- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Babies: 6 - 9 Months
beccs98
member
Another sleep question
beccs98
member
The sleep training post made me realize I should ask you brilliant ladies:
So.... my FFMC is that Charlie doesn't nap in his crib. He has the odd time, but he usually naps in his stroller on walks, in the car, on one of us, or on the bed (after we've gotten him to sleep on us). He bedshares with me at night so he does zero of his sleeping in his crib.
I know... I'm awful and I've done this to myself.
My current issue:
I want to move him into his crib, eventually at night, but definitely for his naps. I feel like it'll help him get longer better sleep.
I tried putting him down awake today when he showed tired signs, and it was AWFUL. He screamed/cried/tried to pull himself out. Me going in and comforting him only made it worse - he was hysterical. I let it go on for about 8 minutes (with me there for the last 3) and he did not subside.
What do I do? I know he's bound to cry a bit when doing this, but I can't imagine I should let him lose his sh!t (he screamed so hard at one point while I was standing there "comforting" him, he gagged! I felt awful).
Sorry this was an essay.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Another sleep question
D did the same thing when I tried to let him cry a little. I decided that wasn't for me.
Honestly, D slept in his crib at night WAY before he would nap in there. I'm not sure why that is, but that's what worked for us. Once he slept in his crib at night, we started on his first nap of the day in the crib. I read that this nap is just an extension of the baby's night sleep, so it made sense that he would nap there well in the morning. Not sure if it would work for you to try to get him to sleep there at night first?
Now, D will take his first nap in the crib, but the rest are sort of up in the air. At this point, I'm undecided on if I want to push it making him take the rest of his naps in his crib. I do like that he can fall asleep a lot of different places so I'm not tied down to the house.
OK, so that was no real advice. I'm sorry, haha.
The two men in my life. Oh, and I have a husband too...
Hey hot stuff! The first step for us moving A out of our bed was to get him completely asleep then move him to his crib so he woke up there. It was mainly to show him that his crib was associated with sleep. Then we started moving him there for naps, no matter what, as I wasn't as tired and could fight him during naps. Then eventually I was able to slowly get him to go down for the night in his crib. Now he only comes to our bed if he's having a really bad night, or if I want to cuddle after he wakes up right before I get up.
I doubt that is really helpful, but I'm a couple of glasses of wine in, so I doubt I make sense at all.... fun times.
Thanks pretty ladies!
Even though you both didn't really have advice, it's helpful to hear how you guys did it. It just is so overwhelming to me. I feel like the longer I leave it, the harder it's gonna get, but I just am scared? I never knew a 7 month old could have such power over me!!
I think a lot of the problem this morning was that he was over-tired - his naps yesterday were sh!t, and then he was up between 5:30 and 630 this morning after waking up 4 times in the night before that. I decided not to battle him over the crib once he lost it on me. And then he napped for 2 hours in my bed which is his longest nap ever so... who knows what's going on.
Have you tried getting him used to the crib via fun activities (watching a mobile, singing songs, etc.)? We did that first at around 3 months, then moved to the crib for naps, then for the first stretch of the night at around 4-5 months, then finally full time at 8 months (just the other day).
JJ - see, he used to go in his crib for fun activities only. My MIL started doing that when she watched him. She'd put on his mobile, put in toys, etc. I thought that was probably a bad idea because he didn't associate it with sleep, but he thought of it as fun place. So I tried cutting that out in the past couple of months.
But now I think he knows it's where he's being put and being left alone and he hates it. Even if I put a soft toy in there with him and have the mobile.
We had somewhat of the same problem with our son. He would cry so hard that he would spit up all over everything. We transitioned him and now he sleeps in his own bed!! This is how we transitioned our son.
1st - We started putting him to bed in his crib after he was all the way asleep. Then he woke up there.
2nd - Then we were able to put him in his bed for naps when he was just about asleep.
3rd - Then we could lay him in his crib awake and he would fall asleep for his naps after some crying. depending on the day none - 10 min.
We then did the same thing for bed time. he now will nap and sleep in his crib.
Yeah - we've cut out the fun activities now that we've gotten more serious about the transition to the crib. But, as a starting point, it worked for us. I imagine it is probably different the older the infant is when you attempt these things. Sounds like others have some good strategies. Good luck - you can do this!
Beccs, we need a sleep training check in like the CD one since the BUMP GODS WONT GIVE US A NEW BOARD *AHEM COUGH COUGH AHEM*. I vote you to head it up since I'm not on regularly enough.
THIS ISN'T THE BUMP, THIS IS SPARTA!!!
We probably should, eh? Since we all have questions! But I haven't officially started sleep training so I'd feel like a sham starting it.
Oh and this is an odd place to put it but czaja: I love your blog! I find you hilarious and I love your pics!
Daronsmommy - thanks for the advice. I haven't read NCSS but the sleep doula I spoke to said it was crap (just because she thinks it's impossible to say what wll and won't make your LO cry.) Which I understand. But I'd love if we could get this down with as little crying as possible.
Again, thanks for your experience. I hope it works for our son too!
LOL Thanks! Ok thats it... I'm starting it!
THIS ISN'T THE BUMP, THIS IS SPARTA!!!
We tried all of the strategies in NCSS and it is a good book with good common sense strategies, but at the end of the day, it didn't work for us. I wouldn't say it is crap - I mean, we all want the same thing (minimal tears). But, it is all a dance, you know? Tears and frustration are part of learning sometimes. That doesn't mean we should immediately make our kids cry and scream so that they sleep through the night (I don't think any of us want to do that). We all do our best to lessen the frustration and crying as best as we can.