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I was having the exact same problem with my 2 month old. The only way that she would sleep during the day was on my chest. I loved how she wanted to cuddle but was soooo frustrated that I couldn't even go to the bathroom during the day! I almost felt like a prisoner (I could never put her down without her crying)! Now she is fine (3 months old now
). I can put her down for naps during the day and at night she sleeps beautifully. I have a play yard with a bassinet in it that is right by my couch. During the day I put her down to nap right by me (in the same room). This seems to calm her down and give her comfort (she knows that I am nearby and thus can fall asleep).
To make the transition from holding her all of the time to her sleeping in the bassinet for naps wasn't easy but the work really paid off! For about one straight week I trained her to sleep in the bassinet. The first time she might have slept about 10-15 minutes, then woke up screaming for me... so I picked her up and let her finish the nap on my chest. The next nap of the day I tried to have her go longer in the bassinet before picking her up. ( I am personally not into letting my baby "cry it out". When they cry they are trying to tell us something and are depending upon us to make it better for them. Babies don't know how to self-soothe and get themselves to sleep like adults do). With each nap she gradually slept longer and longer without needing to be picked up. She is now sleeping about 1-2 hours per nap in her bassinet. To get her to "go longer" without needing to be picked up, I answered her cries by reassuring her that I was there, gently touching her face, leaning in to kiss her and I didn't pick her up right away. I only picked her up if she really needed it. Best of luck to you. I hope that some of this helps! I think that many babies go through this sleeping problem.
Take care. |
| posted by christine on 07/28/2007 01:21 AM
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Je
what time does she go to sleep when you hold her?
if cold turkey is not working and she is working herself up so bad she is not sleeping at all, then I would wheen her into it
hold her till she is drowsy but still awake enough to go down on her own when you lay her down ... try that for 3 days and be as consistant as possible with the times you do it ... pick ONE sleep time to do it at first and soon she will go down for that one ... then wait a few days and try another sleep time and soon she will be going down for all her naps and bed time onb her own (with any luck)
it sounds long but it will be longer and harder as she gets older if you let her keep this up
my twins would ONLY go down in their cribs for naps if they were already asleep and that was so hard because like Christime I had no time for myself for the simple things like peeing
as far as the screaming I did not let them cry for more than 15 mins but if it was screaming I would let them for maybe 5 (about all could take) I would go in and let them know I was there (I would not take them out of their room). If it was a snuggle they needed to just know I was there or to be rocked till they were close ro sleep again I did that for just a little while and soon all I had to do was let them know I was there but tucking them back in and rub their backs if needed and now all I do is put them in their cribs for naps or bedtime and leave them ... they will babble or stand and sometimes yell but with in 10 mins they are sound asleep and they don't need me
but one figured out oif her hurls her binkie accross the room I will come in ... so that is a new one I am wheening :P
good luck
Colleen
mom to almost 14 month old twins Rhiannon & Carys |
| posted by Colleen on 07/28/2007 07:56 AM
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| I wouldn't let her cry for hours. It is a tough thing to handle. What I would try is putting her down and if she starts to cry give her about 10-15 minutes and then go in to comfort her, but do not pick her up. Just reach in the crib and rub her back or something and then leave the room. If you pick her up then she is going to know that you will always do that. This way you are teaching her that it is sleep time. Keep trying this, but keep increasing the time before you go in the room. |
| posted by Jamie on 07/28/2007 10:35 AM
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I had the same problem with my son, however, I did things a bit differently it sounds like. First off, I read a book that was recommended to me (The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley). I only got through the first couple chapters, but it gave me a lot of useful advice that helped a lot.
