Having Problems Getting 12 Month Old to Sleep in Crib

We had our son sleep in his carseat for the first 3 months too. He would want to eat constantly and I was too exhausted to keep him upright after a meal (he would fall asleep during our breastfeeding). It worked great! That is until he started to be able to climb out! I understand your being nervous about the crib thing. Our son hated his crib at first. I reccomend a few things. Don't feel guilty about cuddling before bed. Put her in her crib for short periods of time so she sees its not a scary place. When you put her into the crib for nightime sleep have a little routine so she knows its bedtime. I talk to my son gently as I tuck the blanket underneath his body, close his door, put a fan on, and most importantly, I use the OceanWonders aquarium. It plays lullabuys and lights up. Sometime he turns it on himself in the middle of the night and falls right back to sleep. I don't think a screaming child will fall asleep. Well, maybe they will eventually, but I don't think its the best way to do it. She may cry a little when you put her in the crib, this is normal and ok. But if she is screaming, then pick her up, soothe her, relax her, and try the whole thing over. The sooner you do this, the better. Try to put pillows under the mattress to slightly incline it. Works well for us.

I forgot to mention...does your daughter have a "lovie" also called a transitional item? Our son fusses until I hand him his teddybear handpuppet. Its soft and he can chew on the arms. It helps to distract him and I think makes a big difference.

Hi L.,

Have you tried putting a wedge under the crib mattress...this is probably not recommended for the youngest infants, but at 12 months, and with a baby that is used to sleeping reclined, it might work. Don't beat yourself up about where she is sleeping...the important thing is that everyone gets some zzzz's, not where or how. They make child sized recliners...that might be a better option than a carseat. I have a Fisher Price infant to toddler rocker...I think they still make them. It is great because it works as a bouncy with the little babies, but is large enough to last through the toddler years. It has a stabilizer bar that allows you to safely keep it in a reclined position. I love that seat...might be another good option for a baby who prefers the car seat. It does have a seatbelt for safety, so you wouldn't have to worry about her rolling out, but even if she did, it's low to the ground so it's not likely she'd get hurt. I would try looking into one of those if I were you. I think it could be just what you need.

D.
35 year old mother to 5 with one more on the way

Hi L.!
At night my son will sleep for most of the night on his crib, but for naps during the day he hates. During this past week I have been doing the follow: after he falls sleep either in the stroller or in my arms, I transfer him to the crib, but he is not really flat on his back. I have him on the boppy pillow. We are getting much better nap time, and it is making my life much easier.

I have heard that you should start by putting the car seat in the crib. That way the baby will get used to the crib while still being where he/she is most comfortable. Sounds crazy but I heard it works with some babies.
A.

My experience is that when my kids needed to sleep in their car seats it was because they had too much mucous and the mucous was keeping them awake. In the car seat it would drain into a much more comfortable place. Just a thought - are you limiting dairy? Dairy is very mucous producing and feeds the problem. And are you treating the ear infections with antibiotics? If so you may be missing the real problem. I would strongly suggest you see a naturopath. We had kids that both started out with ear problems. We treated both with homeopathics and diet and never gave the antibiotics. We had many fights with doctors until we found one to support us. My daughter grew out of her congestive problems by the age of 18 months, my son his ear infections by the age of 3, all with limited intervention. They now have no lingering problems with them. But we are careful with dairy when they start a cold or any congestion. We also do things like loads of water or tea and vitamin C when they are sick. It is never too late to try and clean up the diet and limit the drugs that the doctors are prescribing. IT has really worked for us. Also, when our kids grew out of their baby car seat, we did the same thing for drainage by using pillows to prop them in a sitting position to sleep. Good luck with whatever choices you make.

I put a co sleeper in the crib or a wedge, see if they make one for that age, or weight. I am not sure. I would try to slowly get her back into it, maybe try the morning nap there, and see what happens. This way you are not trying to get a lot of sleep and then are fustrated. Mine use to sleep in the stroller and when it was fall, I had to do something, b/c we couldn't sleep in there in the winter. So we tried it slowly. I would use the pillows to jar the mattress a bit. It can't hurt, should try it and see.

Mine was 18 months when he had his tubes put in. Before that, I reached a point where I was sleeping is a reclining rocking chair next to his crib. I would hold him and rock until I was sure he was asleep. then I would put him is his crib, sometimes it was only a matter of minutes before he would wake up. As long as he knew I was there he would go back to sleep. I gradually was able to put him down before he fell asleep and would sit there with him. Once he started falling asleep on his own, I was able to move the rocker away from the crib. It takes time! Once he got the tubes in, he was better, still woke wondering where I was, but he quickly got over that once he realized he wasn't hurting anymore.

You may also want to try putting a blanket around the mattress. I found that he didn't like the cold sheet on his face, but when I covered the whole mattress with a fleece blanket, he stayed asleep.

L.,
After being reclined for so long - she may need to be reclined now - either try boosting her mattress from underneath (rolled towel or something) on one side, or you may want to get a used/expired car seat for her to sleep in.

It sounds terrible, baby should be able to sleep in a crib, but when it comes to baby's sleep - and yours - sometimes you have to do some things that not everyone else has to resort to. Sanity is not overrated.

Good Luck,
M.