If you CIO

MADforever2009

When did you start? What made you choose this method?

leslie13510

I wanted to wait longer, but we did a modified Ferber (shorter intervals than in the book) a week or two before they hit 6 months, and it was only when they went to bed at night, not if they woke up in the middle of the night (which was rare anyway) or at nap times. 

They were taking HOURS to fall asleep at night.  If DH and I were both home it was taking a minimum of 2 hours to get them in bed every.single.night.  The nights I was home by myself?  3-4 hours of screaming because I couldn't hold both at once the way they wanted/needed to be held. 

We tried everything from moving bedtime up, to moving bedtime back, different routines, feeding more and at different times, rocking them, drowsy but awake, putting them down after they were fully passed out, different temps in the house, warming the beds with heating pads, white noise, fan going, radio going, complete silence, pitch black, night light, etc.  Nothing worked.  They just would not go to sleep, or stay asleep, and would scream bloody murder the minute you took your hands off them. 

DH and I were at each other's throats every night starting about 30 minutes before bedtime.  The kids were cranky and fussy all day long because they were so overtired.  It was bad.  After over 6 weeks of this, we finally caved and tried Ferber but with 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 minute intervals.  The first night was a combined 35 minutes or so of crying.  The second was less than 10 minutes.  The third was maybe 30 seconds, and only from Nathan, and that was it.  We had to re-Ferber one time after a 10 day Christmas vacation, and they've been fine ever since.  (Not that they don't have a night here and there where they cry a little bit at bedtime, but it's not a "thing" anymore.)

Sorry, that got long.

Mrs.Greg

We did this with our DD for the first time when she was almost 7 months old.  We chose to because she was STTN since she was about 2 months old, with a rough night here and there, of course.  Then all of a sudden, she was waking up constantly every night.  I think she was almost 6 months old.  We knew she could put herself to sleep, she just wasn't for some reason.  Even though we knew this, it was one of the hardest things we ever did.  But also one of the most wonderful because it only took 3 nights of crying, the longest was less than 30 minutes, and she was STTN again.  Get Ferber's book, understanding a child's sleep habits is key.  Good luck!

MADforever2009

I've spoiled Cooper all week cause of his surgery and I know he needed the extra love but now that he's feeling better he wants nothing to do with sleeping by himself. He's taken every.single.nap on me all week and today I tried putting him down and he screamed like someone was torturing him. Tonight I was done. I put him down...he screamed for a total of 15 minutes with me consoling him 3 times picking him up once. I'm really shocked he's asleep now and I feel terrible at the same time. Bedtime usually consists of us putting him down asleep and him waking up one-two times and us rocking/bouncing him fully back down and then of course he still wakes twice a night to each (which he needs). I think he is too young for this but I couldn't do it anymore.

janjag

It was mostly with Audrey.  We did it at 6 1/2 mos (5mos gest).  After months of horrible naps, our headway at nighttime started to disappear.  Both DH and I were at the end of our ropes, but I was in especially bad shape.  Audrey is not the type to do well with gradual approaches to ST.  If she sees you she gets even more upset. 

I used HSH, HC as my main reference.  It sucked to hear her cry, but it worked pretty quickly.  Audrey immediately became less fussy and a happier child once she was more rested.  That made it worthwhile to me.

momtwins19

i started this at 5 mo because we had just moved to a new area, and we were co sleeping and DS started to get teeth, well up to 4 1/2 mo i was EBF but then it was only at night when we were sleeping. well anyway, long story short, he started biting, so we thought it best to put them down in their cribs at night. they didnt like this at all. DH and i slept in their room on the floor the first 3 nights, and it was horrible, so we both finally said that the CIO method was our last chance, and now there sleeping fine, still waking up once a night each, sometimes they STTN but it worked for us, and sometimes we still have to let them CIO but it helped a lot. it wasnt easy, but it worked. GL !! be strong!

xxyankeegrl823xx

I know we started late but we just started about two weeks ago with DD. They both were STTN (11 hrs) at 5 months at at about 6 1/2 months both got colds. They were both up every 20-45 mins at night when they were sick but once they were feeling better DS started STTN again no problems. DD however, has slept through maybe 3 nights since. After about 6 weeks of her waking 4-5 times a night I gave in and ordered HSHHT and started letting her CIO.

She never screamed past the 15 min mark of screaming before falling asleep. BUT she was still waking and screaming in the middle of the night. So last night was the first night we set up the PnP in what is supposed to be our play room (but due to remodeling our house has become a storage room for all the junk we ripped out of other rooms) and let her CIO in the middle of the night. Surprisngly she only woke twice and screamed for no more then 2-3 mins each time and went right back to sleep. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this works because I'm at the end of my rope with getting up a million times a night then chasing 2 mobile babies all day.

I think its worse on you then on them. Listening to them scream is NOT easy and when I go in to calm her down and her face if all red and she has tears running down her face my heart breaks and I feel like a terrible mother but I know this is whats best for all of us.

Ruby_Tuesday

We did Ferber by the book for one of our boys.  The other two don't have severe sleep issues.

The first time we did it he was 5.5 months old and it was too soon.  He got better but didn't sleep through a night without waking and crying for a few minutes occasionally.  It broke my heart and I gave in and his sleep regressed to the point where we were holding him for 5 hours a night up until last week.

Then at 7 months we tried it again and it seems to be working!  We are on day 4 (I think) and last night we put him down totally awake and he fussed for 5 minutes then went to sleep and STTN without a peep.  I can't tell you what a dramatic difference it is.  I'm glad we tried again.  I wish I had not tried so early the first time around.

babya2010

DD was constantly waking up DS (they shared a room). We knew DS would STTN without waking but needed to sleep train DD since she consistently woke between 3 and 5am and the only way to get them both back to sleep was to feed them. We separated them around 6.5 months and used the Ferber method with DD in her own room. DS STTN a full 12 hours that first night and after one night of Ferber (3 min crying, then 5, then 10, then 10) she finally fell asleep until DS woke. The next night she STTN a full 12 hours.