[Oreobaby]

I guess the topic shouldn't be troubles sleeping, it should be troubles getting to sleep. Rayanne sleeps really well once she is sleeping usually, but the last week or so, it has been VERY difficult to get her down. I guess maybe I have fallen for the crying in the crib so I go in there, and she smiles as soon as she sees me cause she knows mom's gonna pick her up and take her out of there...but then is fussy once she is out...cause she is tired...sigh. I mean at 5 months...is she old enough to kind of cry it out...because I do feel like she's playing me some day. (some times she is really upset when I go to get her out of the crib, but about 9 times out of 10, she smiles at me as if to say...ha ha ha...suckered you in again mom. Any suggestions?

[Lyz]

sounds like she knows if she cries, mama will come get her

This is purely a personal decision on crying it out. I didn't do it until Bella was 11 months (mostly because I was against it).

We never did full on CIO. I'm not for hard crying. It was always just fussing and whining. We set time limits for when to go back in her room. First night was 20 minutes (she didn't even make it to 10 before falling alseep). Second night was 15 minutes (she made it to 5). the next night, she was fussed but was out before I even walked out of her room.

some babies like to be soothed and are ok if you go back in their room after 2 minutes and rub their back. That made it MUCH worse for Bella, so I couldn't ever go back in unless I was taking her out of her crib.

The only time she truly cries is when she's over tired and it doesn't last but a few minutes before she's asleep. Some studies say its' okay to do it after 4 months, some say 6 months. So, purely to choice.

[MommaLee]

like lyz i'm not a fan of cio. before i put Julie down, I have to make sure she is all the way asleep, no just dozing or she will wake up and cry....so sometimes i rock for an hour. if you are leaning towards going that route - just try it out and see how it goes - it may work for you.

I would suggest the book The Baby Whisperer. I'm reading it for the second time

She has a lot of good suggestions for sleep troubles

[KCMomma]

I'm a full believer in CIO. I completely understand that it's a personl decision though, but at 5 months she needs to learn to self soothe. Yes, CIO sucks at first, but I promise you it works and you will enjoy life much more once she learns to self soothe. She has completely figured you out that's why she smiles when you come in there to get her. My MIL had the hardest time with CIO, but we eventually got her to listen and its MUCH better now. We have learned her cries and know when we need to go get her and when she's just crying to be crying. We usually go in once, pick her up, change her if needed and if she stops crying I know nothing is wrong so if she cries again, she will just CIO! That's my school of thought anyway. GL girl, sleep issues SUCK!

[downunderchick]

I personally dont advocate CIO but I understand that different things for different people.

Im not sure if its available in the US but a great book over here is the no cry sleep solution by Elizabeth Pantly.

I think something we need to remember is not to comppare ourt kids to tohers (not you Marci but I mean everyone in general) babies change their sleeping patterns and I think we often feel they should be doing the 'right' things and I feel that western society pushes children to be independant when we want them to, not when they are ready.

I hope you find something that works for you guys and get back into a sleeping pattern thats comfortable for all of you.

[fromustobaby]

I got nothing...we go day to day...though I do what LeeAnn does and rock him to sleep every night - usually anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour...

He likes to sleep in my arms...we tried CIO, he cried - hysterically - for hours/threw up, it was horrible...I felt horrible about myself and got all depressed...for naps, it simply doesn't work...we've gone 2 hours before, he cries the entire time...I let him sleep in my arms for naps now (he loves that), and that is my computer time...

As for nights...
I rock him to sleep and put him in his crib...if he wakes (he wakes SCREAMING - never smiling), I'll give him food (boob) and rock him back to sleep - about 30 minutes...
then when he wakes again (I usually set a limit at around 2am)...he comes into our bed and cosleeps (gets an open bar) for the rest of the night...he usually wakes around 6-7am...but it works well enough that I can function that way...

I figure eventually he'll be independent and hate all my hugs and kisses that I slather on him every day, so it is what it is for now and at least I have a bit of me time at night (he's been sleeping for the last 2 hours)...

