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8 month old won't go to sleep w/o me. Please help!

post #1 of 8
10/4/10 at 9:43pm
Thread Starter 
I have been co-sleeping with my 8 month since she was 8 weeks old. Since I have always been the primary one helping her to sleep (since breastfeeding and husband's work schedule), she now has formed a strong sleep association around me. While I don't mind this, I would like for my husband to occasionally be able to help her to sleep. Whenever he tries, she'll scream and protest until I come to "save the day." I know my "saving the day" probably doesn't help things, and I try to not intervene immediately, but I just can't stand to hear her cry for more than 15 minutes. Please help.
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post #2 of 8
10/4/10 at 10:24pm
We went through the same thing and all I can say is that DD grew out of it. I know that's not much help, sorry.

I couldn't even leave the bed once she was asleep until she was about 14 months, and it was a couple more months before her dad could put her to bed. Now her dad puts her to bed every night. =)
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post #3 of 8
10/5/10 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
Thanks! You give me hope that this phase will not go on forever. I was beginning to worry that there was no end in sight (well at least not within the next ten years).
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post #4 of 8
10/5/10 at 7:40am
Hang in there. I found that 8-9 months was a key time for being all about mom. It was that way with my now 5 year old and it is now that way with my 8 month old. It is all about the moms for him.
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post #5 of 8
10/5/10 at 8:03am
both of mine were like that. DD (my second) had to deal, though. Sometimes I work. Sometimes I go out. Sometimes I am dealing with my son. She definitely cried a lot the first few times she had to settle with DH, but she adjusted and it made for a much calmer household bedtime in the end (to have the flexibility).
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post #6 of 8
10/5/10 at 8:44am
Around 8 months my DS was the same way, but something clicked around 9 months and DH actually started being the one to put him to bed. What we had to do though, was have me nurse him laying down in bed, and then when he would start getting fidgety/trying to play (he always faught sleep) DH would pick him up and walk him around the room. The first time DS was OUT in 2 minutes, it was amazing. Since then DH has been the one to put him to sleep. Sometimes there was crying, but he always went to bed easier for DH than me.

I would try adding your DH in to the bedtime routine towards the beginning first, and then slowly moving him to the end. Maybe have him give her a bath, or massage with lotion first, and then you nurse her to sleep. After awhile have him try rocking/walking her for a few minutes after you nurse her, etc. Play with the routine and see if you can find something that works.
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post #7 of 8
10/6/10 at 8:52pm
We changed up our bedtime routine around 7 months for the same reason. I give the bath, put on PJ's and then nurse DD in a rocker. Then DH come in, reads to her, and then walks her in a dark room in a sling and she goes to sleep so quickly for him!! It helps for naps on the weekends too!

Good luck!
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post #8 of 8
10/15/10 at 8:05am
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone for such wonderful advice! I am, starting today, going to have my husband take over the beginning of the night time routine and see what happens there.

It's good to know that other moms have experienced this around 8-9 month mark. I had assumed that she was just progressively getting worse because of me.
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