Just had to share because I was very excited by this last night!
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Until about 2.5 months ago, DS was nursed to sleep every night (he is now 17 months old). I then (over a period of 4 nights) transitioned to nursing him then putting him in his crib and staying right there until he fell asleep, humming, rubbing his back, or just being there. The first 3 nights were terrible and he kept wanting "up up", but I would just lay him back down and tell him it was time to go "night night" and rub his back and sing. After the first three nights he really "got it", and while it would still sometimes take 45 minutes or an hour until he fell asleep, he never cried to be picked up and was satisfied with me just being present and soothing him without picking him up. That was our new routine for 2.5 months or so.
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A week ago, I decided to try to transition him to falling asleep without me being in his room. As we'd been doing, I would nurse and rock him, and then lay him down in his crib. Then I would say goodnight, and leave his room. Again, the first three nights didn't go smoothly. He would keep calling for me and I would go into his room and comfort him each time. When he started to actually get upset, I'd comfort him then sit on the floor outside his door so he could see me, but so that I wasn't right in his room and he eventually fell asleep. Each night, I moved further down the hallway. Last night, he only called for me once and was easily comforted when I went into his room and told him good night again. Then, without me in the hallway or anywhere in sight he went to sleep all on his own!
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I guess I am just excited because we've gotten here without any sleep training, and without tears left uncomforted, and in a gentle and gradual way that I feel had DSs best interests in mind, instead of my convenience. I'm happy we've stuck it out this way.
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Now, maybe someday he'll sleep through the night....
