Sleep Question

ashtonsmama wrote: I've been wondering about this for some time now, but keep forgetting to ask!

Basically, my question is this:

After nursing/giving a bottle to your baby, did you put them down while they were still drowsy (like you're "supposed" to) or did you just wait until they were totally asleep and then put them down?

I've been waiting until Ashton's fully knocked out to put him down, because then he just stays asleep when I lay him down and doesn't wake up more. But one of my friends just told me a couple weeks ago, when she was over at my house and saw me put him to sleep, that I should be putting him down 1/2 awake, so that he can "learn" to put himself to sleep or something of that nature.

Any experience/thoughts on this?

Thanks.

BAC'sMom replied: After they were asleep I would put them down.

C&K*s Mommie replied: I put them down when they were totally asleep, I cherished every second that I could to hold them and watch them sleep in my arms. Regardless of what I should have done, I wanted to freeze time by holding them a little longer. (that is not to say that other parents are wrong or bad for putting their kids down drowsy)

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: not sure if i answered it correctly
I said yes
My kids are never puit in bed after they are sleeping (unless they fell asleep on the way home or something) they are usually wide awake now. when they were still little Katy had to be put down completely out, but Matt has always been good about going down from awake.

kayla's mama replied: I always put Kayla down after she feel into a deep sleep on me. I just loved that bonding time

ashtonsmama replied: ITA with Brandi and Nicole on that whole sweet bonding time! It's my favorite time of day...

Thanks for sharing, ladies. It's nice to see what everyone has done, and what has worked!

ashtonsmama replied: WOOPS!

I just realized I totally phrased that question wrong on the poll! Sorry!!!!

I guess I can't really fix it...maybe I should make a new one so I don't confuse everyone!


I'm such a dork!

luvmykids replied: i put them down drowsy most of the time

ashtonsmama replied:
Monica-did they go to sleep at first easily or did they wake back up? KWIM?

Heather77 replied: I would normally put mine down once they were completely asleep...

ashtonsmama replied:
That's what I've been doing, but I don't want to make him completely dependant on me or anything for sleeping...I just got worried when my friend told me I was doing it wrong!

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I didn't vote... at first I started putting him down after he was totally asleep. When he was about 2 months old, maybe a little less, I started putting him down when he was still awake because he wasn't falling asleep at the breast and I wanted to go to bed. He would fall asleep on his own without any complaints, but his bassinet was right next to my bed so I think he knew I was right there. But even after we moved him to the crib in his own room he did fine. He was so good until he was 4 or 5 months old - I could put him in the crib, and he'd talk to himself a bit and then go to sleep and sleep through the night.

Now, he won't go to sleep and screams his head of when I put him in bed awake. Somewhere along the line I messed something up - I started bringing him to bed with me when he was about 5 months old and wouldn't go back to sleep in the middle of the night and I was getting tired. So lately I've been nursing or rocking him to sleep again before I put him down, and he spends the 2nd half of the night in our bed.

MamaJAM replied: I put the kids down more often than not while still semi-awake.

kimberley replied: i am another sleep watcher. they are usually out cold before i put them down.

ilovemybaby replied: I did both. Sometimes I'd put her down wide awake.
She's always been a good baby though... slept through the night at one week old and she just goes to sleep on her own. She rolls over, sticks her thumb in her mouth and closes her eyes. She has been doing that since about 4 months. From about 4 months I think was when I started just putting her down wide awake.

holley79 replied: I just read a sleep study about infant sleep problems. I still go against the grain though because she is totally knocked out when I put her down. Sometimes she will awake again 45 minutes and I will "sway" with her till she is "limp limb". I guess whatever works. JMO

My3LilMonkeys replied: I started putting the kids down while still semi awake around the time they started sleeping through the night. Both of them were always good sleepers though.

ashtonsmama replied:

mom21kid2dogs replied: I rocked my daughter to sleep. Those are some of the most precious memories I have of her childhood. The routine changed away from that when she started sleeping in the big bed. She never had any problem with the switch, contrary to all that "expert"advice.

~Roo'sMama~ replied:
That's Andrew's problem now. He got used to either lying next to me in my bed to fall asleep or me holding him, and now he won't go to sleep unless he's up against me. Sometimes in the middle of the night I'm able to get him to go back to sleep just by laying him back down in his crib and patting his back, but there always comes a point in the night when he absolutely will not go to sleep unless I bring him to bed with me. I'm getting so sleep deprived - I don't sleep well at all with him next to me.

Edward's Mommy replied: I put Edward to bed asleep most of the time. He's having a hard time sleeping in his crib so he's been sleeping with us.

mummy2girls replied: i have always put jenna to bed almost asleep. i wanted her to learn to put herself to sleep and how to soothe herself backt o sleep if she should wake up...

Celestrina replied: In the beginning I would wait until he was asleep to put him down. Then I started seeing how a friend was having a lot of problems getting her daughter to fall asleep by herself.

ashtonsmama replied:
That's what I'm worried about...

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
Ditto! Sometimes I couldn't help it and he would be out cold before I could get him down, but I would purposely try and get him down while he was still awake. I still do that now.

paradisemommy replied: i'm a big sleep watcher..and will hold onto them even longer than i have to but i revel in ever little minute...

my son is 3 1/2 and i did the same thing with him and he goes to bed on his own with no problems so i don't see any harm done...