Walking to sleep - a habit I need to break? How???

[sacredpresence]

My 15 month old DD doesn't often fall asleep while nursing anymore and the only way I can get her to sleep is by walking around with her while bouncing and humming.  It has been like this her whole life, and I just kept thinking she would grow out of it, but she hasn't yet and shows no signs of it. 

Is this a habit I need to break or will she grow out of it on her own?  Anyone BTDT? 

How do I break her of needing to be walked around?  She is still taking two naps a day, but if I refuse to walk her she will only take one, and then she doesn't sleep enough and is cranky.  Thoughts?

[Jend1002]

My DS (34 months old!) is still a pretty bad sleeper so I don't remember the details of all that has happened in the sleep realm with us!  But I do know that I used to have to walk and bounce him to sleep and the need slowly went away at some point.  I still rock him to sleep in a glider but that is far easier than walking around!  If I get desperate to get him to take a nap, I still occasionally resort to swaying with him in the dark bathroom with the fan on....crazy what we will do to make sleep happen! 

But overall, he just gradually needed less movement.  I wish I could offer you tips or advice but I hope it just helps knowing that a very challenging sleeper did grow out of this need.

[sacredpresence]

thanks it does help to hear that it passes.  i'm more or less resigned to it at the moment, although I go through periods of resenting it!  the biggest thing is I worry I will still have to walk around a 4 year old to get her to go to sleep, so it's so nice to hear from someone who is out the other side.

[lil-ladybug]

When my daughter was younger (now 3) we used to walk her around in a dark room to help her relax.  She was and still is a very active little girl and has a hard time shutting down.  After several months of walking, it slowly changed to dancing which I enjoyed more and had a similar effect.  Once she got a bit older she must have understood the connection between lights off and a slow dance with bedtime as the dances got fewer and fewer before she could settle down.  I still danced with her for a long time, then it turned into bedtime stories.  Now that she just turned 3 I still lay down with her at night, we nurse, cuddle and tell stories before she drifts off.  It has always been a lot of work but looking back it has (for the most part) also been an enjoyable time.  It does get easier, just remember that any change will take consistency and lots of patience.  The routine is what has helped most with creating a change.  We follow the same steps before bed which helps her anticipate what's next allowing for a smooth transition.  Good luck :)