I never rocked her or sang lullabies or anything. I just hold her, and when I can tell she's dozing off, I put her in her crib, kiss her good night, and leave the room. She doesn't cry, though.
Also, if she wakes up in the middle of the night, I go and comfort her, give her the pacifier, and in a couple of minutes she's asleep again.
Do you think I am being mean, or not caring enough, because I don't rock her or do otherwise?
No mean answers, please, I'm new at this.
Thank you!
2006-11-10 04:32:43 · 29 answers · asked by lost in space 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
You are doing a good job. It is good that you have taught her to go to sleep on her own. And its not like you put her in there wide awake, and even if you did... when its time for bed its time!
I have always rocked my son to sleep and now I am learning a hard lesson because he won't go to sleep unless he is rocked. The reason I started rocking him though was for me not him. I just liked to hold him and would have 24/7 if i could have. I will always have very fond memories of how I felt to hold and rock him.
So anyway no you are doing great and don't let anybody tell you otherwise. Babies do not HAVE to be rocked. Some are comforted by it but then it can build patterns that are hard to break. So pat yourself on the back for teaching your daughter to go to sleep on her own ( that is something that this adult needs to relearn!! LOL)
2006-11-10 07:29:24 · answer #1 · answered by deans_mom 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some babies fall asleep faster and are pacified easily. Some are not. Your baby is fine. You keeping her close to you in your arms itself is reassurance for her. My niece is the same way. My son is the opposite. It takes a lot or rocking and talking to him to make him feel comforted. Each baby is different. And please don't think you are mean or not caring enough. I thought you said you hold her, kiss her goodnight and go to her in the middle of the night when she wakes up to comfort her. You are a GOOD Dad. Make her feel loved just as you are doing now and just be there for her when she needs you. :-)
2006-11-10 04:41:49 · answer #2 · answered by happykat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you're not being mean. You don't have to rock the baby to sleep all the time for her to feel loved. Babies wake up in the middle of the night when they have little bad dreams and you go in and comfort her, you're doing fine. You'll know when she needs to be rocked or sang to. When she gets sick you'll probably want and need to rock her to sleep. You're doing fine and you're not neglecting her either. Good job!
2006-11-10 04:50:38 · answer #3 · answered by acehernandez2006 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you are mean or not caring, and I do think that you are doing a great job on comforting and loving your baby. I also believe rocking and singing to her once in a while is a great way to bond...they LOVE to be sang to. Not that that is the only way to bond, but it's just sort of a sweet personal way to bond...do you know what I mean. I think babies just love to hear your sweet voice, even if you think you "can't sing" it's beauty to them. I think NOT rocking her to sleep is a wonderful idea...that would be a bad habit to get into, but rocking when they don't feel good or just want to cuddle is special.
2006-11-10 04:43:05 · answer #4 · answered by hopetohelpyou 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are doing fine! Rocking, lullabies and that sort of thing are what you do when your baby won't or can't sleep. Every baby is completely different as are moms. My first baby needed to be rocked in order to go to sleep, my second wanted to fill up on loads of milk and then go to sleep with pacifier. As long as your baby is sleeping well, don't worry and get lots of sleep yourself--you need and deserve it!
2006-11-10 04:40:11 · answer #5 · answered by prairiegurrl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What a wonderful job you are doing. You have followed your little girl's cues and have helped her learn to fall asleep on her own. By doing this early on, when she gets into her toddler stage, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting her to sleep. Believe me, being chained to a rocking chair to get a three to four year old to go to sleep is no picnic. If you respond to all her needs, she will know that she is cared for.
You sound like a caring and responsive parent.
2006-11-10 04:57:29 · answer #6 · answered by teachingpk2008 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No not at all .... I wish my baby would go down that well. That is exactly what you are suppose to do when you put your baby to bed we need to train our babies to learn how to fall asleep on their own. Sounds like you have done a great job already. Read this book :Healthy Sleep Habits Healthy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth....you are doing the right thing.http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bsleep/0,,7fp25djz,00.html
2006-11-10 05:00:59 · answer #7 · answered by mary3127 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
*Stands up and claps for you till her hands hurt* Bravo!!!!
I think its wonderful that you figured this out with your first child. It took me till my third to do this. Cuddling is for daytime. Laying a child down and them learning how to fall asleep from birth makes life SO much easier. You don't spend an hour trying to sneak out. Or wiggling the baby as you lay it down and having to start over. Or getting trapped by a baby expecting to fall asleep on a boob or bottle. You are doing this wonderfully and you'll probably never have sleep issues with this child. My third was the best sleeper out of the bunch. Pat yourself on the back and enjoy that extra sleep!
2006-11-10 04:41:00 · answer #8 · answered by Velken 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Enjoy every night that she is like that. As she gets older she might lose her enthusiasm for sleeping. When she is about one she will probably stand up in her crib and call out to you at night. You are going through a good spell now and that is just good luck.
2006-11-10 04:36:21 · answer #9 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some children are easy going, my daughter was exactly the same way, she never wanted to sleep with us , she wanted her own quiet, dark room and crib from birth. If you are blessed with such an eay baby just enjoy it, you obviously care if you are asking so I would have to say that you sound like a good parent.
2006-11-10 04:54:31 · answer #10 · answered by Poetry Fan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