Is cio my only option?!

Lwilson24

We really dropped the ball on sleep transition. My DD is 5 months. She has been in a rock n play for reflux since 1.5 months. In the past few weeks she has figured out rolling over while swaddled in the Rock and play, how I don't know since it's such a confined tight thing! So I tried merlins magic sleep sack but she rolls over and they say that is for back sleeping only. She has never gone down awake, always falls asleep on the Boob. But now trying to lay her in an open crib or pack and play she wakes right up, how long do I let her cry? Last night I let her go 4 hours, she was soaking wet from sweat and hungry (she eats every 3 hours) I'm just really not sure how to even go about cio. Tia for any and all advice

nolemomma14

When you say you let her go for four hours, does that mean you let her cry for 4 hours?? I would definitely not do that ever. DS will be 5 months on Sunday. He's been going through the sleep regression, but the longest we will let him fuss is 10 minutes. DH read about CIO and we aren't going to try it until he's 6 months, and even then I wouldn't let him cry for 4 hours

If you want to try CIO most books suggest doing it in increments. Go in after 3 minutes, then 5, and up until 10 minutes or so. I would read Ferbers book or some other info before trying CIO.

Lwilson24

We already got past the sleep regression and when I say 4 hours that includes all the times we went in and tried to get her down. I guess it's to much of a shock to not be swaddled, inclined, and snug. All the advice I kept getting was not to give in to the Boob, I'm obviously not starving her. But in the past 72 hours she barley gotten 15 hours total with naps, the Rock and play is the only way she will sleep but it is 100 not safe any longer.

ashiscute

I'm a huge fan of Ferber's book.  I think it has lots of great information about sleep in general and positive associations.  I definitely recommend it plus some others for you.  But I really think your LO is too young for CIO.  A couple mins to fuss?  Sure.  Crying for hours?  Nope!  Even Ferber says if it's not working stop and wait a month or so and retry.  

If the rock n play is no longer safe then stick with the crib.  Or let her nurse until she is passed out and then move.  You may have to try rocking her over and over again to get her asleep.  Have you tried the merlin sleep suit in the crib?  Or just swaddling her legs?   I wouldn't try moving her to the crib and teaching her to fall asleep on her own in one swoop at this age.  

kangtini

You about gave me a heart attack with the 4 hour thing.  I agree with everyone else about reading the books before trying it again. For now, I think you can't go cold turkey especially at this age.   When I am trying to break bad sleep habits.  I try to do one at a time.  In your case, your first priority sounds like you have to get her in the crib.  So I would start working on that and not try to break the feed to sleep until you get her sleeping in the crib.  My little one can roll from front to back but can't do it in the sleep suit, so I am still using the sleep suit with him. (There was a rough sleep patch with my first one when he could roll over back to front but not front to back, were he would wake up in the middle of night really mad.  It worked it self out pretty quickly) If you don't want to do that maybe a wearable sleep sack without the arms swaddled will still help her feel more snuggly?    

If you want to reduce the feed to sleep cycle, I would start with the first one only not the MOTN ones. What I would do is feed with the lights on and keep her awake during that process.  Then after they are full and changed, turn off the light and rock/sing/give paci whatever else until she is asleep then put her in the crib.  Once you fix that you can start weening her off the rocking, etc.

Just my thoughts.  

Lwilson24

Thank you all for the advice, I've been reading a Ferber book for the past two days and feeling like that is probably the way we are going to go. I just feel so bad it's not her fault I waited so long to transition. Hopefully the crib works sooner than later!

sleepy33

There are ways to gently transition out of the RNP without doing CIO. I started with a crib wedge and a u-shaped towel under the crib sheet to transition, initially. Then I gradually removed the towel, and eventually, the wedge once his reflux was better. Changing everything at once is a recipe for a disaster. Gradually removing each crutch can work. First, get her used to the crib. Then, work on getting her to be comfortable being put in her crib drowsy but awake. Patience is key. I highly recommend The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Sleep Problems.