I received tons of advice for putting my kids to sleep before I had babies. One of the biggest pieces of advice I received was “don’t rock your babies.” But, once I got my cuddly newborns home I couldn’t resist. And then I couldn’t stop. I love rocking my little girls. I’m not sure if it is the best way to get them to sleep, but I love it. Here’s why:
- Both of my daughters are super active, so they don’t take a lot of time out of their days to cuddle with their mama. Rocking before naps and bedtime is my cuddle time with them.
- Bonding. Besides just cuddling, rocking is also a crucial time in my day where I feel like I am truly bonding with my daughters.
- It’s peaceful. I know that cry-it-out methods develop children that can self soothe, but there is nothing more peaceful than laying down a sleeping child. I walk out of the room with no anxiety.
- I use the time to reflect. When I am rocking my daughters I pray for them, think about their day and think about how they are growing and changing.
- It’s effective. Typically, both of my daughters fall asleep easily when they are rocked. Now that my oldest is 3 I rock her for a few minutes and then she asks to be set down. So really, my time rocking with her is just for extra cuddles.
I’m not a doctor or a sleep researcher, but I can tell you that I have had a very positive experience rocking my girls. If we have another baby, I will be rocking them to sleep, as well. There is no perfect or “right” way to get your kiddos to sleep, but rocking has worked wonderfully for our family! What is your favorite or most effective way to put your kids to sleep?
