help! i need advice for helping my little one to sleep

[earthmama82]

Hello

I haven't been on here in a long time.  My little guy has kept me very busy.  He is 6 months old and my husband and I have had to bounce him to sleep since the day he was born.  We recently started "sleep training" him using the least cry method.  At first it seemed like such a natural way to help him learn to fall asleep by himself and it was working.  Although he still cried a lot when falling asleep and of course it was very heartbreaking for both of us.  After about a week he was falling asleep in less than 5 minutes.  Now he seems to be regressing.  Takiing sometimes an hour to fall asleep.  I can't do this anymore.  I am not the kind of  mama that can listen to him cry, not even for 10 seconds.  This method does not feel right to me at all, however I don't know what to do either.  My son is so active and alert and no matter how tired he is will not go to sleep if he thinks he is going to miss something.  Please help!  My husband doesn't believe in co-sleeping and I am also uneasy about it.  Does anyone have ideas?  I want to do this in the most natural and gentle way possible, listening to my baby and not all the so called child sleep "experts".  Thanks!

[1iberty]

I could really use advice on this too- but I noticed the part about your baby being so active etc., and what I've done with my son (who doesn't like to miss anything either) is to rock him to sleep in his carseat with a blanket over top of the canopy (the next time he wakes up to nurse, I transfer him to his crib).  He seems to enjoy the noise and stimulation of the movement, but it helps that he can't see anything.  The swing is good for that too, because it offers white noise, and movement.  It also helps to know if there is an underlying reason that baby might not want to be alone, or to be laying on his back, etc.. But I would sure like to see what other moms have to suggest...

[elisheva]

First of all, kudos to you for listening to your LO rather than the so-called "experts"!!!

Are you being realistic about his sleep needs? Is he getting enough naptime during the day? Or are you possibly putting him to bed before he's really ready? Is the room as dark and undistracting as you can make it? Any reason you aren't nursing to sleep? Have you tried wearing him in a carrier/sling until he falls asleep? Holding him and singing to him? 

I have nursed all my kids to sleep generally. When I was pregnant with dd, ds2 wasn't interested in dry nursing to sleep (he would nurse for a bit then lose interest), I held him and rocked him to sleep in bed but I imagine you could do this in a chair as well.

Without knowing more about the specific situation it's hard to suggest things. Have you read the No Cry Sleep Solution?