i have an 8 month old son who sleeps pretty good, but usually wakes up once, sometimes twice during the night. most of the time it's pretty easy to get him to sleep again, i just pick him up, give him his pacifier and hold him for a minute, then i lay him back down. easy to do, however, i don't want to have to do this every night until he's 3 years old. what can i do to help him learn to fall back asleep by himself?
2006-10-31 01:30:29 · 7 answers · asked by pynki♪ 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
He's probably teething. Once this passes, he will likely not even wake up anymore.
He's 8 months old right now - he's going to be completely different in just a few months.
That being said, my 19 month old wakes up *occasionally* and cries - I go in, rub her back for a minute and tell her everything's o.k. It's part and parcel of being a mom. Eight months old is way too early to be worried about sleeping issues as little as this one. He's not capable yet of mastering his fear of waking up alone in a dark room. This will come, but you have to be able to reassure him that you're close by - and by coming into the room and soothing him you're doing the best thing.
However, I don't recommend picking him up at this point. Reach down, give him his paci (and he'll eventually figure out to pick it up himself) and talk softly while rubbing his back. IMO, the picking up could lead to future problems - reassurance can come from touch and voice, it doesn't have to come with picking up and holding. He'll come to realize that when he wakes up, you'll pick him up - this may equate to "play time" for him and it will be harder to break later. Good luck.
2006-10-31 01:36:05 · answer #1 · answered by tagi_65 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your son has gotten used to being held in mommy's arms and he is now demanding to be held even during the night. The best thing to do in this case is to just give him his pacifier, but not pick him up. He'll learn to fall asleep by himself and will also learn to pick his pacifier up by himself once he realizes that his little trick doesn't work anymore. Babies learn good and bad habits very quickly. Just be strong and he'll figure out that he will not always be picked up when he asks for it.
2006-10-31 09:38:29 · answer #2 · answered by HGS 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you can just do this until he is a little older then stop. Maybe he will be able to put the pacifier inhis mouth himself by 10-11 months?
2006-10-31 09:52:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
put the pacifer within his reach and when he wakes up don't go running or pick him up he will adjust to getting it himself but it only works if you have ear plugs for about a week also put a favorite toy in there for good measure and a blanket with a silk edge they love to hold them for some unknown reason I have yet to figure out lol. Just hold him they are only little for such a short while enjoy it while it lasts one day you will wish he would let you hold him lol
2006-10-31 09:37:55 · answer #4 · answered by yahoo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try not picking him up. Just go in, give him his pacifier and rub his back, but don't pick him up. Eventually he'll learn to just comfort himself.
2006-10-31 09:34:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, let him learn to fall back to asleep. Unless he's crying uncontrollably (or unbearably for you) don't help him Back to sleep. Otherwise he won't have the opportunity to learn how.
2006-10-31 09:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by raintigar 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
let him cry it out through the night
itll be hard at first but he'll learn to sleep through the night easier that way
2006-10-31 09:33:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