Sleep training question

wntrgrl83

Is 13 months old too old for sleep training?

DD has slept in her crib since 3 months in her own room. DS and DD originally shared a room, but that has not been the case since they were newborns. DS has never, and I mean never slept through the night yet.

 He has been co-sleeping with me since 3 months of age, and this is totally my fault. I work full time, and this is the only way I could get at least a few hours of sleep a night (not consecutive). He is now 13 months old and still co-sleeps which I don' t mind, but he still wakes up or stirs 6-7 times a night and will cry until he gets comforatable again. We have tried putting him in his crib in our room, but that is a total fail.. I'm STILL not ready for CIO, but something has to give. My poor child needs a good nights sleep-- I am not even worried about my sleep anymore-- I swear I am used to it by now.. Any insight or advice?

mirnb

Do it and do it now!!!!! Honestly the sooner you do it the easier it will be!! It is hard but you will be surprised how quickly they catch on! What worked for my boys was a modified CIO.....I would leave them for 5 mins at a time, progressively getting longer....would only go in and lay them back down, give them paci, say "night night time" and leave.....I really tried to limit how often I went in as often it will wind them up more...after 3 days they were STTN!

regenab

I did it at 13 months, but not for the same reasons as you. I had to do CIO when we took the pacis away at 13 months old. The first couple of days was HE**. I had to leave the house. We would put the girls down to bed and DH would stay at the house and I would walk 2 doors down to a neighbor to have a cocktail. He said the first night took about 45 min. for them to calm down and go to sleep. Second night took about 30 min., 3rd night took about 15 and then by the 4th night, they fussed a bit and went off to sleep.

I say you will want to do it now rather than waiting until he gets older. It will be easier at 13 months then it would at 2 years old. And if it is too much for you have your DH handle it while you go out for a walk or something. If he also has a problem, you go for a walk and he sit downstairs with some music on. Just have him keep checking on him by listening every 5 min. or so. 

Oh and my DH found our kids did better with CIO if we didn't go in the room. If he went in the room to soothe them and then leave again it wound them up even more. The second night when he did go into the room it was better only lasting 30 min. I think the call this the extinction method in regards to CIO.