5 Month Old Needs Nipple to Sleep; Suggestions How to Teach to Soothe

My daughter was the same way! Unless I was holding her, she just would NOT fall (or stay) asleep. Several changes helped.
1. I got a "wedge" and rolled up a couple of shirts that I had recently worn to help simulate being held by me.
2. I got a straight binky, one that more closely resembled "me" and a CLIP! This was essential. Eventually she learned to find and replace the binky on her own. Peaceful sleeping ever since!

Good luck!

We're going through the exact same thing right now with our 5 month old. I'm using The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley as our guide because CIO does NOT work for my daughter. If anything, it riles her up even more. The key is to accomodate to your daughter's needs, but gently wean her off of what she's dependent on. She also advocates introducing a lovey, which we're in the process of doing. I'm not a big help to you right now because we're in the beginning stages ourselves. Good luck!!!

S., I just sent you a personal response, but had not read your question first...if I were you, my first step to get your daughter to go down on her own would be to try to eliminate nursing her to sleep. Try nursing her when she wakes from naps rather than before she goes down. I may take a while for her to adjust, and I'm sure she will protest (and you could try the P.U./P.D. method when she freaks). Hopefully she will adjust quickly. I think you will also have to use her crib for night sleeping too, for the method to work. It may take a few or more really hard, bad nights, but just remember that you are working toward the end result. My daughter still nurses before bed, but the nursing session comes before the rest of the bedtime routine. I have to make sure she is not overly tired so she doesn't fall asleep while nursing.

Good Luck!

I thought I'd never use a pacifier, but we did to teach our daughter to self-soothe. It took some getting used to, but it worked and she only uses it to fall asleep. Now she's 19 months and we're working on weaning her from that! It's all a process, isn't it?

Good luck!

I had the same problem, but let it go on long after he turned 1 year old. I used the No Cry Sleep Solution book, too. The Sleep Lady had a great website and an email letter she sends out, too. I basically, kept taking it away sooner and sooner, until he didn't need it anymore. It takes some time, but it was easy on me and him. Good luck.

You say she falls asleep on you or in the car (w/o a nipple). Have you tried to put her to sleep in a bouncy seat or a swing? My son would only sleep elevated for until he was about 5 1/2 months. I used to think it was a comfort thing as well (b/c he would sleep on me or in bed with me) but I realized even in bed with me he was elevated. (he was usually sleeping on my arm. I would try one of these upright positions (or even a crib wedge) & see if it makes a difference. My son was in the 95th percentile, so by the time he was 5 & 1/2 months he was no longer comfortable in the bouncy/swing b/c he was so big. Your daughter will probably be able to stay in them longer. We did have to CIO when we moved him, but it wasn't too bad.
Though if I had known about crib wedges at the time, we might not have had to CIO at all.
Good Luck.

If her age is what's keeping you from using what's worked in the past, then honestly you might just try putting up with it a few months longer. Every time my son gets into one of his "night waking to play" stints I just wait it out and remember that my two oldest were perfect sleepers by age two.

Otherwise maybe try a new type of binky? My kids only liked one type (the MAM ones) and my middle child actually rejected the binky for a while but I just kept up with trying because otherwise he would "comfort suck" after eating until my nipples were raw.

Good Luck!

We've used the Sleepeasy Solution by Jennifer Waldburger with great success. As for her dependence on the nipple to sleep you may just have to get her used to not having it by taking it away :-( That isn't going to be easy- and she'll cry about it- but it's easier to break a habit earlier rather than later, when it becomes ingrained. I would also recommend moving her to her own crib- especially if you're going to try to break the nipple habit.
Hope this helps! Best of luck!