[Janelovesmax]

I'm interested in toddlers from 24 to 36 months.
If your kid no longer needs you to fall asleep, did it happen naturally? Did you train her/him? When did it happen? How old is your child?

My 24mo old DS still needs to be massaged to sleep. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this time with him, but wondering if he ever will fall asleep by himself.

 

[SomedayMom]

He still needs someone to lay with him until he falls asleep.

Every once in a while he asks to do it alone, but he hasn't ever made it more than a few minutes. I figure when he's ready he'll do it. If it actually becomes a problem (who knows with #2 about to get here) we might consider working towards a going to sleep on his own goal, but we don't have any plans for that right now.

 

[mothragirl]

my dd is only 22 months, but i can't imagine things changing much in the next two months. she nurses to sleep. i remember my mom scratching/rubbing my back and reading to us to put us to sleep, it is a good memory.

 

[meisterfrau]

I voted "other." DD has to have a bedtime story in bed, then kisses from both Mommy and Daddy, then she "reads" her books in the room with the lights dimmed until she falls asleep. Once all's been quiet for a while, one of us lurks in there to remove the books and turn off the light.

So she needs us there at first, and then goes to sleep herself.

Incidentally, she just stopped nursing to sleep about 5-6 weeks ago. I guess my milk is pretty much gone from pregnancy.

 

[*Jessica*]

Nate will be 2 in July. He still nurses to sleep, just as his older brother did at this age. Nikolai was almost 3 when he naturally stopped needing to nurse or snuggle to sleep. He'll be 4 in October and just needs someone to tuck him in now; he goes to sleep happily on his own. He even tells us when he's ready for bed.

In a way I can't wait to just be able to tuck them both in and come back downstairs to actually accomplish some housework! But I know I'll miss the snuggling so much that I just try to enjoy it, ignore the messy house, and spend as much time as I want surfing MDC while I nurse and hold a sleeping toddler.

 

[mbhf]

my 27 month old still nurses to sleep most nights, so that's what i voted. sometimes he does go to bed with my dh and older son though. we still lay down with my 4 year old, but he mostly just rolls over and goes to sleep. I think he probobly would go to bed by himself, but he usually goes to bed at the same time as either myself or my dh and we still cosleep, though he does often sleep on a toddler bed beside the big bed.

 

[smudge]

My 20mo DD goes in her crib, stuffs her blankie in her mouth, I turn on her "fishies" and that is that. She has always been a really good sleeper though.

 

[mclisa]

C just turned 2. We rock her as she drinks her bottle and when she's done we lay her down in her crib. Then we cover her with her blanket and say good night to each other. Sometimes if she's not ready to fall asleep, she'll turn her music box on.

 

[limabean]

DS goes to sleep on his own after his bedtime routine of bath, toothbrushing, snuggles, and stories. We put him in his crib, wish him happy dreams, and leave him awake. Sometimes he talks or sings to himself for a little while before dozing off, but usually he just rolls over and goes to sleep. He's been going to sleep on his own ever since he was really little -- even when I nursed him, I'd put him down when he was a tiny bit awake.

Our presence is comforting but a little stimulating to him, I think -- we can see him fully relax the second we lay him down in his crib. Come to think of it, I guess I'm the same way -- I love snuggling with DH, but I can't fully fall asleep unless I have a little space to myself on the bed.

 

[alegna]

Dd USUALLY nurses to sleep, so that's what I voted. But she sometimes turns over and just goes to sleep next to us or just goes to sleep with dh.

-Angela

 

[Parker'smommy]

Dd is 28 months old. I nurse her to sleep for naps and bedtime. BUT....she goes to sleep for dh and others without nursing just beautifully. I choose to continue nursing her to sleep because she still enjoys it and wants it when I'm around. I could wean her from those nursings probably quite easily, but she's still a baby and I feel she benefits from still nursing to sleep. Plus....it's EASY and a sure thing!!! But she WILL sleep without it.

 

[ryleeee]

sorry, i voted before reading the 24-36 month part.

:
(haye is 20 months old and still nurses to sleep)

 

[wfuteach]

My DD (32 months old) goes to sleep on her own. We have a pretty basic bedtime routine (toilet/brush teeth/stories) but she does like for me to lay with her for a few minutes after I read the story. I don't stay with her until she falls asleep, but has never protested when I leave the room. When DH puts her to bed (which she actually prefers) she never asks for him to lay with her at all, and he reads her story crouching behind the bed.

 

[sarah_bella1050]

I read dd1 3 stories, snuggle her for a few minutes and if she's not asleep by then I tell her that I have to go take care of her sister and she will turn over and go to sleep on her own.

 

[rzberrymom]

I voted 'other'. DD is 28 months and usually needs either me or DH to lie with her while she falls asleep. But, in the last few months, we've been letting her play in the room until she decides she's ready to sleep. We did that because all of a sudden it was taking an hour of lying in the dark to get her to sleep. Either DH or I sit outside the door and read a book while she's in our room singing and playing and reading to her stuffed animals. Usually, she'll fall asleep on her own, but sometimes she asks us to come back in and lie with her. We've been very flexible about it, and it's been working really well.

 

[alicia622]

G is 22 months, but as a PP said, I don't see it changing much anytime soon.

I hold him while he has his night time bottle and when that's gone he says "night, night" and turns around to cuddle and I rub his back until he falls asleep. Once in a while, he is so tired he falls asleep before he finishes his bottle. And other days he finishes his bottle and says "down!" and jumps up to play

:

 

[finn'smama]

Either myself or dp lays down with him while he falls asleep. Once in a blue moon he nurses to sleep.

 

[jenmary]

i voted other bc ds has recently nightweaned, and dh has taken over the bedtime routine. bath, teethbrushing, pjs, then an episode of little einsteins (its a crutch, what can i say, dh lacks the secret weapon), a story in bed, then lights out. it has been a week, and last night he fussed for 4 minutes while dh patted his head before going to sleep.

he still nurses to sleep for naps unless he falls asleep in the car.

 

[kwilki8]

Dd is 27 mo and she goes to sleep on her own. She's been doing this for about 6 months. I kind of wish she still wanted a little snuggle to go to sleep, but she actually needs to be by herself to sleep; our presence seems to wake her up.

 

[Sonnenwende]

Nearly 15 months and goes to sleep on her own 90% of the time. I join her later. I have never had any serious sleeping problems with her. She has been a dreamboat child in this department since day one.