HELP. I've created a monster?

jessica6283

So Ben's been having a hard time sleeping in his crib. He does ok at bed time, but nap times are a disaster. He typically just ends up napping in my bed (usually with me, lol!) So now, he's trying to get ino my bed at night too, which means that he's throwing a fit at bed time. We have a routine (Bath, milk, books, bed with music). I've let him cry it out. I've sat in his room and shushed him. WHAT the HECK do I try next?!

This has only been going on since his last hospital trip, I know it's b/c I feel so guilty that he's been so sick. Am I going to be able to break this habit? And what do I do to get through this????

Thanks ladies.

TinyPinkBug

I had to finally put DH in charge of bedtime.  If I put Bri to bed, she screams for hours.  :-(  If DH puts her to bed, he offers to sing and lay with her for a few minutes, for a while she would scream for me so he would leave and come back a few minutes later and offer again, repeat until she laid down for him.  Now she says goodnight to me, then DH puts her to bed and she is asleep in under 5 minutes.  Unfortunately, she is the same for naps.  So she sleeps on weekends for him but just plays/ yells in her room until nap time is over.  Other than a family bed, I don't have anything else to suggest.

emiliemetcalf

I would keep working on sleep training.  Ask MrsOC, but I know they did the sleep training where you are right by the crib, then a little further, then a little further til you are outside the door.  We were fortunate that CIO worked the 1st time, but you might just need to let Mike do it for a few nights until Ben gets the message while you go out somewhere so you don't have to hear the crying and feel guilty.  

mrsoc

We went through a similiar situation when E was about 13 months old.  He was sleeping with us at night, as that is the only way any of us were getting ANY sleep, but that got old quick.  We did the Sleep Lady Shuffle, like E describes.  It worked in one night (we still did the whole 12-15 day thing though just to be sure.  Ever since he goes down for bedtime and naps beautifully and the transition to the toddler bed when he started climbing out of his crib has been fine.  I can let you borrow the book, but only for a few days , as we still refer to it frequently when we have any sleep issues with Andrew.  IT addresses all kids of stuff.  It is called Sleep Tight, Good Night The Sleep Lady.  It was recommended by another bumpie and has helped us so, so much.  

JenJar

Yeah, I'd stay strong and keep with sleep training of some sort.  We did CIO with Gavin at 16 months old, and the first couple of nights were rough, but he went from waking 5-6x/night to sleeping 12 hours straight in less than a week.  It will get better!

TinyPinkBug

Oh, and I wanted to add, even though I doubt this is the issue with Ben.  If nothing is working, there is a new pediatric sleep clinic in Syracuse to consider.  There are rare occasions where ppl, including infants and toddlers, don't produce enough of the horomone melatonin that makes us feel tired and sleep.  Once Ty started taking it, he slept 10 hrs straight for the first time ever at 4 yrs old.  But if Ben is sleeping a straight stretch and going right to sleep in your bed, this doesn't sound the issue.  But since it wasn't something I knew about and wish I did, I would feel guilty not bringing it up just in case.