https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:25:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2710415 Tue, 14 Mar 2017 20:02:16 +0000 Ali-oop 2710415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you for the suggestions! Unfortunately my husband works nights often, so I am solo quite a bit. I love to rock him, but I'm thinking maybe a gradual weaning is our best bet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2710161 Tue, 14 Mar 2017 11:34:30 +0000 wrkbrk 2710161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ali-oop: Unhelpful chime-in, but this is what we do, too, and I am thanking my lucky starts it works with no crying. So many babies resist sleeping. If it takes 10 minutes of rocking DS til drowsy and he goes right to sleep, I'll do it until he's 20. :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2710134 Tue, 14 Mar 2017 10:46:25 +0000 sapphire 2710134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you rocking him TO sleep or just until her settles down and is drowsy? If it's the latter, I don't think it's such a bad habit. Our routine for our 2 year old is PJs, teeth, books, and then we sing two songs (same ones every night) while rocking her. She doesn't fall asleep, just settles and snuggles. We plan to keep this routine as long as it works! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2710114 Tue, 14 Mar 2017 10:37:06 +0000 sauerkraut 2710114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I weaned DD off the rocking at around 7mos by rocking her till she was drowsy, then putting her in the crib and patting shhhing her till she fell asleep (the patting and shhhing were something I did while rocking, so she was used to that). She cried for 45 minutes in the crib the first night, then fell asleep fine in the crib thereafter. I then gradually eliminated any rocking, then the shhhing and patting. At 9mos, I just put her in the crib and stand next to it for a minute while she settles down, and she goes to sleep on her own after I leave the room. </p> <p>My sister went through this process with my niece at about 18 months. At that age, my niece could understand being told that she needed to lie down, rest her head, and close her eyes. They went through a gradual process over about a week that involved back rubbing, sitting nearby and singing a song, sitting farther away, and finally saying goodnight and walking out of the room. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2710053 Tue, 14 Mar 2017 09:54:41 +0000 hellobeeboston 2710053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ali-oop: Do you have very dim lights in the room? We have a little lamp in the room that I added a dimmer to (On amazon, can go on most fixtures), and after we read books, i make it as dim as it goes, almost dark, then I actually make it totally dark, and we rock for a few minutes, he holds his lovey, then I put him in his crib awake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2709901 Mon, 13 Mar 2017 23:08:03 +0000 Ms. RV 2709901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How about a weaning approach? Rock him for fourteen minutes, hold still for one. Next night, rock for thirteen minutes, hold for two. After you get down to just holding no rocking, then start holding him for shorter times each night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2709899 Mon, 13 Mar 2017 23:01:26 +0000 Ajsmommy 2709899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd try to figure out a way to keep rocking him..... Sorry not helpful I guess. But I'd have dh watch lo2 while I rocked lo1 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2709880 Mon, 13 Mar 2017 21:08:45 +0000 macintosh 2709880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha, I just posted about bedtime routines, too. My first thought for your question is that his sleep could change soon anyway, so you might want to wait a bit and see. My DS suddenly would not respond to rocking at 9 months and I was forced to do a little CIO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2709871 Mon, 13 Mar 2017 20:57:37 +0000 travellingbee 2709871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you alone often at night? We have to divide and conquer bedtime because of needing to settle each kid. Neither of us is alone often so that's what we have worked out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-stop-rocking-18-month-old-to-sleep#post-2709860 Mon, 13 Mar 2017 20:30:58 +0000 Ali-oop 2709860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So LO1 is 18 months. His nighttime routine consists of reading a couple of books and then me or DH sit him on our lap and rock him in the glider until he's sleepy. He sleeps 7:30-7:00 so we've kept doing it because it works. </p> <p>As much as I love cuddling him to sleep, LO2 arrives in June so I feel like this routine may not be realistic soon (especially nights where I'm alone). The problem I'm having is trying to wind down DS at night. We tried incorporating bath time into his routine but that just gets him playful and excited. The whole rocking process is only 15-20 minutes, but I can't imagine not doing it. I can't imagine going from books right to crib. As it is now, it takes several minutes into the rocking for him to settle down. The other night I tried rocking him for less and then put him in the crib. He stood right up and was not having it. I know I might be looking at a couple nights of crying but I'd hate to do that. We've managed to get through all sleeping transitions without any crying. Any suggestions? </p>