My son was only sleeping on my chest and he wouldn't do it anywhere else. This was for both naps and at night. I didn't try and tackle both problems at once. The first thing I did was start a routine that we follow every night. He was de-diapered, took a bath, changed into pajamas with a new diaper, and then he received a bottle. We did this every night. Right after the bottle, I would put him in his bed and stay in the room until he fell asleep. If he started crying, I tried soothing him and rubbing him, but only after he cried for about 5 minutes. It took me a couple of nights, but he slowly started sleeping in his bed. I think it also helped that his bed was right next to ours, at the time. During the night, if he made any sounds, all I had to do was lean over to see him, plus he could see me through the bassinet. I was also going to bed right about the same time he was, so I was in the room constantly. I want to say it took me about a week (give or take) and he was sleeping in his bed without any problems and only getting up 2-3 times (he was just under 2-3 months at the time).
Once he started sleeping in his bed at night, then I worked on the nap issue. It was far easier to get him to take naps in his crib after the night issue was taken care of. I'm not sure if this helps, but it worked for me. |
| posted by Jaxon on 07/28/2007 03:39 PM
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| I should also mention that your baby will recognize the routine once it's done enough. My son gets really antsy if he doesn't get his bath by 8pm at night. There was one night where we were late getting home, and due to the hour, didn't do his bath. Even though he was obviously tired, he wouldn't go to sleep. Finally around 11pm we gave him a bath and he went completely out. |
| posted by Jaxon on 07/28/2007 03:44 PM
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Thnaks everyone for sharing your experience. It definately gives me motive to train her eventhough how hard it seems.
I do however have a question for everybody. How long did your baby usually cry until he/she falls asleep? And when you tried to settle her down from time to time, did she/he settled down for a while? My baby cries hard and I can't settle her down even for short time (she cries harder when she sees me) and cries forever. Is this normal?
I tried for an hour and a half and finally picked her up. Do I need to try longer? |
| posted by JE on 07/28/2007 05:28 PM
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I feel cry it out method is not a good fit for some babies. My son who is 6 months did not take this method very well. He will cry for hours after hours and after doing this for few days, I decided this is not a good fit for both of us. I finally gave up and read many books. I decided to modify some of the sleep methods. The most important thing in sleep training is a routine. I started to do a routine when my son was about 5 months. At 7pm, we will give him a bath, read up to 3 stories (he usually fusses when he wants to go to sleep), and rock him for few minutes then put him in his crib. After couple of weeks of following this routine, he started to adjust.
Keep in mind some days are better than others. As your baby goes through a developmental milestone or teething, you may have to modify your routine. I find when he is going through a developmental milestone, he is too excited and happy to stay asleep. This is the toughest for us to get him to sleep through the night.
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| posted by kathy on 07/28/2007 07:11 PM
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Kathy,
After reading stories and rocking, did you put him to bed while he was still awake but drowsy?
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| posted by JE on 07/28/2007 07:24 PM
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| Sometimes he is very drowsy. When he refuses to sleep after I put him down, I rub his head and give him kisses on his cheek to make him feel secured. This always seems to work. |
| posted by kathy on 07/28/2007 07:29 PM
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Christine
Did you also put your baby in the bassinett while awake or drowsy?
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| posted by JE on 07/28/2007 07:31 PM
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| I rocked my son asleep for the first year, he never went to sleep on his own until he was a little over a year. I fed him and held his bottle at all the feedings. He never held his own bottle therefore when it came time to break him of it, it was very easy he didn't even miss it. He did sleep more soundly once I started putting him in his crib to fall asleep on his own though. And it didn't take long for him to get used to it. He would only cry for a few minutes and then went to sleep. I wouldn't let her cry for hours just wait unitl she is ready. Do you try and do it after she has just eaten? That would probably help since they start to get sleepy after they eat. |
| posted by amy on 07/28/2007 09:42 PM
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| My son is also four months and we've definitely mastered the sleep routine. We give him a warm bath at 7:30 with the J&J bedtime bath bubble/wash and then rub the J&J Bedtime Lotion on him. Then we give him a bottle and by 8:00 he is sleeping and nothing wakes him up till 6:00 AM or even later. |
| posted by Heather on 07/29/2007 07:36 PM
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