Won't put himself to sleep

My 6.5 mth old son won't go to sleep unless he has a bottle or is rocked to sleep. I am getting a bit worried as I am having visions of having a 1 year old and still doing this! I have tried putting him in his cot with his dummy (when he is tired) but he just plays or else screams.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get him to sleep without us?

Hi, I have just gone thru the same experience with my 51/2 month girl. After talking to family and health care professionals I tried letting her scream herself to sleep and didn't work then found out she has started teething so I left her awake until her next feed was due and gave her some bonjela before the bottle then fed her put her in her cot straight afterwards with her dummy and let her have her grizzle and she fell asleep. I have found she won't have a sleep everyday but by the end of the week she has just worn herself out.

Our babys now 6.5 months old when he was 4 months we stayed at Tessillian in Sydney as I couldnt get him to sleep unless he was on the breast. They have become accostomed to this and dont know how to go to sleep any other way so sadly its our job to teach them. You need to use settling techniques, letting him cry for 5 min going in and holding him for a while then putting him down again, letting him cry for 5 min and keep doing this. Its not easy but it does work. the staff at tressilian are wonderful caring people and will give you all the help you need ring them on their free call number,you can get this from their website or your health clinic should have it. Listening to my little fellow cry use to tear my heart out, but its so worth sticking to as it will work although it takes a few days.

Hi Bradys mum,
Just wondering where you got the name Brady from? I too have a little boy named Brady. He is 9 months old, and you are the first person I have come across with a baby with the same name. I would be interested to hear how you came across the name.
Tracey

Hi Brady's Mum, my 6 month old has developed the same pattern of falling asleep on the breast for most naps. I live away from Australia and my husband works away for 5 days out of 7, so I'm not keen to attempt controlled crying alone. Sounds like you persisted and it worked. Any tips

At 7 months we tried this technique with Emily - but i have to say it didn't work, after 40 minutes of going in and out she had worked herself into such a state. So unfortunately i have given in to rocking and feeding and still hoping that she is at some stage going to sleep better at night. I have heard that there are children out there who just won't go to sleep on there own and i think i must have one.

just an add to previous - this was in relation to brady's mums

Hi All, I think it is a very natural process for bubs to fall asleep while feeding. My daughter is 9 months and still does this. I know everyone feels different about this but for me and my little one it provides us with such a protective and secure feeling everytime she falls asleep. She has always been a great sleeper and is never afraid of going to sleep because she falls asleep in such a loving, calm way. All babies are different and some just can't cope with being left to fall asleep on their own. Other babies just want to be left alone to go to sleep. Either method is fine - it's what is best for you and your bub and your family situation. If you don't feel comfortable or your bub is very uptight and tense about you leaving him to fall asleep on his own then just stick with putting him to sleep on the breast. He will eventually get away from this - in his own time. Hope this helps - goodluck.
Rach

I too had the same problem with Sophie. The controlled crying didnt work straight away, but with perserverence I assure you you will win!! Dont forget, our babies are very clever little mites, learning something new everyday, and it wont take long for them to learn that once you put them to bed, you want them to go to sleep. Something that worked for me in the end was the clothes dryer believe it or not. The sound of it working used to calm her down and I'd most times rock her to sleep in the laundry with the dryer going. This proved very costly, so I recorded the dryer, burnt it onto a cd and played it when I put her in the cot. Worked a treat!! Good luck.

My son also requires a boob and rocking to go to sleep - and then there is no garauntee he'll stay ther if he wakes as I put him in the cot. I have honeatly tried the controlled crying and settling thing, over and over. He just gets himself into hysterics. I've been letting him play in his cot so he'll hopefully fall asleep when he's ready but tis is also to no avail. He has never been a good sleeper and some days I think I'm going to explode with frustration at my seemingly hyperactive baby. However I just bide my time with the rocking and sleeping in the hopw that one day he'll just be ready to do it on his own.

By the way - Sophies mum you are a true champ of ingenuity. My doctor told me she got an old foot spa and would put one whel of the pram in it and turn it on and the vibration would send bubs off to sleep. The things we do.

Hi there,
I agree totally and have no problem with my son falling asleep on the breast or being rocked to sleep. When he is upset or having a bad day it is a comfort to him and to me. This is causing difficulties now though, because he won't settle for his father. My son ends up in hysterics and they both end up very frustrated. I decided to start teaching him how to go to sleep without the need to be held or fed by either of us, but am finding this incredibly frustrating and have spent hours over the past weeks with a crying baby who looks no closer to being able to put himself to sleep than he did last month. Any ideas? - Bel.

Hi Bel,
The only thing i can think of is to take him to a day service where they can help you sort out a good sleeping patten. That's what i'm going to do.