i cant get the baby to sleep without a swing....?

Question

any ideas? i cant get the baby to sleep without using the swing with music, nor can the wife or sisterinlaw.... shes 6 months today and a fighter to the sleep time... she has to be in the swing for 10 minutes or so, hours of rocking or walking dont work........

Answer 1

Make sure she is fed, changed, and ready for bed. Then (this is hard) but put her in the crib and walk away. She will go to sleep. Yes there will be crying and yes it will be loud, but she will go to sleep. I have never heard of a baby that has never gone to sleep. You want to break the swing habit now. The longer you wait the harder it will be. Good Luck.

Answer 2

You should try using one of those exercise balls (the giant ones that you can sit on). Sometimes that's the only way I've been able to get my 6 month old to sleep!! You sit on it with the baby and bounce her to sleep. This, unfortunately, is a short term solution.

I had issues getting my son to sleep on his own--without being held or in our bed--for the first 4 months. I'd think he'd be totally asleep, I'd carefully lay him down and then he'd wake up!! UGHGHG. He's now sleeping through the night on his own. How did that happen? First, I think his sleep cycles finally got longer. second, I tried this:

A. Don't let the baby sleep for super long periods during the day. For the first while she'll be cranky, but then she'll be more willing to go down at night. Doing this for a few days should get her on a schedule.

B. Don't have anything interesting around-- lights, music, stuffed animals. The more boring and unstimulating it is, the easier she may go down.

C. Try laying her down in her crib when you KNOW she's tired. She might just fall asleep on her own.

D. If she goes to sleep with something, it needs to be there when she wakes up in the middle of the night--or else she won't go back to sleep on her own. So if she's in a swing when she falls asleep and in bed when she wakes up, she'll be confused!

Answer 3

Start a routine now, before it's too late. Gradually shorten the amount of time in the swing each night, until she is not in the swing at all. But still give lots of luvin's at bedtime.

If she wails from her crib, let her. Too many parents are afraid to let their kids expend energy in this way.

If she's not tired, crying will make her tired, and she will gradually learn to fall asleep on her own.

If this doesn't stop, she will start waking in the middle of the night, and not knowing how to get back to sleep, will cry to be put in the swing.

Good luck!

Answer 4

You need to start breaking her of this habbit. has she ever gone to sleep without the swing, what did you use when she first came home. Maybe try a little ride in the car, or a warm bath before her nighttime bottle, maybe make her stay awake and play and play and play until she just can't keep her eyes opened any longer. In the daytime try putting her to sleep in her crib as well....Good Luck..

Answer 5

You're just going to have to swing her. At certain stages kids just take a long time to get to sleep. If you feel it might help, you could try shortening her naps by 15 minutes or so, she'd be more tired at sleep time, but that makes some kids fight even more. This may just be something you will have to do for another few months. As she gets bigger she will sleep by herself, but some kids never do enjoy going to bed! Good luck.

Answer 6

Try a bedtime routine. I loved The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley for information on routines.

Answer 7

Im not sure what to tell you... my son was like that... he would fall asleep in the swing.. and as soon as he was put in the crib his eyes would shoot open... but eventually he started sleeping in his crib.... I wish I had some suggestions... I guess I just wanted to let you know you arent the only one...lol Good Luck

Answer 8

I am the same way except mine didn't like the swing he liked to sleep in his car seat?He is know starting to sleep in his crib,he would not sleep like he did in a car seat(which was longer and more restful)?We think it is due to feeling like he is being held cause we also cuddle and swaddle him a lot.

Answer 9

why is using the swing a problem? If it works, 10 minutes isn't bad at all!!!

Answer 10

put her in her crib, and let her cry. make sure she is not wet, or hungry and then just let her cry. I have been doing this with my 2 month old daughter and it's working great. her crying period is getting shorter and shorter. right now I'm down to a few wimpers over a period of about 10 minutes.