My son will be 6 months on Saturday. Since he was born he has slept in a cradle in our room, and then in our bed to feed. At about 2 months, he pretty much stated to fall asleep in our bed, and I would transfer him to his cradle, and then when he woke to eat, he would come into our bed and sleep there until the morning. Now that he is rolling around, I want to transfer him into his room and crib. He cries and carries on whenever I attempt to put him into his crib at night. I let him go for 10 minutes, and then try to comfort him without taking him out of the crib. That doesn't work, so I try and rock him in his room, and 10 minutes later he is still screaming. So I take him into our bed, and he is asleep within 60 seconds. Does anyone have any suggestions for getting him to sleep in his crib? He still wakes up 2 times at night to eat, but for his safety I do not want him in our bed anymore- and will go to his room to feed. I'm hoping that if he is in his own room he may also learn to sleep through the night. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Most of the physical and mental problems we have are allergy related. You may want to look into NAET.com and look into nutrition books on Amazon.com.
K.,
Imagine that out of no where you came home and your husband had sold your house and everything in it...how would you feel? Your world most likely would be turned upside down. While extreme, I'd have to say this is probably how your son feels. You have gotten him used to things being one way and that is comfortable and safe, and then you changed the game without notice and it's scary and disruptive.
He won't just sleep in his crib because you decided it's time. He needs guidance and patience. You can't lay him down in a bed he's never known expect him to not freak out. Is there ever a good reason to let a baby cry? Or freak out?
This change requires transition and time.
Start by taking a look at the bed. Is there something you can put in there so it smells like Mommy and Daddy? A blanket? A shirt? Something that will smell the same as your bed. Also, there is no one in there with him. No heartbeat of Mom when feeding and no sense of Dad being nearby. You might want to consider soft music or white noise to ease the lack of sound.
Begin slowly. Talk to him and show him it will be okay. You might want to start with naps and then work your way up to bedtime. This is preferable for some friends of mine. Or you might want to put the crib in your room and slowly move it out. Giving him the chance to move away from Mom and Dad gradually, and not cold turkey. Kids of all ages do terrible with change and need guidance and patience. He doesn't know why he's being put in this new place for sleep when he had this cozy place before. It's a shock and it's scary. So, he's going to cry and fuss until he understands why this is happening.
Another thing you can try, you could try rocking him to sleep before putting him in his bed and then putting him down asleep. If he wakes just repeat the same pattern, rock and then put him down. I've learned that consistency is the key to any kind of succes with kids. No matter what age.
I've read people put a futon or mattress on the floor and co-sleep that way. My son actually has a CARS sleeper in my room that he sometimes will sleep on and I will cuddle with him on it until he's asleep. In my opinion, it's about making everyone happy and healthy and doing what is best for the kiddo.
Also, he might learn to sleep through the night or he might not. My son would wake a different intervals for feeding throughout the first year. It doesn't have anything to do with a crib or not, but the child and their needs. My son didn't start sleeping through the night until he was much closer to age 2. No biggie.
Just find what will work for you and go with it. Remember it will take time.
He got used to the sounds and smells of your room so now it is unfamiliar in his own room. Try putting something from your room, like your pillowcase, in his crib. If you have a ticking clock, get one for his room. You could try one of those white noise cd's or a 'womb bear'. Don't give up!
Love Deanna Leigh's advice.
I am one of those, that co-slept with both my kids. And they also slept/napped in a crib. Its the routine you do WITH your kids. Yes, its not easy and you take it slowly.
For us, we have a floor futon in our bedroom, and this is where my kids can sleep either by themselves, or with me and I co-sleep with them as needed. We don't have a problem with that. So, therefore, me/Hubby have our bed to ourselves. But in our room, the kids have a spot on the floor where they can sleep with us, if they want to or need to. Its actually really great... and I know that one day, my kids will not need to do that... when they get older. So we cherish the 'together time' with them, now. Its like camping every night, when they are in our room. Its real fun, actually and a nice bonding thing with our kids. We have a routine every night, and we read together and all talk story together in our room before bed. Its something our kids and we, like to do.
But for naps, my son sleeps in his crib. He knows that that is the "routine" so he doesn't protest about it. My girl, she sleeps with us on the futon, or together with her brother, or me... or sometimes she just wants to sleep in her room. Its perfectly fine and it works for us.
Just some ideas.
ALSO, the fact that your baby "still wakes up 2 times a night to eat" is NORMAL. Remember, he is STILL just a little baby. A baby, at 6 months old is going through a growth-spurt, and they NEED an increase in intake. Their intake NEEDS to keep pace WITH the growing baby... they now need MORE intake for their increased growth/development. Its NORMAL.
My Pediatrician, says that for the 1st year of life, a baby should be fed ON demand, 24/7....and breastmilk/Formula is the PRIMARY source of nutrition/calories for a baby... NOT solids and NOT other liquids. Just putting him in another room by himself won't "make" him sleep all night. MANY MANY babies don't sleep through the night at this age, unless forced.
