https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:54:53 +0000 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:55:21 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 11.10 360 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=31448 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/ https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=934743&title=rocking-to-sleep#934743 Author: kaybee
Subject: 31448
Posted: 12 February 2010 at 9:55am

After reading some of the books and doing the usual worrying about bad habits forming, I realised that all of the hard working trying to teach a baby to self settle isn't necessarily any easier than the few days it may take to break them out of the habit later on!

I am lucky so far in that DS goes off to sleep really quickly with a dummy (and yes I worried about that too for a while but so far it has been a godsend, makes getting him off to sleep so easy). I did stop regularly rocking him to sleep in the baby hammock because he is going to get to big for it soon so don't want him to get too used to it, but if you are happy to rock him to sleep in your arms and it makes things easier for you, I say worry about breaking bad habits later when you feel up to it!

As long as you are prepared that there may come a time when you have to go through a short period of weaning her off the rocking (and as some have said she may even make the transition quite smoothly), then you are making an informed choice, and as others have said, just do what works for you!

Personally, I am finding it much easier not stressing about 'can't do this, can't do that' and just going with what works.

]]> Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:55:21 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=934743&title=rocking-to-sleep#934743 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=933269&title=rocking-to-sleep#933269 Author: mummyofprinces
Subject: 31448
Posted: 10 February 2010 at 10:35pm

Gosh another thing for plunket to tell me I am doing wrong LOL

We dont always rock Jake to sleep but some nights he just wont settle and he gets rocked.... As everyone else has said... do what works for you that you are comfortable and happy to do!]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:35:20 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=933269&title=rocking-to-sleep#933269 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=933081&title=rocking-to-sleep#933081 Author: millymollymandy
Subject: 31448
Posted: 10 February 2010 at 8:47pm

Fully agree with everyone else, and pleased to hear that most grow out of needing help. We pat or little girl to sleep if she is restless and won't self settle. Sometimes just a hand on the chest does it, and maximum 20 mins.

Makes me feel very empowered and calms me too and I reckon it makes her feel safe and calm. And watching then go to sleep is lovely, I worried for ages about the consequences but this way we all get some rest, so I don't give rats anymore, plus I think she grow out of it as its got easier. (touch wood cross fingers etc). I used to think we should let her cry it out, but that just gets her worked up and overtired and me upest.

If you are liking it why stop. Eventually bubs will be too big for you to hold so you'll find something else that works.]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:47:42 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=933081&title=rocking-to-sleep#933081 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=932538&title=rocking-to-sleep#932538 Author: nztui
Subject: 31448
Posted: 10 February 2010 at 2:25pm

I've taken to rocking DD to sleep (or walking her in my arms) since she started to crawl a few months ago and won't lay down in her cot by herself. She is 1 now and I still have to do this for every sleep which is hard but I find I can sit down and cuddle her with a gentle rock which is easier. We don't do this at night as usually a feed or cuddle will work instead (most of the time). Most of the time I enjoy the cuddles but tbh I just have no energy or patience to try and make her settle by herself at the moment so this works out best for us all.

]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:25:06 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=932538&title=rocking-to-sleep#932538 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928832&title=rocking-to-sleep#928832 Author: Mum_me
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 10:47pm

Thanks everyone for your support and for sharing your experiences.

Yes, I am enjoying rocking her to sleep

And also 8 months of less than 5 hours sleep a night has also left me too tired to make any changes for now

It is so nice to hear others positive stories of rocking etc instead of disapproval!]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:47:13 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928832&title=rocking-to-sleep#928832 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928749&title=rocking-to-sleep#928749 Author: mumtooboys
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 9:52pm

I agree with the other ladies, if you are happy to do it and enjoy it then don't change anything. With baby/toddler/child sleep I have learned to expect the unexpected and just when you think you've got it all sussed out, they up and change the tune on you.

I stopped worrying about the 'what ifs' (those of you who help babies/toddlers to sleep will know the ones I mean) and just did what we needed to do for us ALL to get the sleep we needed; even went back to night feeding when he started waking again after 3 weeks of sleeping 10+ hours cause it was quick and simple and I wasn't up for a 'fight' at 2am. He stopped sharing our bed at 5.5 months all on his own (much to my disgust), he stopped being rocked to sleep regularly about a month before that (again, at times much to my disgust) and I reckon he stopped feeding to sleep regularly at around 7 months which is when he started the 10+ hours at night. I night weaned him at 11 months (started at 9 months) and his sleeping totally turned to custard and no amount of rocking, shushing, or even offering to feed him worked so we were sooooo tired! We never 'taught' him to 'self settle', he just did it one day all on his own, but even now (and that's been ALOT recently) he gets help if he needs it.

I mean seriously, has anyone ever heard of a mum having to go to university with their teenager so they can be rocked to sleep? ]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:52:36 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928749&title=rocking-to-sleep#928749 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928606&title=rocking-to-sleep#928606 Author: kmarie
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 8:58pm

If Bethany had gone to sleep in 10-15mins whenever we rocked her to sleep, I definitely would have kept doing it! Instead she started taking hours to fall asleep, both at bedtime and countless times during the night and would only fall asleep on me or DH, so we had to go with different strategies :(

So I say... if it's working, and you're enjoying it, then don't over-analyse, just enjoy!!!! If anything needs to change I'm sure you'll pick it up as you go along, just go with your gut cuz you're the mummy :-)]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:58:51 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928606&title=rocking-to-sleep#928606 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928213&title=rocking-to-sleep#928213 Author: mummymonster
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 4:29pm

If you like it don't change. When he's all grown up you won't regret the cuddles, and the looking at your sleeping baby's face in your arms.    

