When...

~Roo'sMama~ wrote: should I be trying to get Andrew to fall asleep by himself at night? Right now he's just falling asleep while I nurse him before bed and then I wrap him up and put him in bed and he sleeps for 5-7 hours. It's working fine for me so far, but I don't know how long I can do this before it turns in to a bad habit - I don't want him to need to be eating to fall asleep at night when he's 2 years old! A couple nights ago he didn't fall asleep while he was eating so I held him until he did - it only took like 5 minutes. Should I have tried lying him in the bassinet awake?
This morning when he woke up it had only been 5 hours - I needed to pump a little so I gave him his pacifier while I was pumping and he fell back to sleep and slept another 40 minutes or so. I've done that a couple times but he won't usually go back to sleep on his own without the paci. I'm so afraid to try putting him in bed when he's awake because I know he'll cry and then it will take longer for him to go to sleep, thus taking longer for me to be able to go to sleep. Am I creating a monstor or is it early enough for it to be ok still?

luvbug00 replied: I think that whatever you feel comfortable with will be fine. I co-slept with Mya until she was 2 and she made the transition to going to bed alone rather smoothly buy way of wheening her off having me there. It worked for us so I don't think there is any rush but that's just me..

A&A'smommy replied: Alyssa is 20months old and most of the time I still rock her maybe you could feed him and then rock him.. I didn't get to bf so I don't know if its different!

mummy2girls replied: i believe its what you feel is right. Everyone has a different way of parenting and its completely how happy you will feel in what you do. I did co -sleep with jenna for 8 months but stopped because not because i was getting grief from my family and friends but because I would always wake up with a foot in my mouth or a foot in my back.. She was brutal to sleep with. Plus of Jordan was a big part of why i wanted to sleep so close to her at the beginning...

moped replied: Ahhhh he is a brand new sweet baby - do what feels right, this is a wonderful time and them falling asleep on you is wonderful....................when he is about 4-5 months maybe, but not now.....IMO

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Thanks! I really do like having him fall asleep in my arms. I don't want it to turn into a bad habit but I won't worry about it for now and will work on it in a couple months like jenhopkins suggested.

jacobsmama replied: When he is only doing it for habit you will know. You will know when it is right to let him go to sleep on his own. Now he is so cute and cuddely I would too! Soon enough he will be ready to sleep on his own and you will wish you could hold him to sleep! I do.

Tamatha replied: I have actually been wondering this same thing myself, and I've done a lot of reading this week about it. (We're having trouble with Trey getting days and nights confused, and then when he DOES try to sleep at night, his poor tummy seems to keep him awake. Baby gas is a terrible thing, and I don't know what to do about it... but that's another topic...) What I've read is that when you are ready, establish a "bedtime routine." This should be something you are comfortable doing each and every night, whether that's feeding him and letting him fall asleep at the breast, rocking him, giving him a massage, etc... This way he will get into a routine and this will trigger sleepiness eventually. Trey isn't close enough to having a set schedule that a regular bedtime and bedtime routine would do much good... But at least it is something to think about.

My2Beauties replied: With Hanna we just went with the flow. THis early in the game I think it's hard to have a routine for a newborn - JMHO! They can wake up every 2 hours one night and sleep for 7 hours the next night, Hanna always did stuff like that. I think whatever you want to do is fine. I rocked Hanna until she was about 17-18 months and then one day she just started saying Bed Mommy on her own and now I just lay her in there when it looks like she is getting sleepy and off she goes to sleep on her own. A lot of people co-sleep for a few months too before putting them in a bassinette. It's up to you hon! Whatever you feel is right. Babies don't start sleeping through the night until like 6 months anyways right - well for Hanna it was more like 14 months but that's a different story

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
Yep! I think he's still young to worry. Just enjoy! Some babies do start to sleep through the night earlier than others. Wil started at 4 months, but I don't necessarily believe that it was something I did. I don't take full credit. Maybe he was just ready on his own. Although I'm a schedule person, I've always tried to just go with my son's cues when it comes to starting something new. If he doesn't feel ready, well then he isn't. If he's not ready to let go of the paci, well then fine. I would only worry about bad habits if he was maybe five. They all do things at their own pace. And believe me, every day is completely different. Totally unpredictable. So you may think you have it down one day and the baby switches it to something else.

angelhair replied: I think whatever works is fine. he is still a newborn and if he likes the paci, hooray! I wish mine would take it but she spits it out half the time. I still take by three and a half week old(she will be 1 month old on saturday) to bed with me. it makes it so much easier for those middle of the night feedings!!! you are not spoiling him at this point and he will probably do fine transitioning to a bed by himself when he is older. do not worry about that to much but as hard as it may be try to stay in the present. love dee

My3LilMonkeys replied: I think it all depends on the child. My older daughter needed a bottle or pacifier to go to sleep until she was 6-7 months old. My younger gave up her paci on her own at 3 weeks and started sleeping through the night with no assistance to fall asleep at 2 months. Around 7-8 pm I change her diaper and lay her in her crib and within 10-15 min she is asleep until 6:30 the next morning. Just follow your child's schedule and they will let you know what is best for them!