Does anyone's baby REALLy do this?

[ktcl]

Does anyone's baby really just "drift off to sleep?" I mean, not falling asleep nursing, not falling asleep bouncing/in a sling, not falling asleep because they're in a stroller or car seat, but just seem tired, and lie down and go to sleep? I think I need to know because sometimes I get frustrated that DD always has to be "put to sleep" (mainly rocked/bounced). Then the other day I thought that maybe this is just how it is with babies... not something that is unusual about my kid. I think that would make me have a little more compassion and patience with mine. Of course if yours does just drift off, feel free to reply too... just don't make me too jealous

[MsVyky]

Yup. I have one. We also have a unicorn and a leprechaun :

[Ellp]

Mine never have but a friend of mine's daughter apparently does. She just goes up to her parents and says "I'm tired, I'm going to bed" and DOES! FWIW though, she's just turned 3 and they keep LATE hours in that house. Its not unusual for the kids to go to bed till 9:30/10/11pm.

[April Dawn]

I don't personally know of anyone under 3 who goes to sleep without needing help.

[SilverFish]

haha, yep, i actually do have one. it's not a given that it will happen, but i'd say, if there aren't any teething/illness issues, i can swaddle her, nurse her a bit, and if she's not fully asleep, put her down in a quiet room with no distractions and she'll fall asleep. she did it tonight and last night actually, but this is following about 2 months of hardcore teething pains and a bad cold where i was basically keeping her asleep by lying down with my boob in her mouth. she did it before the teething started too, on a fairly regular basis.

[Oliver's Mama]

My babe bounced himself to sleep for his morning nap today.. weirdest thing! We borrowed a jumper from the inlaws (it's the fisher price horse, I think). He was quietly bouncing for 15 minutes, so I went ahead and made breakfast.. still bouncing.. I checked emails... still bouncing. Then I peeked over to say "hi" and realized he was asleep! His head was resting on the "saddle", eyes closed, yet every 20 seconds or so he'd bounce himself. Too cute. Amazingly he stayed asleep as I transferred him upstairs. Otherwise, he always needs help.
pictures:
http://oliverquinn.shutterfly.com/77#77

[deditus]

OMG, Oliver's Mama, that's awesome! My dd (who is now 4) never fell asleep by herself, I needed to rock, bounce, wear, push, drive, pat, nurse, swaddle, swing, whatever. And really, she still NEEDS her bedtime routine to fall asleep. If she falls asleep by herself now, I know it's because she is getting sick!
I do remember my little brother and sister falling asleep in the highchair into their food, though!

[Nicole730]

I would never have believed it until I had my daughter. I am still quite amazed at her ability to fall asleep when she is tired. She usually prefers her pacifier and she doesn't do it all the time. But when she does, it's like magic.

[mommy212]

I had that happen once to me, and my mom had it happen to her once, and my baby will be a year old this month. He has always had to nurse to sleep, rock to sleep, ride in the car to sleep take a walk etc. I don't really know any babies that drift off on a regular basis! lol

[carmen358]

Originally Posted by MsVyky

Yup. I have one. We also have a unicorn and a leprechaun :

This just made my night. Thanks

[isras1]

I have one of those and lately, I have to wear him so that he'll get a decent nap. He's been waking up a few moments after I lay him down (after nursing, rocking, bouncing or swinging him to sleep). I'm worried he'll become dependent on remaining in arms for his naps, I hope its a phase.... it sounds like we're not alone.

[ProtoLawyer]

Mine has fallen asleep on his play mat more than once--he kicked the daylights out of his octopus and then slowly drifts off. He's pretty decent at getting to sleep, which is good because his frequent waking makes up for it.

[lrgs]

I really don't want to jinx myself but DD2 has been putting herself to sleep lately and it's such a weird thing for me! DD1 always fought sleep so this is totally new and I keep wondering if I'll be fortunate enough for it to keep going. For the past week and a half we've been doing her bedtime routine, and putting her in bed swaddled but still awake (but sleepy) and she's been falling asleep.......I can't believe it and KNOCK ON WOOD because it's been so nice. DD2 also seems to be a much more laid back baby then DD1 who is a spirited girl so I really think it depends on the individual LO.

[DBZ]

When my youngest was an infant I could nurse her while she was awake and then lay her in her bassinet where she would drift off to sleep and would sleep until I woke her up 4-6 hours later. One night I was uber tired and decided not to wake her. That's when I learned that she could sleep 8 hours. I'm not lying. I was deeply disturbed and talking about this with a nurse who is a former midwife, her pedi, friends, etc. You might even dig up an old post here about it LOL. Everyone thought I was nuts to be so concerned. It turned out that my DD had a stroke in utero. I'm pretty sure her sleep habits were connected.

My oldest quit needing to be tucked in when she was about 12.

[confustication]

My 2 yo did this reliably from very early on. Now? No. In fact, he is harder to get to sleep than my 1 yo these days.

[lach]

Both of mine did pretty regularly, particularly my son. He's always needed lots and lots of sleep and has always been happy to go to sleep. I watched them both for sleepiness signals and would do a quick swaddle and put them down immediately and they'd usually just drift off after a few yawns. Not always: and then I'd rock them to sleep.

[carmen358]

DD used to fall asleep while listening to a story (laying on the floor beside DP) or just laying beside me when she was a newborn...that only lasted about 3 months or so though. Now she nurses to sleep really easily most nights. Naps are bit more challenging.

[Kuba'sMama]

Yes! my third dd, bless her little heart, lol.

My first two definitely a no. Both nursed to sleep almost always. This one actually prefers being left alone when sleepy, me being around distracts and irritates her i noticed. She puts two fingers in her mouth, the other hand over her eyes and off she goes. I always say i deserve it after nursing to sleep for 6 years straight!

[34me]

I hate to admit this, I will probably get horribly flamed but all three of mine could nurse, look sleepy, be put down with their eyes open and fall asleep. More often than not. My youngest had to be put to bed between 5-6pm or he would just be a mess until you put him to bed too. Up until he was 3 or 4 he would come up to us and say "can I go to bed?" in that amazing way that only a kiddo that age with big eyes and a bald head can.

[MusicianDad]

DS will just drift off to sleep now. So long as he gets tucked in by someone. But he didn't start doing that until a couple of months ago.