Babies: 6 - 9 Months

Crib transition - please help!

Hi everyone! I have a problem with my son sleeping with me.
Due to my son's diagnoses he required his blood sugar to be checked multiple time at night to avoid hypoglycemia and seizures (all of this we came from the hospital when he was a month). I moved him to my bed so I don't wake him up every 2 hours and so I don't miss hypoglycemia seizures in case it happens. 2 month ago we went into remission - right now he is like any other baby, no blood sugar checks at night and risk of hypoglycemia. But he still sleeps with me. So I decided to move him to the crib. I understand that transition is not easy. I read multiple articles about crib transitioning - nothing helps. He hates the crib, he doesn't want to sleep in it at night or during the day.  I tried music. Dimmed lights. Singing. I rock him besides the window and sing 10 minutes before each nap so he knows the routine and calms down. Couple times I did succeed - he fall asleep in the crib after crying and slept not longer 20-30 minutes. after weeks and weeks of trying and crying with no success, when I somehow jokingly  started to compare my son to Stewie from Family guy and my self to his mom who he hated, I decided that something has to change. So I figured what if I put him to naps in my bed, as usual, and than just take him to his crib asleep? Needless to say - can't call it a success. Basically I put him in the crib and 20 minutes later tops - he rolls over on his stomach, wakes up and there is no way he falls back to sleep. I even tried to experiment and put him back to sleep in my bed - nope, he is wide awake. When he sleeps on the bed he sleeps on flat mattress too, not much different from crib mattress, however, even if he wakes up, i takes me a second put him back to sleep. And you know as much as I do - sleepless baby equals crying and crying and being moody etc.
I am seriously out of ideas. I tried everything there is in the book - nothing helps. Btw - cry it out method did not work ether (kind of happy about that, broke my heart). Also, my son is a loong, chunky boy (about 25lbs). He sleeps perpendicularly to me and doesn't like when his feet touches something, in his case this something is me. I sleep on the edge and soon I just won't fit  at all)) Any  advice? New ideas? Something that worked on your baby?

Re: Crib transition - please help!

  • How old is your LO?

    With all that he's been through (you too!), I am not at all surprised the transition has been tough!

    Everything with babies takes consistency and repetition. This transition is going to take time and it won't be easy but you have to choose something and stick with it. Naps in the crib are always the toughest, especially if he's been in your bed, with your smell, since birth. Naps are especially tough because they are usually pretty short around the 6-9 month age range.

    I never recommend just leaving your baby to cry for extended periods of time, but I do suggest leaving them for 15 minutes or so to see if they eventually chill out and go to sleep. A lot of parents give up after a few minutes of their LO crying and/or fussing and are convinced it isn't working.

    There are tons of different methods but nothing will work without consistency, even if it takes a long time.

  • How old is your LO?

    With all that he's been through (you too!), I am not at all surprised the transition has been tough!

    Everything with babies takes consistency and repetition. This transition is going to take time and it won't be easy but you have to choose something and stick with it. Naps in the crib are always the toughest, especially if he's been in your bed, with your smell, since birth. Naps are especially tough because they are usually pretty short around the 6-9 month age range.

    I never recommend just leaving your baby to cry for extended periods of time, but I do suggest leaving them for 15 minutes or so to see if they eventually chill out and go to sleep. A lot of parents give up after a few minutes of their LO crying and/or fussing and are convinced it isn't working.

    There are tons of different methods but nothing will work without consistency, even if it takes a long time.

    Michael is 8 month old. I completely understand that its not easy but it was 2 month and there is no progress. Also, I kind of base his nap needs on how long he sleeps at night and his daily sleep needs according to general guidelines.
    We never had seizires due to constant blood sugar control so thank God for that however, now when he is off the insulin pump, his habbit is definately hard to break. Circumstances changed for me but he does not know why. I put with him at all times a toy-blanket which smells like me and which I move as soon as he falls asleep.
    I let him stay fussy for 10-15 minutes exactly actually. he starts with a light crying which expands to a howl that makes my hair move. thank he arches his back throwing his head back and continues howling.
    How long should it take to get it better if two month did not work?
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  • When it comes to sleep, you absolutely have to let your LO lead and not base things off of guidelines you've read about. That will only lead to disappointment and frustration on your part.

    At 8 months old you should be able to read your baby pretty well and be able to watch for tired cues and then put him down at the first signs of them. You really can't dictate how long he sleeps (I wish!) and you shouldn't be waking him or trying to change what he is doing naturally because of something you've read. I'm not ripping on you because I did that with my first child and it was the biggest waste of my time! Don't even pay attention to the number of hours experts say your baby should be getting a day. That's nearly impossible to follow.

    As far as the sleep training method you have been trying for 2 months...I think it's time to try something else OR try something that might be really hard on you. This might not be a popular suggestion but leave him for longer and see what happens.  

    You and your son are in a tough spot because of all he's been through and I know this must be really hard. Hopefully something gives really soon!

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