleep.
RSK the answer to your question is simple (And perhaps you know it yourself too) just stop breast feeding her to sleep. There is no other way, she will show her displeasure by crying for the first few times, but eventually she will get the message. It is important for children to learn to sleep on their own without external aids like rocking or bfing.
A few other things to make sure are that your child is very tired and has a full tummy before you sleep train her. Offer her water since the crying will make her throat dry and also in the night. Be consistent and dont give up.
 
Wanted to add that I did not ignore her when she was crying. I sang to her, pat her back, stroked her hair and everytime she sat up I lay her down again and hugged her. I made sure she knew I wasn't abandoning her by not holding her close to me and rocking her.
 
Yes i realise this that i have to be insistent with her. But we are renovating our house these days and as i am busy with the contractors and other guys over the phone, i think she feels insecured and she wants to bf all the time during the day as well to get my attention. My husband has to travel a lot so i am the only one left to deal with all these issues. So was just wondering if i can find a way in which she does not feel insecured because of me being busy most of the time.
 
RSK there are many ways in which you can make your daughter feel secure and loved besides breastfeeding. The time you spend breastfeeding her can be spent playing with her. Get her involved in little things you are doing, appreciate whatever she does and shower lots of physical affection on her.
If you are feeding on demand then start reducing it to 3 timely feeds per day for 1st month, 2 for the 2nd month and 1 for the 3rd month until you both are comfortable to completely wean. It will take few weeks/ months to wean her not days for her to feel least upset. Try to stop feeding her to sleep.
 
As you feel that your child is feeling insecure at the moment, I am not sure that weaning, unless it's really bothering you and you are starting to feel resentful for example, at this time is ideal. In an ideal situation, you would wean when there are no other major changes going on in her life, otherwise it all becomes too unsettling. Of course, we don't live in an ideal world so if you feel that now is the time to wean then of course, you have to do what is best for you as well as for your child. I agree with the slow method of weaning. It took me two months in total to wean my daughter. It was at a pace that my daughter and I were completely comfortable with so she remained completely secure throughout the process.
 
putput

how do u know the pace is comfy for ur girl? What kind of signs do u look for? I'd like to wean my girl when she turns 2...she's 19mths now, but shows no sign of weaning. In fact, she asks for nursing pretty regularly. More in recent weeks.
 
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