Getting Toddler to Fall Asleep on Her Own

S.
I support you not doing CIO
What has worked for lots of moms I know was a book called "The No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. You can get it at amazon.com for less than $6.
Although I'll probably end up reading it for ds's sake :-) I didn't know about this book when dd was at this sleep stage, so we kinda fumbled around and figured it out ourselves. From what I've heard of this book we did a combo of No Cry and 'pick up, put down'. We ended up with a pretty strict night time routine that we didn't allow to change at all for quite a few weeks. For us it was dinner, bath, teeth, bed, book, prayers, bed. These were at the same time every night, +/- 10mins and always in the same order. For dd it really helped to have routines and lots of verbal transitions. Now that she's older, we have charts - mainly pictures with arrows leading to the next thing. If we're starting to talk about what comes next "let's go check the chart". There are things that always go in a certain order even if they get spread out by other activities (dinner, pjs/teeth, bed).
After a month or so I decided that dd didn't need a nightly bath, so we substitute a massage for non-bath nights. I've noticed that it really helps to calm her down and (at this point in time) is eager to climb into bed b/c she knows she has 1 on 1 time with me and my hands :-)

All that to say - that's what worked for us. No Cry Sleep Solution worked for lots of my mom friends. Please be patient with your baby girl since she only has 13mos seniority on the planet compared to you :-) [that's one thing I tell myself when I feel frustrated]

hth

K. H, mama to
Catherine, 4y
Samuel, 14m

I still rock my children and they are 3 and 4. I, like you, want to cherish these days because there will be those days when they hate you and don't want anything to do with you.

When they would go through the crying stage, what you call "CIO" stage, I would remind myself that I had given her plenty of love that day, she's crying but she's okay. She's not hurt, or bleeding, broken or anything else of the sort, she just wants mommy's attention.

Try not to let your emotions rule how you act, react or discipline because if you do...your a lost cause. I'm kidding but you can lose control if you don't remember that they will treat you how you let them.

My husband insists that a 12 or 18 month old child doesn't know what they're doing. Ha, they know exactly what they're doing. After all, they're just little people!

God Bless!

I am in the same boat! I hope you get some great advice.

I really like _The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Gentle Ways to Stop Bedtime Battles and Improve Your Childs Sleep_ by Elizabeth Pantley. It is not CIO but does give you techniques to make bedtime easier.

Actually I like all her books I've checked out from the library, including her sleep book for infants and her no-cry discipline book.

What worked for me with my daughter, who was also rocked to sleep, was just starting off slow. I would rock her for bit, then put her in her crib and pat her back, if she cried pick her back up. Just got her familiar with the schedule and the crib while she was half awake. Then I progressed to putting her just in crib and patting her back. Then to putting her in crib and sitting by her crib holding her hand. Then to putting her down in her crib kissing her head and walking out. For us it was a step by step process, but it worked. I just had to be consistant. Thats what I would suggest.

Now that she is bigger, she goes to sleep in her bed but ends up in mine. Go figure! When your a mom its always something.
Good luck!

D. Mattern-Muck
The MOM Team
Raise your income and your rugrats at the same time!
www.formyrugrats.com

My daughter is about the same age. I did not do the whole cry it out thing. I just dont have it in me. We, too, were rockers. If you just stop the rocking, it only takes a few days for everyting else to fall into place. We stopped rocking about 4 months ago. 2 or 3 nights later, BOOM, out like a light on her own. You'll be amazed how the rocking is actually keeping them up, somewhat. I think its a good thing when they are newborns but, like you, we did it for too long. We are first time parents, so, we just didnt know any better. She sleeps like a champ now. Give it a try!!
Margaret:)