[Livvysmommy]

Has anyone started sleep training or know what method they are going to use?

This is my first child, so this is all new to me. I am just not sure which method to use since there seems to be so many.

What methods are you using or have used? How do you like them? What steps have you taken.

I am getting so concerned that she won't sleep well because she has to be rocked to sleep. She can't go to sleep on her own. I know she is still young, but my fear is that as she ages she will still need to be rocked.

[SweetSimpleThings]

I do think it's important to instill good sleep habits, but at this age, I think it's too young to do anything more than trying to create good routines... we try to do a really specific routine at bedtime and naptime to help encourage her learning that this means it's bedtime.

I try to watch her cues - like she'll do this really tiny yawn, which means she's almost ready for a nap - and if I can get her into naptime within a few minutes, she'll sleep great. If I miss it, then she doesn't sleep so well, because she got overtired.

In other words, I guess my method is just trying to see what her natural inclination is and go with that.

As for rocking - don't worry, most babies need to be rocked to sleep. And when she's three and hops into bed without hardly a cuddle (like my DS did tonight!) you'll wish for the rocking part to come back. I know that's not very helpful, but whenever I worry too much about "habits" (like using a pacifier, or rocking to sleep) I remember what a friend of mine said: They don't go off to university with a pacifier in their mouth. In other words, kids grow out of things.

Over time, I'd just start trying - maybe for one nap a day, or at bedtime every few nights - to lay her down when she's still drowsy, but not asleep, and see how she does with it. If she starts to fuss, give her a cuddle and try again.

[hiskid1324]

I very much agree with all that was already said.

We're currently working on sleep training Rebecca, and she's almost two. Elias trained himself to sleep, LOL. We'll see if that lasts.

We tried the CIO method (this was not my first try), a LARGE number of methods from the No-Cry Sleep Solution for Babies, and now I'm onto trying ideas from The Happiest Toddler on the Block (I think we're on our third attempt from that book). We're actually SUCCEEDING with his version of a CIO method (similar to Ferber's), which is amazing, because everything else we've tried just hasn't worked. We're also following much of his suggested bedtime routine, which may have a lot to do with why she's settling on her own in less than 10 minutes.

With Elias, if he needs to be sleep trained, we'll use whatever method works best for him. No two kids are alike, and I'm discovering no sleep training method will work on *every* child. Your child's temperament will have a lot to do with what does and doesn't work.

[kimmiejo]

agree with the others at this stage I think just sticking with a routine and trying to encourage good habits is key....my dd is still not a good sleeper, I never really tried to sleep train her, I thought she would just grow out of it and sleep better but nope! never happened LOL she still wakes up a lot of nights and needs me to lay down with her to fall asleep. this time I will try harder if Sam isn't a good sleeper down the line, I will probably do some sort of CIO or something, not sure exactly what yet. I realize Sydney will learn to sleep on her own at some point, she won't be in highschool and want mommy to lay down with her so she can fall asleep LOL but still it can be frustrating at times and I feel like part of it is just her personality and part of it is that I didn't work harder at it. IDK but this time I will definately be trying much harder at it!