My 5 1/2 month old son sleeps with me all of the time. I feel kind of bad because when i do put him in crib he'll sleep for 2 to 3 hours only. Its not that I'm too tired to put him in there. Now he's older and its time for change. What are some things that i can do to help him sleep longer in his crib?
Ok. I started putting him in his crib this week. I did his bedtime routine bottle, bath, rock, and put him in the crib. So yesterday I did the same but this time I read to him. And I let him fall asleep on my bed for a few minutes. After that, I placed him in his crib. It was until 3 or 4 in the morning he whined a little. But I gave him his paci and he continued to sleep. About 7 or 8 this morning he started crying and I put him in my bed. Then we both got up at 8:30. He slept longer this time. I'M SO EXCITED! Its a start so slowly I'm getting my bed back.
He is old enough for cry it out... make sure his needs are met and that you have a schedule for him (it does not need to be strict, but you want a little structure).
I always do my bedtime routine - story, rock her while singing, then "I love you, goodnight." I continue rocking in silence till she is calm and drowsy and eyes are shutting/closed. I lay her in the crib and give her a little bear/blanket to grab onto so it gives her hands something to grasp...then I wait for a couple seconds and then leave (almost like ripping off a bandaid..i used to wait till she would fall asleep, but she wouldn't sleep as well that way). She will sleep for around 3 hours and wake up - then I will feed her once before I go to bed and then if she wakes up before mid-evening, I will just give her a paci and go back to sleep...but sometimes she will hold out till around 3am and I will feed her and then she will go back to sleep till around 5 or 6...then I have to lay down with her so I can sleep in a little....but she is only 5 months old, so I figure I will miss those days soon enough, so I am a little lax....and I like my morning sleep! I think if she is still waking up too much after 6 months, I will try some of the other ideas...I hate to think I will have to let her CIO, but usually as long as she is sleepy and I give her a paci she will go back to sleep....also - some people had suggested an under water themed mobile...I may have to try that one myself....
Is he waking b/c he is hungry? If not start trying CIO.
I have to agree with Julia. My son is two months old almost three months. We were letting him sleep with us so we could get some sleep. But now we want him to get used to his crib so we aren't dealing with what my friend deals with. (aka a child attached to the hip and cries every time she leaves the room. The child is 2 and still sleeps with her parents) We make sure our son is fed and changed we let him cry for a while then we go in a put the pacie in his mouth. Most times this works. Good luck. :)
Ok I just wrote on your latest post as well but since this one seems a little less controversal I will write a little here too. I too coslept with my babies when they were all little it was easier when they were waking to eat all night and nice to have some snuggle time, but after a while I wanted some space back in my bed. For my last one it was the hardest. His crib was in our room cause he has an older sister I didnt want him to wake her cause she had school. I tried everything and nothing worked for him and I didnt understand why. it worked for my other two but he seemed to do the same thing sleep for 2-3 hours then wake, but it wasnt for food. I finally just decided on a weekend we would put him in the other room with his sister and brother and just give it a try. Wouldn't you know it worked! He cried for a few minutes then went to sleep and stayed alseep all night....YEAH! His problem was he was trying to get out of the nursing habit, schedule, of waking and when he saw me all he wanted was ME! I dont know if your child is in your room or not but if he is move him out of your room. If you cant then try some type of room divider so he cant see you. I hope this helps you a little. Good luck and hang in there. It doesnt last forever....at some point they have to go to college or something right?...lol
I had the same exact experience as Shannon (a few comments below). My son would wake ALL night when he slept with us, we even tried taking the side off his crib and pushing it up to our bed-- this just made him wake up more and get mad that he wasn't right next to me and nursing. The first night we put him in his own room he slept for 8 hours straight then went right back to sleep for another 4 hours after a little feeding. He's 18 months now and will never go to sleep if he's being held or if somebody else is in the room haha... some babies just can't be distracted at all when they're sleeping! Best of luck to you
Hi K., you have to break the habit you created, I would rock him to sleep (I rocked all mine to sleep at night) make sure he has a full tummy of rice cereal, once he's a sleep leave him in his crib. New routine, new habit. J.
my son was 9 months old when he got in his crib for the 1st time. that night he was super tired, i really tired him out that day, and he slept through the night. (he didn't the next night but he eventually did.) also, i always put him down "drowsy but awake" and he put himself to sleep.
