Author Topic: teaching 8 month old to self-soothe  (Read 3547 times)

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Offline AbiF

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teaching 8 month old to self-soothe
« on: September 26, 2007, 15:52:13 pm »
My 8 and a half month old was always rocked or boobed to sleep until a fortnight ago when I could take all the nightwakings no more. Amazingly, within a few days he was sleeping through which was a fantastic result. He sleeps next to me in a cot (hangover from being too exhausted to get up for night-feedings) and now I can settle him in the night by patting him. He goes down well at 7 but always holds onto my arm or hand (sometimes for dear life!) to get off to sleep. He often wakes 45 mins later but can be easily settled again.
So I've started trying PU/PD for naps as he rarely sleeps past 45 mins and quite often I get him to sleep while out in the pram. (The PU/PD board suggested I post here on the naps board). it is mainly PD and again he holds onto my arm to get himself off. Yesterday the first nap took 40 mins of howling. This morning just 15 mins and both times he slept one hour and 15 mins (which is almost double). This afternoon I was gob-smacked when he went to sleep without a whimper BUT for just half an hour. Spent another 40 mins trying to settle him to howls and many PDs. he settled but eyes wide open, playing in cot, babbling, didn't sleep. After 15 mins of that I presumed sleep wasn't going to happen... and he's been playing happily beside me while I'm on the computer ever since.
What I'm realising is he doesn't know how to self-soothe or fall asleep without some kind of contact with my arm or hand. I've been giving him a teddy to hold the last 10 days or so but he pushes it away in favour of me.
Generally he's an alert happy little boy but I realise I'm going to have to teach him to self-soothe somehow and just don't know where to start. Any tips gratefully appreciated. 8 months is an 'inconsistent age' apparently and he's also teething.
Big thanks - Abi

His routine is as follows:

E: Boob anytime from 5.30 to 6.30
S:7 till 7.30 or 8
A: till breakfast
E: 9ish
S: 9.30 or 10
E: 11 boob
A: till lunch
E:  lunch 12.30 or 1
A:
S: 2ish if lucky
E: 3 boob
A:
E: dinner 5.30
A: bath at 6
S: bedtime routine 6.30, songs, boob, bed, asleep by 7

Offline debo620

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Re: teaching 8 month old to self-soothe
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2007, 02:56:54 am »
sorry, I'm not quite sure what your question is??

I think that 2 naps about 1.5hrs long is great.
if this afternoon naps was only 30min---he was probably overtired an needed to go down sooner.

so maybe try:
wake 7
nap 10-11:30
nap 2-3:30
bed and asleep by 700/7:30

pupd is the method to teach him how to self sooth, as far as him holding your arm, I'm just not sure on that. you could try introducing a lovie such as the teddy, but perhaps sleep witht the teddy yourself for a few days--so that it gets your scent.
Deborah,
Noah---January 30th, 2006
Cohen-May 22, 2008
Julia-August 14, 2013