My DS doesn't really liked being rocked to sleep by me but for some reason he's happy if it's DH.

My boy also had reflux, not diagnosed till 4mths, up till then I thought that people talking about babies "self settling" were bonkers. Then after he was medicated I understood that it was possible for babies to just fall asleep (who knew?). I don't think that at any point I could have "taught" my baby to sleep. They do or they don't and we (parents) just have to do the best we can.]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:29:22 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=928213&title=rocking-to-sleep#928213 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927921&title=rocking-to-sleep#927921 Author: Bizzy
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 10:21am

i say if its working for you then dont change it!]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:21:50 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927921&title=rocking-to-sleep#927921 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927912&title=rocking-to-sleep#927912 Author: ellabellame
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 10:15am

i rocked mikey to sleep for about 8 months, i didn't see anything wrong with it at all. unfortunately he was a very big baby and eventually got too heavy for me to keep doing it so i had to stop but if he had been smaller i think i would havekept doing it until he outgrew it. i never did it with maia because she was a completely different baby and actually preferred to go to sleep by herself.

i agree with the others, if it's working for you then just go with it. it sounds like you're doing a great job.]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:15:23 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927912&title=rocking-to-sleep#927912 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927911&title=rocking-to-sleep#927911 Author: myfullhouse
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 10:13am

IMO do what works for you now, so if rocking works well then keep going.

All babies are going to be different when if comes to time to making a change. Jack was fed to sleep till 8mths and it was actually pretty easy to make the change to rocking to sleep, didn't take too long. From there it took alot longer to make the change to settling in cot etc and he still doesn't self settle at nearly 3. HOWEVER some of the time it took was due to me not being ready to change/have the energy it required and alot I think has to do with Jack and that no matter what we did we will always have difficulty getting him to self settle, he really needs the assurance that we are right there.]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:13:56 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927911&title=rocking-to-sleep#927911 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927897&title=rocking-to-sleep#927897 Author: RoSee
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 9:59am

I rocked Ty to sleep until he was 6 months. I loved it, he's not at all a cuddly baby so it's the only time I got to sit there and snuggle him! At 6 months it started to become a problem because he started to really fight sleep, so we had 3 nights of CIO and he's been a dream baby ever since... Now I put him in his cot wide awake at sleep time, he has a little play and then falls asleep

If it works for you... keep doing it I say! ]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:59:43 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927897&title=rocking-to-sleep#927897 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927863&title=rocking-to-sleep#927863 Author: wellygirl
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 9:31am

My DD has had reflux too, and we did the whole rocking to sleep thing. By around 6 months it was clear that she was depending on us to rock her to sleep, then re-rock whenever she woke, and was getting frustrated by it. The No-Cry book didn't work for us, so we tried The Sleepeasy Solution (advocates CC with 5-10 min check-ins, no picking up etc).

The first day it took her an hour to fall asleep, the second 30 mins, and by the third she was happily self-settling and sleeping through the night. She generally still does, unless there's an issue (too hot, teething, spill etc).

But reading your post I'd say go with what works for you, and if it's working right now, enjoy! Rocking worked for us up to a point, and I'd do it again. ]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:31:20 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927863&title=rocking-to-sleep#927863 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927802&title=rocking-to-sleep#927802 Author: lilfatty
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 7:10am

We rocked both our kids to sleep .. they eventually outgrew it, so I dont necessarily think you are going to get yourself into trouble with doing this.

Elias was able to settle alone much quicker than Isabelle so he was able to be put down awake at three months or so and we now only occassionally have to rock him (and thats seems to be coinciding with him teething).

Isabelle wouldnt fall asleep alone for what seemed like forever but by the time she was one, she was old enough to be happy to be put down asleep, often she needed us to sit in her room (I used to read a book) but as she got older she was perfectly able to go down and stay down on her own.

Actually we have much less hassle with her bedtime now than many other people who have gone the conventional "teach them to sleep" route.]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:10:31 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927802&title=rocking-to-sleep#927802 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927800&title=rocking-to-sleep#927800 Author: Jaxnz1
Subject: 31448
Posted: 07 February 2010 at 7:06am

Maybe you could try rocking until she's drowsy rather than fully asleep and let herself settle. I do this with DD as the Plunket nurse said otherwise I'll find myself rocking a 6month old baby to sleep every time and she won't know any other way. So usually I just put her down to settle herself, or if she's having trouble falling asleep I'll rock her until she's drowsy and put her down. She wakes up when she's in the cot, but soon settles herself. If she wakes again I just leave her unless she's really crying. ]]> Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:06:41 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927800&title=rocking-to-sleep#927800 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927754&title=rocking-to-sleep#927754 Author: Mum_me
Subject: 31448
Posted: 06 February 2010 at 11:52pm

DD is 8 months old and has had terrible reflux since a couple of weeks old which has meant that she has screamed 2-6hours every evening. We have finally only just got on top of it (touch wood!) in the last couple of weeks through dietary changes and supplements.

Anyhow... For about the past 4 months we have rocked her to sleep in a rocking chair and put her down asleep and each time she wakes re-rocked her. I know this is not ideal, and have read a few books like 'the no cry sleep solution', so have some ideas for how to break the bad habit.

The thing is, it is really working out fine for us at the moment! She rarely takes more than 5-10minutes to fall asleep and (unless her brother wakes her up) she only wakes up once to feed during the night, and has just started (finally) extending her day sleeps past 1 hour.

I am interested to hear anyone elses experiences with rocking (or feeding etc) to sleep. Is it all eventually going to turn to crap with us having to break the habit, or do they just eventually sort themselves out?

Thanks]]> Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:52:13 +0000 https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31448&PID=927754&title=rocking-to-sleep#927754