I feel like we're forced to do CIO with this kid.

kleigh926 · December 2014

DS has never been a great sleeper. He went down fairly easily at night until a couple months ago. It was like a switch flipped. All of a sudden, it took him a long time to settle down and go to sleep at night. We have literally tried everything with him. Pacifier, no pacifier (at one point we were going in there 10-15+ times a night to replace the paci because he was totally dependent on it). Swaddle, no swaddle. He breaks out of the swaddle now anyway so that's out. Holding him till he's in a deep sleep before putting him down, and putting him down drowsy but awake. Nothing works. He still screams for at least 15-30 minutes almost every night after we put him in his crib. Picking him up makes it worse because as soon as we put him back down he wakes up and it's like starting all over. He doesn't even sleep well with me in bed so that's not an option either. Tonight DH turned his new crib mobile on. No dice.

I feel bad because we are essentially doing CIO every single night with a 3-month old, but I feel like there is nothing else I can do! To a certain extent going in to check on him makes it worse too because he cries harder after we leave. He just won't settle down until he's exhausted himself at night. DD was a great sleeper so I really don't know what I'm doing with this and I knew I was doomed with #2. Anyone have advice?!

tamarar5 · December 2014

If you find something that works, I want to know because suddenly I'm in the same boat with my Feb 13 baby! He suddenly stopped going to sleep at bedtime and I have no idea what to do. He has been screaming in his crib for going on am hour and a half now. Like you said, nothing had worked or helped.

Your ds had really bad reflux, could that still be the issue? Maybe the transition from being held to lying flat is causing reflux? I'm sure you have, but is his mattress elevated at one end? Does that help at all?

Rosebean · December 2014

When DD was at the 3 month mark, something just switched with her too. She went from nursing peacefully to being incredibly fussy and crying... To the point that I learned how to walk with her while nursing so that she was getting that jostle bounce swaying motion. If I didn't do that, she'll refuse to nurse at all. We kind of had to work through a month of this before it got better.

kleigh926 · December 2014

He does have reflux, but this only happens at night. Most of the time he goes to sleep fine in the early morning after he eats and then for naps during the day. I think at this point switching him to an RNP or bouncy seat might just confuse him and make it worse. I just don't get why he freaks out at night but is fine during the day.

He does get hot easily but I don't think I'm dressing him too warm for bed- just a onesie under a fleece sleep sack. @tamarar5, I did have the head of his crib elevated for quite awhile but he would always move around to the point where he'd be at a 90 degree angle and it wasn't helping anyway. Ugggh I just hate that he cries like that every night. Maybe a witching hour type thing?

ally2011 · December 2014

Have you tried a rock n play?

ally2011 · December 2014

Just saw last comment. If he has reflux or might, it's worth a try. I know several people who used it and eventually transferred to a crib fine. Right now I would do whatever gets you sleep. Rock n plays are approved for sleep, bounce chairs aren't. Just FYI.

tamarar5 · December 2014

I hear you @kleigh926‌ . DS screamed himself to sleep tonight. It was awful.

ally2011 · December 2014

Reflux in adults can be worse at night....might also be true for babies.

lbonga1 · December 2014

Is he getting too stimulated later in the day? What's the rest of the bedtime routine like? Have you tried white noise or swaddling, then swaddling with a second blanket? My DD has reflux too, and she sleeps in her bouncy seat. She falls asleep really easy if she's swaddled tight and has white noise and a paci. And the white noise has to be loud...iphone volume turned all the way up right next to her ear. I'm almost dreading the day she rolls over because she does not sleep well flat in her crib.

MrsCarroll.6-10-07 · December 2014

Is it possible that they are over tired? How often and long are the naps during the day? When my littles were little I know that was a problem we had. Also we do white noise and a double swaddle. We swaddle with arms down at the sides not over the chest to keep them in place better. And maybe a bit tighter.

kleigh926 · December 2014

It's possible he's overtired by bedtime. The length of his naps differs from day to day. Sometimes it's great, other days he doesn't sleep very well. I haven't really noticed his naps making a difference for bedtime though, so I'm not convinced that being overtired is the problem. He already has white noise. I really just think he's grown out of swaddling- I tried swaddling him two different ways. We used the miracle blanket and a method of swaddling that involves two receiving blankets. Both had his arms down tight by his sides and he just moves around and breaks out. That never helped with the screaming anyway- we only stopped swaddling a few days ago and this has been going on for weeks. He does like his paci but when he gets worked up like that he won't keep it in. Even if I stand there and hold it in his mouth he doesn't settle down.

I guess the only thing that's making sense is that it's a witching hour for him, or his reflux is worse at that time. He is already medicated with Zantac. I will check with the pedi and think about getting a RNP.

kleigh926 · December 2014

Once they start rolling, is it safe to use a RNP?

ally2011 · December 2014

Yes, you can still use them. People swear by them and I have used on and off with every foster baby we have had, and dd. They are great for getting through rough patches and worth every penny. You can get on amazon and use your moms prime shipping

Or they have at Target and maybe Walmart.

SummerLove21 · December 2014

I don't have any other suggestions, except maybe pick one method and really try to stick with it. It may be possible that with all of the different bedtime routines, it makes that time of the night stressful for him.

Mainly I just wanted to say I'm sorry you are all having to go through this. That helpless feeling is terrible when you want so badly to fix things for your LO and you know they can't do it themselves. My heart goes out to you and way to be for trying so hard to figure it out.

FWIW, the bassinet is not sitting well with DD, so she is currently in a bouncer, swaddled, with the lap clip for sleep. You do what you gotta to make it work!

kelly321 · December 2014

Empathy over here. DD1 would cry for between 45min-2hr every night when we tried to put her to bed, and the same as you, we would try to put her down in a "heavy" sleep, but as soon as her head touched the mattress, she was instantly awake and screaming again. It was brutal. Really brutal. When I say Ferber saved our marriage I'm only kind of kidding. She was about 6 months old at the time, though, so a bit older.

I have no real other suggestions, but at some point it will get better. Every kid is different - don't think you're doing something wrong just because your DS is having sleep problems.

kleigh926 · December 2014

Little guy hasn't taken good naps the past 2 days either. I talked to a nurse practitioner today about the possibility of it being related to his reflux, but she didn't really have any other suggestions for me. She wants to talk to a doctor before doing anything else and no one was there today by the time she called, so she said they'll call me again on Friday. I ordered a rock and play today so we'll see if that helps once it comes....

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I feel like we're forced to do CIO with this kid.

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