Into the crib

SharLovesAlex

Before anyone jumps on me for not starting sooner, we have not had my son sleep in his crib in his room yet because it's not well ventilated. His room gets extremely hot & stuffy. I asked the apartment management if they could install an AC unit so I could cool the room down before putting him to bed, but they were unable to install one. So rather than put him in there when it's still hot, he's been sleeping in his rock n play in our bedroom.

Now that it's cooled down, I've been trying to get him to sleep in his crib. As soon as I lay him down, he wakes up. He cries and cries and I just lay him back down and sit in the room waiting for him to get back to sleep, but he doesn't. Eventually, I get him out & put him in the rock n play. I've been trying this all week. I hate for him to cry like that, but want him to get used to his crib. Does anyone have suggestions or comments about what worked for you? Just want him to sleep in his own bed & room.

NLB2009

This was us when we transitioned. I hate to say but we actually ferberized. After a week, I think he realized the crib isn't so bad and now he is STTN which he didn't do when in his cosleeper. Now I put him down and rub his back for about five minutes and he usually falls asleep during that. If he doesn't, or if he wakes in the night, he easily puts himself back to sleep. I always said I'd never do any form of CIO but I was desperate. It was tough but I don't see any signs of him getting less secure and he's so much more we'll rested. Of course, it's a very personal decision so do what feels right but maybe look into it?

secretbaba

We've had our daughter in the crib but in our room since day one. No judgement here - in the UK you're advised to keep them in with the parents for 6 months! We found a gentle sleep training method worked best - she still wakes up once for a feed but if she wakes up just unhappy, we go to her, shush her and rub her back till she settles. She hasn't woken up otherwise for a good few weeks now! Sticking to it was hard, but she now knows the difference between hunger and just waking and is pretty good at putting herself back to sleep. Stick at it. It'll work eventually whatever you choose to do.

DustyMelons

SharLovesAlex said:

Before anyone jumps on me for not starting sooner, we have not had my son sleep in his crib in his room yet because it's not well ventilated. His room gets extremely hot & stuffy. I asked the apartment management if they could install an AC unit so I could cool the room down before putting him to bed, but they were unable to install one. So rather than put him in there when it's still hot, he's been sleeping in his rock n play in our bedroom. Now that it's cooled down, I've been trying to get him to sleep in his crib. As soon as I lay him down, he wakes up. He cries and cries and I just lay him back down and sit in the room waiting for him to get back to sleep, but he doesn't. Eventually, I get him out & put him in the rock n play. I've been trying this all week. I hate for him to cry like that, but want him to get used to his crib. Does anyone have suggestions or comments about what worked for you? Just want him to sleep in his own bed & room.

I would work on putting him down drowsy but still awake. Do this for naps and bedtime. It will take some time, but eventually he needs to be able to get to sleep on his own, it will help immensely with sleeping through the night as well.

I really like the website Precious Little Sleep for sleep training. 

myjessesgirl

I haven't had this particular problem (she's been in her crib since 8 weeks old), but I know if I need to leave her other places she will sometimes take some time transitioning. The thing that makes it the easiest now is trying to maintain the same routine wherever we are. I usually only need to do this for naps, but I think it would help as well at night. I end up singing one particular song to her, followed by a few others, before she goes down for any nap or at night. I rock her for a few minutes until she starts either cuddling or sucking her thumb (or if she's nowhere near that point, I don't worry too much) and put her down after saying, "I'm going to put you in your crib now." (Ok, maybe that last part is crazy, but for some reason it helps! I assume she understands... Lol) It works pretty well for the church nursery, friends' houses, babysitters... She does sometimes CIO, but usually that only lasts a few minutes (I set a timer for 10 minutes, leave the room, turn the monitor off, and busy myself with something else). That's what works for me now, so hopefully you can find a way that will work for you. At this age it may unfortunately be more difficult since separation anxiety plays a part, but I'm sure you'll be able to transition your LO just fine.

katesalms22

We went through the same thing when we transitioned my son about a month and a half ago! He was sleeping in the rock n play and was sleeping through the night and was getting too big for it so we decided to move him to his own room in his crib. And everytime I'd put him down he would wake up crying... I know what you're feeling! I also nurse him to sleep every night btw. We tried the CIO method but after 1 night I couldn't do it, he cried basically all night and it just broke my heart. I'm gonna be honest it took 2 weeks for him to get used to it and now he only wakes up once to feed in the night. We have a bedtime routine every night that we stick to and I also put him down on his tummy... My only advice if you don't want to CIO is to just stick with it and don't give up, it just takes them time to get used a new place to sleep. Good luck and don't give up!

richdog

At our 6 month visit, I asked our pediatrician when we need to put our LO in her crib in her room. (Right now she is in a co-sleeper beside our bed.) The Dr. said, "18 is fine if you want." She laughed. She said whenever you want to put them in their own room is fine. It's different for everyone.

 We are starting to have issues putting LO down at night. She sleeps great through the night, but when we put her to bed about 8:30, she will sometimes whine or sleep an hour and wake up whining. I guess she thinks she is missing something fun if she isn't with us. Anyway, when she wakes, she doesn't want you to leave the room. We have a bear that plays music and lights up. We put it in the pocket of her co-sleeper on the outside. It helps. I didn't want her to get used to going to sleep with a certain noise, but so far she will go to sleep with or without it. It does tend to help her know that if the bear is playing, it's sleepy time. Do you have a mobile or sound machine? That might help. I've even thought about getting those glow in the dark stars to put on the ceiling just so she would have something to look at as she fell asleep. 

SharLovesAlex

Thanks everyone. I knew the later we waited, it might be a struggle. Not too fond of the CIO method. I hate hearing him cry lile that! I let him do it for like 10 mins before going to him. If our apartment didn't get so darn stuffy & feel like a furnace, I would have done this in month 5. But, I live in Southern California where we have 2 seasons: summer and a little less summer. With no AC in there, it'd have been unbearable for him. I'm going to try putting him down for naps in the crib, as well as at night. I might move the air bed in there for a few nights so he hears us sleeping at least til he gets used to his room. Thanks for the website info @DustyMelons, I'll check it out!