"Cathy Weeks" <kathyspam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:7ae7e34a.0306150524.51c749d7@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Hi all,
> Kivi, who is 18 months old, has always either nursed to sleep, or if
> that didn't work, we walked or walked with her until she fell asleep.
> She also goes to sleep in the car.
>
> Now, it's not really a problem that she goes to sleep this way. Chris
> and I don't mind. BUT, she just started daycare 2 days a week, and
> they get the kids down by having them lie down on cots, and
> patting/rubbing their backs until they go to sleep. On the first day,
> I spent most of the day with her, and I got her down in the usual
> manner, but that's going to be tough for the daycare. They'll do it,
> if they have no other way, but they'd like to work toward the patting
> method.
>
> In order to make Kivi's life easier, I'm trying to teach her to go to
> sleep with just cuddling or back rubbing. We've been trying the new
> routine for two nights now.
>
> So far, if she doesn't go to sleep from nursing alone at night, which
> is most of the time now, I lay with her, rubbing her back, offering
> her the breast whenever she wants it (sometimes she'll nurse for a
> couple of more minutes) but mostly she turns her back to me to cuddle,
> and then flops around. She'll kick her legs, turn over, fiddle with
> the bed rail, etc. I'll lay with her, either softly singing, or
> patting her back, until I get too tired of it, then I'll get up and
> walk her to sleep.
>
> Interestingly, she then goes RIGHT to sleep when we walk...walking her
> down had been getting increasingly more difficult, and taking longer.
> The last two nights, after cuddling for probably 15 minutes, it's
> taken me maybe 2 minutes of walking and she's out. So, it seems the
> flopping around does relax her quite a bit, and she is getting sleepy.
>
> Also interestingly, lately when we walk her down, the moment she goes
> to sleep, she gets very grumpy, not being able to get comfortable, and
> trying to ****ft positions constantly. First, she doesn't like it if
> her arm dangles, then when you try and hold it up for her, she
> whimpers in her sleep because she doesn't like to be restrained! It's
> like walking a sleeping bucking bronco! Rocking has similar results.
> We used to walk her for 5 minutes after she fell asleep, which allowed
> her to fall into a deep enough sleep that she'd stay asleep when we
> put her down. But now, for the last month or thereabouts, she gets so
> grumpy, that we've been taking to putting her down the moment she
> starts to buck around, gently restraining her, and patting her back
> until she falls into a deeper sleep. She's asleep when we put her
> down, just very lightly so. She usually ****fts around trying to get
> comfortable (again while asleep) and then after a couple of minutes,
> settles down into a deeper sleep.
>
> So, the last two nights, I've combined cuddling for awhile, then
> walking her down (where she fell asleep VERY quickly) and then putting
> her in the side car when only lightly asleep, and letting her settle
> there.
>
> So, how do I get her to actually go to sleep while cuddling? To lie
> still and relax enough to fall asleep? Just keep trying the new
> routine for awhile? I've read the no-cry sleep solution, but I'm not
> quite sure what Pantley would suggest in this case. We do much of
> what she says... consistency, good naps (at home, she gets 2 1.5 hour
> naps per day) bedtime routines, a "lovey" (which she's not terribly
> attached to...but it does form a consistent part of her bedtime). She
> also says to put the baby down while awake. Haven't tried that one...
> is that what I should do next?
>
> How did you teach your kids to go to sleep on their own (ie not being
> rocked or walked)? What next steps should I do? Any suggestions?
> (Crying it out is not an option)
>
> Cathy Weeks
> Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01 - http://www.bricktopia.com/kivi
> to reply, remove the spam and my name is spelled with a C
I know a couple of kids who didn't sleep at daycare for ages. They
eventually get used to it though.
As for sleeping without rocking at home. My son is twenty months and we
have
just moved to a big bed. When he was small we used controlled crying but I
don't like doing it now he is bigger (and I see that's not an option
anyway).
This time we put him in his bed and first time he cried straight away so
we
went straight in and give him a cuddle. He cried about six times and each
time we went straight in and gave him a big cuddle until he was totally
calm. After this he slept through the night. Some nights he still calls
for
a few cuddle repeats, which we don't mind at all :-) but he actually goes
to
sleep by himself (except for teddy) so theres no waking up and wondering
where Mum has gone. He loves his big boy bed now.
By eighteen months you can do some explaining too so that helps.
However having said all that if it's working for you at home I wouldn't
stress too much about the daycare. She will probably get used to the new
routine at daycare without you having to change yours.
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