Help with self settling
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=33819
Printed Date: 27 August 2025 at 5:35pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Help with self settling
Posted By: JD
Subject: Help with self settling
Date Posted: 02 June 2010 at 2:50pm
|
My DS is 4 and a bit months and I am having a difficuilt time trying to get him to learn self settling. He was doing it pretty good a couple of months ago, then he got a cold and now he will not do it at all.
I am open to controlled crying techniques and have tried a few, but none seem to be working. I have tried letting him cry and going in to sooth him every 5 then 10 then 15 minutes etc, but this will go on for over an hour and then he is due for another feed. I have read up a few things but the advise is conflicting and Im lost at what do you... Some say to try it for just a few minutes and then try again next time, and some say to perservere!! He is in his own room, and is exclusively bf. He seems like a pretty hungry boy, but I want to hold him off solids till 6 months cos I want to try the baby-led weaning with him for food. Any advise? Comments? I am not totally against comforting him and feeding him to sleep, but I also have a few things I want to do for myself and it would be very helpful if I could leave him with his dad and have him self settle when its bed time. I play netball and have meetings for work on occasion that I can't really take him to. I also want him to get into good sleeping habbits because his 2 year old brother is still a terrible sleeper! Help... ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Replies:
Posted By: skp
Date Posted: 02 June 2010 at 7:33pm
|
So what is your routine at the moment? we went to a baby whispering course and our DD routine was something like this at that age (from memory)
up at 7.30-8am Feed Play until 9am 9-10.30 sleep 10.30 feed play until 12.30 12.30-2 sleep 2 feed 2-3.30 play 3.30-4.30 sleep 4.30 feed 6.30 feed, bath feed bed 6.30-7pm It honestly only took 3 days to get her into this routine, I just started from scratch one morning and thought, right I'm the adult here and this is what we are doing. Sleep promotes sleep, so if you have a bad settler/sleeper its probably because he is over tired. I think they can only stay awake (depending on the baby) from 1-2hrs at this age before getting really tired out. I also swaddled DD till she was about 6 months, this told her it was sleepy time not play time and she slept really well swaddled. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 02 June 2010 at 10:01pm
|
i think the big thing for me was to make sure they werent over tired. at that age they still need to be back to bed after about an hour to an hour and a half. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
|
Posted By: Helen1
Date Posted: 02 June 2010 at 10:08pm
|
One possible thing to try is a dummy. DD#1 wouldn't take it and eventually found her thumb. DD#2 took to it quite easily.
I swaddled DD#2 until 10 and a half months old. We also used a safety sleep (mainly because as she was swaddled, if she rolled over she couldn't get her arms free. I agree routine is a great thing. Good luck and let us know how things turn out. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: 02 June 2010 at 10:40pm
|
hmmm I think you might be right on the over tired thing.
I sort of don't really have a routine because of having to take my older boy to preschool and back etc. He does have quite a few sleeps during the day, but they are more like napping in the car here and there, plus a few others when I am home. I seem to fall in to the snacking trap quite easily with my kids...so that might have something to do with it.. I have started swaddling him again and will see how that goes. Ill also try and get him to bed sooner He will take a dummy, but Im not sure I really want to continue with a dummy....my other boy ended up waking in the night cos he lost his dummy and I don't want to be doing that again. Thanks for the routine skp I might try and use it as a guideline and see how that goes.....if I can work it around the travels ------------- http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: 03 June 2010 at 2:24pm
|
Well, I watched his awake times today and so far two brilliant sleeps (still on the second one) with no fussing at all when I put him down.
I did wrap him tightly and it seems to be working a treat. He must have been getting over tired! Thanks for all your comments......long may the sleeps continue   ------------- http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: Helen1
Date Posted: 03 June 2010 at 10:00pm
|
Well done on working it out.
Just for your information, we swaddled Amelia until almost 11 months old as this seemed to work for her. Don't feel too pressured to stop it again. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
|