Getting baby to settle self...

[CoreysMummy]

I had always cuddled/rocked Corey to sleep be that for naps or bed time. Recently I decided this was not a good idea, as I did not want to be rocking a 4 yr old!! No, I put him in his crib with his dummy and his pooh bear blankie thing and hes out like a light, be that bed time or naps... great.

Trouble is, getting him to settle himself if he wakes during a nap or at night. If he wakes I have to stick his dummy back in to get him back to sleep... any ideas for getting him to settle himself? He can fall asleep without it, generally when were out, or if hes in his swing etc.

I guess this is the problem u get when they use a dummy to fall asleep.

Any ideas welcome!? (Even if its just tips on ditching the dummy...)

 

[Kylie1007]

Nope..no tips as I'm trying to get a 9 month old to self settle Ditching the dummy...hmmm...HV advised me to go cold turkey. Don't know if I'm brave enough yet.

 

[badgergirl]

I'm having the same problem at the moment, and I was just going to post myself! Sprog's got into the habit of waking every 2 hours since he was doing that for a drink when it was hot, and dummy is all that'll work - which is more of a pain when he spits it straight out!

 

[CoreysMummy]

Grrr, these babies... someone needs to have a word with them!!

I dont know what to try, as I dont want to leave him to see what he would do, because if he starts crying etc I think it will wake him up even more thus reducing the chances of getting him straight back to sleep, where as if at the 1st sign of wimpers/crys I stuff the dummy in, he falls straight back to sleep.

 

[Sherlock]

You can ditch the dummy around 4-5 months with no real problems as they don't have memory of it. Past then is when they start to remember and will miss it.

When Galen wakes in the night I don't use the dummy to settle him. I put on some classical music and that soothes him to go back to sleep.

We plan to ditch the dummy in the next few weeks. He'll maybe fuss for a day but should be fine then.

 

[poppy160]

Ella's really good at settling herself, our routine is at bedtime we put on calming music and she will fall asleep listening to it and chewing her muslin square. She does wake in the night, because in the morning her covers are usually kicked off and her feet and head have switched places I think she's able to settle herself because the muslin is there, if it were a dummy she wouldn't be able to get it back in her mouth. Why don't you switch the dummy for a piece of cloth? Maybe one that smells like you?

 

[CoreysMummy]

Thats an idea. He has a comfort blanket thing, winnie the pooh head holding a blue blankie (from disney store). Im sure he could suck on a corner of that with little problem...