Hi everyone,
I am a new mom struggling to get my baby to fall asleep independently. My little one has gotten used to being rocked or fed to sleep, and as a result, wakes up multiple times during the night looking for the same comfort. I am exhausted and feeling like a failure as a parent.
I have been reading about the importance of self-soothing and want to encourage my baby to learn this skill. What are some techniques or tips that you have used to help your baby self-soothe and fall asleep on their own? I am open to all suggestions and would love to hear about your experiences. Thank you in advance for your help!

Hi there,
I completely understand how you feel. I had the same problem with my baby a few months back. For us, the key was consistency. We started by establishing a bedtime routine and sticking to it every night. This included a warm bath, followed by a short massage, and then some quiet time with a book, lullaby or story. This routine helped her associate these activities with sleep time.
After the routine, I would put her down in her crib while she was drowsy but still awake, and then leave the room. Initially, she would cry for a bit but we followed a gradual extinction method where we would wait a few minutes before going in to reassure her that we were there, and gradually increased the time period before going back in.
It was hard listening to her cry, but eventually, she learned to calm herself and fall asleep without our intervention. Now, she wakes up less during the night and can fall asleep on her own. I hope this helps and best of luck to you!