If a baby is to grow/develop properly, their intakes needs must be met. If they must feed, they must feed. They are hungry. A hungry baby will not sleep all night. For a baby, "sleeping through the night" means sleeping for 5-6 hours straight. It is NOT according to "adult" connotations of sleep. BOTH my kids, at that age, woke more than your baby. AND at growth spurt periods, a baby WILL wake more. They need to.
A baby's sleep patterns are also not set in stone. It WILL change ALL throughout baby-hood and childhood. So keep that in mind. They are changing so much each month, and their sleep "ability" changes as well. MANY kids, don't sleep through the night yet, and won't do so naturally until about 2 years old. Unless forced to do so, earlier.
All the best,
Susan
I recommend reading a book called "Good Nights" as soon as possible, please! For the health of your son and for piece of mind for you that you are doing the right thing.
It sounds to me like your baby is still very young and not yet ready for this step. Would you consider keeping him in the bed and putting him inbetween you and your husband or pushing the bed to the wall on 1 side and you sleep on the other side? My son slept in our bed until around 2 years and it worked out great. Now at 2 1/2, he is very secure and independent. Don't believe the people that warn you that they'll be in your bed until they're 6 years old. That's a bunch of bs. Plus, they're only this young once and looking to you to know they can count on you. This may not be a popular idea with some but frankly, it's your child and you decide what's best for your family.
We loved "The Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg. Fantastic book and fantastic woman - highly recommend it! There is also a website. You're on the right track - hang in there! ;)
Have him take all his naps in his crib to get used to it. If you're doing naps in his stroller or car seat, try to stop it for a while in favor of crib naps. Once he's comfy there during the day, night should be easier.
Put him in the crib while he's still awake (easier to do during naps than at night). If he falls asleep at your breast, wake him up a little before putting him down. Seems counter-intuitive, but I swear, they sleep longer if they fall asleep themselves!
Also, don't make this transition if he is in the midst of another big transition (travel, teething, learning to roll over). Wait till the dust has settled to master this new skill. Prepare for a few nights of misery... followed by a happy, well-rested, safe baby who digs his crib! Good luck!
Hi K., the only advice I can give you is to break the habit that has been created by the baby sleeping in your room/bed. At 6 months he should be on a cup and shouldn't need to eat during the night. Well I'm old school so thats my opinion, i know mommys are doing things different these days, but I haven't heard of mommys being so tired in my days. I had my babys on rice cereal at 6 weeks, so they could sleep through the night, and my daycare mommys do the same. It will be hard to refrain from going in his room but if you continue, he will continue to wake up and cry. Be strong, as mommys we turn ino a pile of mush at the sound of our baby's crying, but in the long run it will be better. J. L.
miss K.~
I know its hard but you are the parent and adult, you have to put your foot down NOW!If you allow this to continue
you may a many,many more sleepless nights ahead of you. Your attempts to put him in his own room are right on. He will cry, but continue to use the 10 minute system. checking in on him every 10, and if you can stand it allow the 10 to become 15 an so on. this is what we did for my daughter. It was heart wrenching then , but now she sleeps through the night and she wakes up in a better mood as well as her parents. GOOD LUCK, remeber you are a wonderful mom and are doing this in the best interest of you child, as well as your own sanity.
I recently weaned my baby from our bed-side cradle and in our bed to his crib (well, not recently, it was six months ago, time flies). I would rock him in his room for five -ten minutes after nursing and put him down in his crib. He would cry but I stayed in the room for a while soothing him and talking to him but not picking him up. Each night I would spend less time in there and moved farther away. If he cried in the night, I would do the same routine. He did cry and it was really hard, but after about five nights of this, he cried less and by night 6, he slept all night. This was at 6 mo. old.
Dear Sleeping help:
He knows you are going to eventualy put him in your bed. They are VERY smart. Keep up with the ten minute thing. First ten minutes say from the door your okay, next ten minutes walk up and pat him, next ten minutes pat him again. I did this with my daughter who was 8 months old and in three days my life drasticaly changed. The first night she stopped on the 3rd ten minutes. The next two nights she cried for the 2nd ten minutes. By the 3rd night she slept through the night with no feedings (I was still nursing). Also, same time every night, dark room and warm. This was a suggestion by my Dr. It worked for me. Good luck
My son was happier in his crib once we switched his crisp cotton sheets to soft velour. I know it's summer now, but he may feel cozier with softer sheets - they have tee shirt fabric as well. Just a thought.
I don't know if this will help you but my son was a terrible sleeper. He would wake up 7 times a night. He hated his crib and wanted to be in bed with us. like you stated he rolls around alot and was disturbing my sleep so I tried to get him to sleep in his room in his crib. NO luck he cried, and cried, and cried! Finally I just moved his crib next to my bed and once he fell asleep I put him in his bed and ta, da!!! He slept thru the whole night to 4:30 in the morning. Maybe try to put his crib next to your bed for a while and get him used to that first before you put him in his own room.
