Cry It Out Fail

[ladymoreta]

Thanks guys. I kind of expected him to do this - part of the reason I've avoided CIO for so long.

He's been sleeping in his crib most of his life. He was in the carseat in the crib the first six months, and I just started cosleeping in February. I would just bring him into the guest bedroom when he woke up after I'd gone to bed, so he was still sleeping in the crib the first part of the night. There is a dim nightlight. I tried a brighter one, but he was too distracted by it.

I've tried my darndest it get him to attach to a lovey. I have a small bear and a taggie blanket in his crib that I've really tried with, but he just ignores them.

It really helps hearing your your experiences. I just don't know anyone around here who has had any problems with sleeping. Either their kids naturally STTN, or they did CIO for an hour for a couple night's, then their kids STTN. So frustrating for me to hear, and they just don't get it.

[alison]

What is the room temperature like?

[ides]

Don't forget that people often lie about their kids issues when it comes to sleeping & eating. O never attached to a lovey though I tried and tried. He does take toys to bed now but that was a development after he started sleeping much better. Hugs!

[v-girl]

K didn't even sleep in a crib until 14 months. Didn't sleep through the night until 2years. I don't do CIO -- tried on the girls and it was so traumatic for all of us.

[Urowife]

I feel your pain -- I have what I call a "sensitive sleeper". We never did CIO because it didn't feel right to me. DD started STTN on her own around 2 years old. At around 12-15 months, she was still waking every few hours. It gradually decreased throughout the year until she was waking about once a night for a few months. Then, right around 23-24 months, she started to sleep through on some nights. She still wakes once a night about 25% of the time. I didn't really do anything to encourage it except to change her environment. We use a noise machine and sometimes a fan for extra noise. I also bought a space heater (a safe one) for her room because her room was always cold, and I couldn't dress her warmly enough. If she is too cold, she will wake up. To give you an idea how warm: it has to be at least 72 degrees AND she wears long sleeved cotton PJ's with a fleece sleepsack over top. She takes after me - I absolutely cannot sleep if I'm cold, and I'm know to get up and put a fleece on in the middle of the night when I'm chilly.

I would definitely ask your pediatrician in case it could be reflux. But, also know that it is normal for some kids to wake up frequently. And, it does improve with time. I feel for you though, given the fact that you will have a new baby - I understand the pressure to have him sleeping through. I have a friend here whose 3-year-old wakes 3 times a night, while her newborn (3 weeks old) only wakes up once. Hopefully, you will be blessed with a good sleeper next time

[ladymoreta]

There's my big concern - assuming we don't make progress, what do I do when they're both awake at night? I assume he'll just have to CIO then, at least until I can finish nursing the baby. (And if it's anything like him, it could be awhile. As a newborn, he would usually nurse for an hour at a time...) I don't want him to be dealing with that while adjusting to a sibling. I was just hoping to get it over with if it's going to happen anyway...

[SuzySunshine]

R has JUST attached to a lovey in the last 2-3 months (he turned 18 months last week) and its only for sleeping. We don't take it out of the crib to comfort him otherwise but when I check on him he is ALWAYS snuggled up with that little blue blanket and he holds it while we do his nap and bedtime routines. It has been in his crib for at least six months though.

[spotty_dog]

There's my big concern - assuming we don't make progress, what do I do when they're both awake at night? I assume he'll just have to CIO then, at least until I can finish nursing the baby. (And if it's anything like him, it could be awhile. As a newborn, he would usually nurse for an hour at a time...) I don't want him to be dealing with that while adjusting to a sibling. I was just hoping to get it over with if it's going to happen anyway...

We switched Eddy to a toddler bed a few months before his sister arrived. That way if he needed me in the night I had the reassurance that he could come find me even if I was busy with the baby and couldn't go to him.

[ladymoreta]

How old was he at the time? DS will be 20 months. Would that be too young to be out of a crib?

[MrsK]

BabyK is 17 months and I'd like to keep him confined to the crib as long as possible. I don't know what I'd do if he "escaped" when I was busy with K2. Can your DH go to him if he wakes? Or can you nurse in his room? Also, I have a feeling that K2 will have to get used to interrupted nursing sessions.

How old was he at the time? DS will be 20 months. Would that be too young to be out of a crib?

Mattie has been out since about 18 months, but not by my choice. She learned how to catapult herself out.

[alison]

Exactly what Jenn just said, some can climb and sling shot themselves out of their cribs... Ayaiyai!

[spotty_dog]

Some kids can handle it around 18 months, I think Eddy was 22 months or so. Natalie went straight from the crib to a queen bed I think in December? So right around that age as well.

I also got pretty good at walking around with a baby latched on though. Or diving for a misbehaving toddler without disturbing the nursing babe...there are so many changes to come. You'll adapt, so will big brother. You'll all be fine!

[SuzySunshine]

We moved A out of her crib at 20 months, R was born at 22 months. But she was always a good sleeper and I knew she could handle it. R will be staying in his crib a little longer or until he figures out how to get out on his own.

[Pollyanna]

We've had kids move out at 18 months, 3 years, 22 months, 2.5 years, and it looks like #5 will be closer to 3 years. It really just depends on the child. There is no right or wrong time to move to a big kid bed