Does my baby need to learn to self-settle? - Page 2

[Midwesterner04]

Hi Zirconia,

I just wanted to chime in with some BTDT support.   Cosleeping and demand nursing has worked wonderfully for us, but I remember a time at around 9 months that I was exhausted. 8-10 month olds have a lot going on developmentally (plus it can be the peak of separation anxiety!) and it can be hard for them to sleep regardless of parenting approach. What got me through the sleep regression that preceded my toddler's beginning to walk and accompanied some teething was reading some AP blogs and old threads here--turned out that a lot of mamas found themselves pretty tired right before some big developmental leaps around that age, and that it soon got better for those who kept on keeping on.  We kept up with demand nursing, cosleeping, walking and rocking when DD needed help resettling, and as soon as that phase passed our sleep improved a lot.  You're doing awesome!
 

[MrsGregory]

Hi OtherSoul!

At 7 1/2 months, my Little Miss certainly didn't self settle.  We've been bed-sharing since her birth, and while we established a nighttime routine and a bedtime, we never used a "sleep method" other than just sitting with her and soothing her to sleep, and then re-soothing as needed through the night... until now.  Until recently, after her nighttime routine, she'd nurse herself to sleep pretty quickly, and we could slip out and go on with our evening.  (Usually.  Sometimes she would hear bears, and then we'd all be up watching TV *gasp horror* and eating snacks until we crashed from exhaustion in a big puddle of tired family.)  But recently she has been refusing to settle down with us in the room, she's been happily nursing and then wanting to play all night.  Since she's 13 months now, I decided to try sticking her in her co-sleeper (which has been set to the pack-n-play height for safety) and leaving.  It worked.  We can't believe it.  She's asleep after about 10 minutes of chatting with her baby doll.  No tears.  My point is, sleep is really important to children, they need plenty of it, and yes, at some point they do have to learn to "lay down and go to sleep", but 7.5 months probably isn't that point, and heck, 24.5 months might not be that point either for your Little One.  Ours gave us a hint that she was ready to put herself to sleep, and we tried it.  If she'd cried, we'd have tried something else.  Hang in there!