My dd is 9 months and can't fall asleep by herself at naptime. I have to rock her and pat her. Sometimes I just pat while we are sitting. I don't think she need the rocking so much than the pat. This is our little story: after months of sh/pat, at 5 months she was able to fall asleep by herself for naps easily but bedtime was difficult. The problem was that every time somebody would babysit her, they would rock her to sleep, which she got use to, so I did it since it was taking only 10-15 min and she would have a good nap. Now for some reason, she doesn't need it for the evening and fall asleep by herself but won't do the same for the naps. I don't mind so much of rocking her and wouldn't change anything if only it would not take forever now. After I got my courage to finally tried it, I did put her in her crib for her to fall asleep by herself. I can put her in her crib and go, she won't cry, she just play for an hour and then she might cry. When I go and put her back on her side to sleep (since she is kneeling in the crib holding to the bar), then it start back again of playing in the crib and not sleeping. She can go like that for hours until I go and sit with her and pat her (rocking or not). I did try relax time before naps but this doesn't help. The routine is basically rocking her with the pacifier and blankie (this is a routine that I put in place a long time ago but now is the way to sleep for naps). I know I should let her go to sleep by herself but she won't sleep for hours and I don't want her to get OT and then she will have problem at bedtime since we finally have that one.
Does any of you have any advice?
