Ferber moms - when DC gets sick???

ebb7

So, last night would have been night 8 of Ferber for us. It has been going great - minimal crying, sleeping through the night since night 2, etc. However, DD has a bad cold. So, last night she was up several times crying. I wasn't about to just leave her for the 25 or 30 minutes, so I went in to her each time, cleared her nose, rocked her, etc. Finally at 2:00 a.m. I brought her into bed with me (which was the issue that prompted Ferber to begin with...the constant rocking and finally caving and bringing to bed). I didn't want to try and differentiate between the crying for attention and crying because she didn't feel good. I've probably just ruined all the progress we've made, but I'm assuming that when she's feeling better in a few days that we could either start all over (and hopefully she'll fall back into it) or pick up where we left off.

What do you do when DC gets sick? Do you abandon Ferber until they're better? Then, do you start over as if it is day 1? Or do you pick up where you left off - so for us treat it as if it is day 8?

Agrippa

We abandon Ferber and re-do it when he's better.  It goes easier the second time around.

EDIT (Because I posted too early):  We generally abandon Ferber for any time that DS is uncomfortable.  So, when we were at the IL's for Thanksgiving, DS got as much shushing, rocking, etc. as he needed because it was a new environment and he was frightened.  

If you've read his book, he does mention that you'll need to redo stuff after sicknesses, teething, travel, etc.

Temp700366562504480

We abandoned it.  I don't think it's fair to let him cry when he's not feeling well and congested.  He slept with us last night so I didn't have to get up every hour...

lanie26

That's right. you abandon all crying until your daughter is well again. its dangerous to cry while congested. They can have issues with breathing.

You can get back to normal when she is back to normal.

Josephine is also nursing a cold and I check on her al ot more than even necessary when she's sick. I think its just a mom thing.

thomas&lynn

If I remember correctly, you abandon the training and start fresh when DC is feeling better. But it's supposed to go much quicker the second time around.

Brit1017

We abandon CIO while sick, as I think most books (Ferber, Sleepeasy, etc) will recommend. DC needs to know that you are there for her when she doesn't feel well. You will have to start over again once she's better, but it should move much more quickly this time around- you'll probably be back to your day 8 progress in 2 or 3 days.

ms_mellor

I'm with the others...abandon. We actually never had to re-do...once she was better, she STTN, and put herself down herself.

Luckystar2

We were doing a modified version and working on spacing out feedings when she got a cold.  We were just about ready to start Ferber but had to stop.  She's been sick a week already and she's still coughing at night.  Not sure when we'll be able to start back up again

raceyrae

We abadoned it recently when DD got constipated and is now teething.  She's doing better at going to sleep on her own for her naps again so I think we'll start trying it again tonight for sleep.  Given that teething can last so long, I'm having a hard time right now knowing when to go in and comfort vs. letting her get back to CIO if needed to sleep.  She seems fine during the day but doesn't want to go down for sleep at night -- still trying to figure it out if it's because she's uncomfortable or fighting sleep at night.

neya28

Do what you have to do while she's sick and then re-ferb when she's back to normal. It'll be way easier than it was to do it in the begining. We just had to do that w/ DS. The first time we did CIO, he cried on and off for like an hour. When we did it after he got better from his cold, he cried for maybe 10 mins & now 2 weeks later he's back to being "ferberized". They can't be expected to self soothe when they feel crappy so just comfort her & deal w/ the sleepless nights for a little bit longer.

neya28

p.s. when we re-ferbed we started at 10 min intervals again.

joecubed

we would abandon.  hell, I abandoned when I thought it was teething.  we might abandon while we are traveling - depends on how it goes. 

The book says you start over, so I would assume that means the same intervals that you started with.  GL!