Best way to train baby to fall asleep on his own?

Question

We've always held our son until he falls asleep. He's 10 months old now, and we'd like him to start learning to fall asleep on his own. How do we make the transition smoothly? I don't want to traumitize him.

Answer 1

Well the BEST way is to start when they're a couple weeks old. Just laying them down while they're only half asleep. They'll drift off on their own then.

Now that he's older, the best way is to start a bedtime tradition, I think. Bathtime, then rock with Mommy, then place him in this bed, and read a story, or sing him to sleep. There will come a time, when you could just play some music for him instead, or maybe read along tapes.

Answer 2

Letting a baby cry himself to sleep is not traumatizing for the baby at all. It is more traumatizing for the parents.

The baby is crying because his routine has changed. Nothing more, nothing less.

Lay the baby in the crib awake. Let the baby cry. Wait 5 minutes. If the baby is still crying, go check on him but do not take him out of his room. Calm him down and put him back in his crib. This time wait 10 minutes. Usually they will fall asleep before the 10 minutes is up. This may take a couple of weeks as he is older but stick with it. It is so worth it.

Answer 3

Rock him until he is almost asleep then put him in bed. He will probably still cry but if you let him go you should be through it in a few days. Make sure you check on him every 10 mins but don't turn on lights or take him out of his room.

Answer 4

hi, i know this is going to sound harsh - i hated the thought of this when my healthvisitor told me but it works wonders. firstly you need the same routine everynight, dinner, bath, story, bed. when it come to bed time just but your baby in it's cot, maybe sing a song to baby, then walk out of the room, don't close the door and make sure u leave the hall light on or have a night light so the baby isn't scared , have the bedroom the baby is in light of though as u don't want it too light, baby will then cry, when baby cries just go in the room lie baby down but with minimum talk and minimum eye contact, baby will continue to cry not because he is in pain or feels neglected just because he realises there is a little change. when youi have lay baby down if he continue to cries just sit down in baby's room with a magazine or something don't talk to baby and don't look at baby, it will probably take up to 20 - 30 minutes for the first few nights then after that it will get less and less , after about 10 - 15 days baby should happily go in its cot a night and get self to sleep. each night from night one don't go straight to you baby when baby cries, wait a couple of minutes and each night wait an extra minute longer, also everynight if you sit in baby's room, sit there for only a couple of minutes when baby stops crying leave the room and keep doing so - remember though don't talk or have contact with baby because he will learn that if he cries he will get attention and you don't want that!

Answer 5

Play some lullabye music softly in his bedroom.
Tuck him in with his favourite teddy.
Place a photo of mum dad and him on the table near his cot so that he can see it.
There is a tape of household sounds which was made by parents who were experiencing difficulties in getting their little one to sleep it worked so well that it was put on the market not sure what it was called but it is out there.

Take care!

Answer 6

I don't believe there is a 'trauma' free way of doing this, as he may have already gotten himself into this routine of sleeping only when he has to give into the night. Try putting him to bed before he is sleepy himself at a time you choose appropriate. He will most probably lay awake screaming at first for comfort. At this stage it is wise to get him into the routine of having a bed time, that way you're nipping it in the bud before it becomes a big problem later on.

Good luck.

Answer 7

All little ones are different. at the same time as my sister became little she does not doze off interior the room through herself. we would placed a bottle in her mouth and shed bypass out on the settee or the swing at the same time as she became youthful. My associates daughter wil doze off through herself in a be counted seconds. She has on more desirable then one party fallen asleep eating on the table,lol.

Answer 8

Good for you for not wanting to make your baby scream himself to sleeP. Here are some good websites to get you started.