Have you let LO CIO yet?

sarahmae8

I am not trying to start anything here, but I need some help. DS is 4.5 months old and too young, in my opinion, to let him CIO. However, I have been sick so I had DH put DS to bed last night and it was a total fail. DS screamed his head off, as if he was dying. It was heartbreaking. I could not stand to hear him cry like that and DH was determined to put him to bed (obviously, he rarely EVER puts DS to bed). So I went in and soothed him a few times. Within moments, he was calmed down and I would lay him back in DH's arms and within seconds, he was crying again. I hated every second of it but after 30 min, he fell asleep. DH or I were holding him the entire time and I wonder if we had just let him alone in his crib if the same thing would have happened and what's the difference? Please help! Thanks!

Tinkx123x

No... I have planned to let DS CIO before, but I cannot do it! I always think what if x,y,z? and then I run in and soothe him.

campbell2178

I haven't had the heart to do it yet either.  I read the Baby Sleep Book by Dr. Sears. I found the book very helpful.  Good luck!

MrsWalker81608

We just started letting DD CIO after her 6 mo appointment.  We don't just leave her though.  We leave her door open a crack and check on her every minute or so.  If she keeps it up for more than 5 minutes we go in and rub her tummy, side or back to calm her down.  Once she's a little calmer we leave and start the process over again.  We've been doing it for almost 2 weeks now and her fits are getting shorter and shorter.  She rarely hits 5 minutes now.  I think that 4.5 months is a little young to start this though.  I don't think that we'd even have considered it then.  It still kills us and we know that she's old enough to get it now.

ENev

Pediatricians say four months is the age at which you can do it, and I know several people who have started CIO at four months, but I think it's a bit young.

We started when he was 6 months, but then he got sick and got a bunch of teeth. Now, though, we started again a few weeks ago and he's sleeping like a CHAMP and hardly crying at all at night anymore. When he wakes up, he may cry for a minute or two, or just whine, but then he goes back to sleep. It's awesome.

I say as long as you know your baby is healthy, dry, and fed, CIO is the best solution for getting your baby to STTN! 

diana.filipi

When we moved DD to the crib at 3 1/2 months we spent about 2 weeks deswaddling and then another week or two walking or nursing her to sleep before putting her in the crib.  After that, so about 4 1/2 months we went to a 'drowsy but not necessarily asleep' routine where she would be allowed to cry for no more than 15 min before we soothed/ checked her.  It took us 2-3 nights for this to be cool with us and cool with her. She almost never cries for more than a couple min. now if that even.

smilelari

Until LO has a more polite way of communicating tired, hungry, bored, lonely, etc he will not be left to CIO

SarahPirate

At 7 months. It is rare but we have. Only when no soothing works at all though. Sometimes he just gets overtired.

dragonsmercy

SarahPirate:

At 7 months. It is rare but we have. Only when no soothing works at all though. Sometimes he just gets overtired.

Pretty much this, except 7.5 months, and mines a she, rather than he. We've only really let her "cry it out" twice, and that was while we were in the car (both times), and she was just over-stimulated, over-tired, and no amount of soothing worked, so I just finally got a hat put over her eyes so she couldn't see all the street lights, and said "let her cry" because it's all we could do. First time she cried for a good 20 minutes, but we spent the first 15 trying to really soothe her (singing to her, fanning cooler air in her face, etc), and the second time, I just let her cry for the full 20 minutes. Soothing just wasn't working.

LoriSTi

Last night we kind of did. I don't know if it counts since it was only for 3 mins. DS had a horrible night last night. He was in bed at 9pm up at 12am and wouldn't go back to sleep untl 3am. Then he slept tl 4:30am and at 5:30am he was still awake. My husband and I were takng turns soothing him. At 5:30am he started crying. I can tell the difference in his cries so DH and I let him cry and as soon as I heard his cry change I went in put his paci in and he fell right to sleep. Id say he only cried for like 3 mins though.