Posted by janet on Aug 28th, 2011 Your boy sounds like a great guy. Let’s try to help him find sleep a little more independently. For the first several months most babies sleep the way you describe (waking in the night for feedings, short naps, etc.). It sounds like you might have tried to make sleep happen a little more quickly and easily by rocking your boy, which created a habit. Most of us do some version of this with our babies, especially firstborns. We feel like it’s our job to make our babies sleep, when actually our job is to create an environment conducive to sleep, then patiently allow it to happen. You can definitely help him break this rocking habit without leaving him to cry alone, but as with any change in routine, there will probably be some crying and struggle involved. Here are some things you might try… Make a commitment to do a little less than you are doing and allow him to do a little more. Start with naps, and after a couple of days, transition to the new routine at nighttime, too.

Fresh air, unrestricted free movement and play (those long periods of play are wonderful and even better when they happen outdoors), predictable, peaceful, slow-paced days, taking care to protect against overstimulation — all contribute to healthy sleep. hanging egg chair instructionsTry to sensitively watch for early signs of tiredness (for some children it’s a dazed expression), because over-tiredness can cause resistance to sleep.back jack chair retail First, tell him what you will do and acknowledge the changes. best ergonomic chair for the price“Today for nap I will stay next to you until you fall asleep. pool lounge chairs with umbrellas

Usually I hold and rock you, but now I’m going to let you relax while I stay next to you. used dining table and chairs hampshireIt’s going to feel a little different.” ski chair lift funnyKeep the rest of his bedtime routine exactly the same. 3 chairs and a barber pricesFor example: a bath, nursing or bottle-feeding, a story, a song, closing the shades or curtains, turning on a music box, etc.office chairs on sale perth Instead of rocking, just touch if he seems to want that.  elegant chair covers buffalo nyLie next to him if he’s in your bed, or sit next to his crib and be there supporting him, speaking to him soothingly while he settles into sleep.

It may be rough the first few times you try this. Calm yourself so that he can be assured that all is well. The first minutes of crying are usually self-regulation, discharging excess energy. If his crying escalates, acknowledge his feelings. “You’re having a hard time calming down.” Some children find it easier to let go and relax if you leave the room, but if your instinct tells you otherwise (or the baby’s cries escalate), stay. If you do leave, be sure to tell him, “Have a good rest, I love you, I’ll be back if you need me.” Remember to think of this as a very positive journey you are having together, because it is! You are helping him learn something really important — the skill of falling asleep independently. And that means when he stirs at night and wakes a little (as all young children do), he will soon have the confidence and the ability to find sleep again, rather than becoming fully awake and needing your help as he has been doing.  The key is to trust your boy to learn this skill and refrain from interference that conveys to him that he can’t.

“Remember, nobody can make another person fall asleep. How to relax and let sleep come is a skill your child, like everybody else, must learn all by herself.” –Magda Gerber Once you’ve found a rhythm he will sleep better, and you will sleep better. I’ve seen this happen with families in my classes many, many times. It’s like a miracle. The baby comes to class a different person, plays for longer periods, copes better, and is far more relaxed and focused. The parents are ecstatic and a little stunned, finally remembering what it was like to function with a decent amount of sleep again. Please let me know what you decide to do and how it works out… Thank you for your kind words about the blog! Please look here for more responses to parents’ questions about sleep. Most were contributed by sleep specialist and RIE Associate Eileen Henry. (Photo by Stacy Lynn Photography on Flickr.) Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. I LOVE your comments and questions.

Please add them here... I am blogging these photos a couple months late, Ethan is nearly 15 months old now. I am still working on his first birthday photos ha! They’re almost done though, and I can’t wait to show everyone how they turned out. It’s so hard to believe how fast it all went! One minute he was a brand new baby. Then I blinked and he was a one year old! I’ll be blogging his birthday party soon. I first revealed Ethan’s Rocking Chair & Chalkboard Series back in November for Part One to show how much he grew in six months. He has changed tremendously since then! Part Two involves all of his first 12 months of life in his rocking chair. We spend so much time together in his room at nap time and at night, nursing and rocking to sleep. It’s our special time to unwind, reconnect, and bond. It seemed like the most natural choice when I was trying to come up with a monthly photo idea. The idea is to take a photo each month with the same objects in the same place, to show just how much your baby grows.