https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 22 May 2026 19:16:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536742 Fri, 29 Apr 2016 09:30:34 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2536742@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also it seems for my kids this age is a regression time. I think it's separation anxiety. Not sure if we'll do any kind of sleep training but just wanted to throw that out there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536740 Fri, 29 Apr 2016 09:29:13 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2536740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do what rainbow sprinkles does. Or I make the older one have rest time whenever it is after lunch that the younger one falls asleep. Doesn't always work. But it is what it is, dh has them on his off days during the week and works weekends when I'm off and I have them, so at least he gets it this time around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536698 Fri, 29 Apr 2016 08:32:45 +0000 Foodnerd81 2536698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the same boat with my 4 month old and 2.5 yo, except baby hasn't rolled yet so she is still swaddled. And she does go to sleep ok, but t takes a long time if nursing to sleep or rocking and bouncing to sleep. And then the toddler comes in and is loud and wakes her and I get so so mad even she's just being a toddler who was ignored for half an hour. </p> <p>I get around it at bedtime by putting the toddler down first, then getting the baby to sleep after, and that's working ok for now. But naps are hard. And she won't really nap on the go much anymore, there is just too much exciting stuff to look at. Not sure where to go from here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536677 Fri, 29 Apr 2016 08:23:31 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2536677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: Luckily I think you're in a "good" time to sleep train. Although cutting the swaddle probably isn't helping. </p> <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/12/20/does-when-you-sleep-train-help-determine-success/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2012/12/20/does-when-you-sleep-train-help-determine-success/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536600 Fri, 29 Apr 2016 06:38:05 +0000 gracecat 2536600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband recently went on a week long business trip and I have a 3 year old and a 4 month old. 3 year old demands that I stay in her room until she falls asleep. So.... We did CIO with the baby before DH left. Now Baby can fall asleep on her own....but we do still swaddle one arm. Maybe try the Merlin sleep suit? I never tried it but isn't it supposed to restrict their arm movement a bit without being a full on swaddle? We actually swaddled our oldest girl until she was over a year old! She could get out of it easily in 10 minutes but it serves it's purpose of keeping her arms still and restricted for the crucial first minutes when she was first trying to fall asleep for the first time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536494 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 21:39:10 +0000 charlotte 2536494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh that sounds awful - so sorry! Are you using a sleep sack now that you cut the swaddle? Our routine (8mo) is diaper change, sleep sack, turn on white noise, put in crib, one quick pat on the belly, and I tell her "sleep well, I'll see you when you wake up!" She's had a few evening wake ups and I just do checks with a little belly patting and then say the same thing. It took about a week of no swaddling for her to find her thumb and that + sticking to the routine were what did the trick. My husband claims he helped her "practice" getting her thumb in her mouth so you might try that if the paci isn't staying in and you get desperate. </p> <p>Hoping it will get easier soon. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536493 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 21:37:12 +0000 gingerbebe 2536493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you introduced a lovey? We started putting one in the crib with DS when he was 4 months old and out of the swaddle. He ignored it for the most part for several weeks but then started talking to it and throwing it around and once he was teething, he started chewing on its ear. It became a self-soothing thing and he still chews on his lovey for a few minutes before falling asleep at 20 months.</p> <p>Also, we sleeptrained with CIO and 6 months is supposed to be a good time to do it, so perhaps its time? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536363 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:40:55 +0000 hilsy85 2536363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: commiseration friend! I have not much advice, other than to say that when we went through this phase, it was miserable for a few nights but then magically got better--she stopped flailing her arms as much and was able to wiggle on her tummy to get more comfortable. I would focus on nights and let her nap in a carrier or in the car/stroller if she will! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536352 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:33:13 +0000 Charm54 2536352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: :sad: it's so hard, especially when you're solo parenting. I would give it a try one night and see how it goes. Both my girls caught on really quickly so you would know within a day or two if she has readjusted or if it would be better to wait until you get back from camping ?</p> <p>Eta: how many naps a day does she have? J just recently dropped to 2 naps so we loosely follow the 2-3-4 sched...it makes it a lot easier knowing when she is going to be tired and ready to nap. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536349 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:25:04 +0000 birdofafeather 2536349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: no, now it's that she won't fall asleep at all. Once we got her down last night, she woke up twice to eat, which is fine but then took another 15 minutes of rocking my DH or myself to fall asleep enough to be put down, where as previously, she fell asleep nursing and I was able to put her right back down. For naps, once she was wrapped up, she fell asleep. Now it's work to get her to fall asleep at all. I don't typically nurse to sleep, even for nighttime. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536342 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:16:57 +0000 Charm54 2536342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: yeah I cut out the swaddle and feeding to sleep all at once. Now I feed her about 30'mins before she goes to sleep, change her and put her in her sleep sack. Rock for a minute to sing a song and then lay her in her crib.</p> <p>I found that too - it was hard to find a good time to train, since we are always on the go with DD1 and she tags along. But she was much more adaptable than I anticipated!</p> <p>Does she go to sleep initially at bedtime OK? And then wakes up because her arms are flailing? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536339 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:11:11 +0000 birdofafeather 2536339@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: also, we're in the middle of moving houses, going camping next week, etc, so i'm not sure what the heck to do!! and i can't say wait until we move because what we're doing isn't working any more! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536338 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:10:02 +0000 birdofafeather 2536338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: did you just cut out all sleep props totally? DD1 found her fingers around 4 months and just stopped needing to be rocked about a month later. so i didn't have to do anything. i did CIO with checks after a year to night wean/STTN. i feel like DD2 is getting the short end of the stick because i'm getting so frustrated with her not being able to fall asleep. it's not a peaceful bedtime routine and then i'm so frazzled by the time it's time for DD1 to get to bed that i rush through that and then have no energy for anything else at the end of the night, whether DH is home or not! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536334 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 18:03:08 +0000 Charm54 2536334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I solo parent a lot too and have both girls home with me while I'm on mat leave. It's hard :( i slept trained dd2 a couple of months ago. She was STTN fine but needed a ridiculous song and dance to fall asleep. It was impossible with my 2 year old running around, who was intent on making my life hell while I was trying to get dd2 to fall asleep. It sucked.</p> <p>So I started at bedtime on a weekend when DH happened to be home so he could keep dd1 busy. I then did CIO with checks (2 min, 4 min, 6 min, then 10 min after that). She cried for 45 mins the first night. (I kept notes on my phone because I was so stressed haha)</p> <p>Day 2 I did the same routine for her naps. She cried 30 mins for the first nap, 0&amp; 15 mins for the other naps. That night, she cried for 15 min.</p> <p>Day 3 : She cried for 15 minutes for each nap, 8 minutes for bed</p> <p>Day 4: Between 0-2 minutes of crying for each nap and bedtime and she's been putting herself to sleep ever since. </p> <p>In the end it was much easier than I thought and a total GAME CHANGER for solo parenting. It's so much easier to be able to put her down, then go about my day and play with dd1 or clean or whatever. </p> <p>It was actually hardest on my toddler - "mommy, J is crying..she needs a bottle, why are you not feeding her?!?" Haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536333 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:57:42 +0000 birdofafeather 2536333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: I made the mistake of hoping for a double nap today. Now that she's passed out in ny arms (after giving in and buttoning up her arms) I know R is gonna wake up any minute. What about bedtime?! I don't know what I'm gonna do tonight 😭 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536326 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:46:45 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2536326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the same boat, so I can commiserate. Only thing that saves my sanity is leaving the house and not even trying to get her to sleep at home. I just hope she will pass out in the car/while being worn/in the stroller whenever she gets super tired. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-i-teach-baby-to-fall-asleep-while-solo-parenting-with-a-toddler#post-2536323 Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:43:53 +0000 birdofafeather 2536323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm at my wits end and about to lose it. DD2 is 6 months and cannot fall asleep on her own. We just cut the swaddle cold turkey because she started flipping to her tummy. </p> <p>Previously it was swaddle, paci, white noise, rock. Now her arms are flailing about and she's just not falling asleep. She was up for 5 hours last night while I tried rocking, CIO, nursing to sleep, everything. She finally passed out after I vigorously rocked and shushed while keeping her arms pinned down. </p> <p>I cannot do this while solo parenting. It's been going on an hour of me trying to get her to sleep for a nap and I'm freaking out. </p> <p>Please help me teach my baby to fall asleep while also solo parenting with a toddler. I'm not interested in gadgets that I'll have to wean from later on again. </p>