How to get your baby to self soothe?

[playfelt]

Increasing the length of time before you respond might help. There will be tears but they should lesson over time. You might find you need to not even be in the room with her or you may find as long as she can see you she is fine which would be ideal a sit means you can care for the other children. From a daycare perspective we get a lot of children that have been held and coddled to the point their every whim was met and they get a rude awakening when they start daycare. It isn't that we mean to ignore them it is just that out of a 60 minute hour each child gets no more than 10 minutes of individual time and that includes diapering. There is a lot of screaming for the first while but amazingly most come around quite quickly. The difference is I am not mom so the child has not learned bad habits with me so to speak. For that reason I start right from the beginning to treat the child in the routine that will fit with the group. Hopefully once you have the distraction of the other children your child will get more interested in them than you. Once she is more mobile too that helps.

I would visit a few playgroups and gradually get your child interested in other children. Then when you have them at home she might be more receptive to being with them instead of you.

It is important as the parent to distinguish between need and want. Just because she wants to be held all the time doesn't mean it is a good thing and should be done whether there are tears or not. Remember that tears are a baby's language - if basic needs for food, diaper, short cuddle have been met then think of the tears as equivalent to a tantrum - gets easier to ignore sometimes that way.

[fruitloop]

It is important as the parent to distinguish between need and want. Just because she wants to be held all the time doesn't mean it is a good thing and should be done whether there are tears or not. Remember that tears are a baby's language - if basic needs for food, diaper, short cuddle have been met then think of the tears as equivalent to a tantrum - gets easier to ignore sometimes that way.

This exactly! You need to let her have her tantrums and know that she is not the 1 in charge. Even at this age, they know how to play mom and dad and will do it to their advantage.

[Kaila]

Thanks so much Playfelt! As i'm writing this she is crying in her excersaucer..lol. but it's I'M DONE COME GET ME CRY..lol and i'm trying to ignore..its so hard I hate this part but i'm sure we will get through it! Thanx for the good advice!