**disclaimer**   This blog entry is not meant to criticize those who have and continue to use CIO with their children. It is simply how I feel after our recent trial run with CIO.

I am having a terrible time trying to deal with and move past the guilt I feel for allowing my son to CIO on Saturday night. I feel very foolish for not having done my homework in researching both sides of the spectrum before making my decision and now we’re both paying for it. He now seems to have severe anxiety when we bring him into his room (especially at night) and even more so when we put him into his crib. Before Saturday, he was fine putting himself to sleep in his crib, especially during nap time. Now, the screaming begins before we get passed the doorway.

It’s hard for me to even put into words how I’m feeling. I’m so (more…)

Last night’s try with CIO was successful in the respect that my son fell asleep at 11:20 pm after 2 hours and 35 minutes of crying and slept until 9:40 this morning. However, I had issues going to sleep last night. The image of my poor child passed out on his belly with his butt up against one of the bars on the foot of his crib with both of his legs sticking out on either side of the sidebar his butt was up against has been permanently etched into my mind. I also had a terrible feeling in my gut telling me “don’t do this” but I ignored it thinking it was my motherly instinct wanting to tend to my crying child and it was something I needed to push aside in order to help my son out. Well, my motherly instinct won over tonight and the doubt that I feel about using CIO has persuaded me that I shouldn’t be practicing it.

I know CIO vs not CIO is a heated debate and I’m not saying I’m for or against it. It works for some and not for others like any other form of parenting. Who knows, we may go back to it when he is older or we may even try again next week. However, for right now, I’m going to try something else that I feel is right in my heart and I’m hoping I get the same promising results my mother had 19 years ago when she tried it with my younger brother.