[downunderchick]

oh yeah forgot to add, dont worry, it will all pass. it wont all be forever.

[Oreobaby]

I guess the issue isn't really the rocking her to sleep. I totally don't mind that...usually she would eat her bottle fall asleep, (while I rock her while I feed her) and then that would be it. She has been a really good sleeper since the beginning, I really can't complain. I guess I just don't know what caused this change that drinking her bottle, and rocking her is no longer putting her to sleep enough to put her in her crib and her fall asleep. (she didn't have to be fully asleep before, she would watch her aquarium on the side of her crib, and put herself to sleep, generally sucking her tongue.

And really, if she liked being rocked to sleep, then I would do that. She doesn't like laying down...the only time she will let me hold her in a laying down position is when she is eating, once that is done, she is struggling to sit up, and get's very irritated with me if she is laying down. Usually I would put her over my shoulder after she is done eating, burp her, swaddle her, and put her down. It now seems like EVERYTHING is a distraction. This evening DH and I even turned the TV off, (rocking chair is in the living room because her room is tiny) and tried that, so that she wasn't distracted...well that didn't work. It seems the only thing that helps her go to sleep is the rock bounce...which is required to be done standing up...lol...she is no longer a light 7 lb baby, it's getting hard on my back. lol.

I guess the most frustrating part for me is that it has just been since her teeth came in that she has been having more issues with sleeping. It's tough, but she really has been an amazing sleeper the whole time.

We tried the CIO method kind of tonight, and it was not fun. After about 15 minutes of whining and not so serious crying, it got serious...I went in...tried to pat her on the back/rub her back to get her to sleep. She kept reaching up at me with the hand that was not swaddled in her blanket. (we swaddle her, but leave one hand out, because she likes to suck her fingers some times) so how do you not pick them up when they are reaching to you...it's just too tough, so, I picked her up, patted her on the back and bounced her, and got her calmed down. She let out a huge burp (that's my girl) and was calm...so I cuddled her, and bounced her a bit more, and then put her down again. (bum was clean, she had just finished her bottle, I guess she just had an extra burp in there, because she did burp before I put her down) again 15 minutes of whining not serious crying...and then it got serious...I wanted to go in and get her again (cause I just really hate to hear her seriously cry) but DH wanted me to try to stick it out...she did that for about 15 minutes, and I knew there was no way she was going to calm herself down. DH finally went in to get her, and brought her out. It took us about 5-10 minutes to calm her down where she had stopped crying...and then she was smiling, and playing, and laughing...but rubbing her eyes, because she was so tired. I finally bounced her to sleep (for about 20 minutes) till she was sleeping, while still moaning and whining. I don't really know how the CIO method works, so I don't know how long I was supposed to leave her for, but I don't think going in and rubbing her back would have worked...sigh...I guess I will keep doing what I'm doing, and do more back strengthening exercises to strengthen my lower back.

[downunderchick]

it could just be that she is more aware of the world and things going on around her and its harder for her to 'shutdown' for sleep. Maybe even an extra half hour of being up and playing may help tire her out a bit more?

The way I see it is that I personally hate falling asleep when Im upset, or have had an argument or something like that, so I if I dont like it, why would I let my child go to sleep upset. Also I would rather they go to sleep because they are tired, not because they have exhausted themself out from crying. But thats just my 2 cents, as I said before, different things work for different people.

[CandaceDianne]

Are her teeth bothering her? I know Lilyan is having sleep issues, which are not bad at all, but she will cry in her sleep a LOT during the night so we have to go put her pacifier back in her mouth (which we assume she is needing the paci more to soothe her poor gums).
When Lilyan fights sleep, sometimes patting her belly and "shushing" her softly helps. Other times we have just had to bite the bullet and pick her up. I have wanted to let her CIO (before the teething started) because I knew NOTHING was wrong, but she has DH wrapped around her cute little fingers...and he can't stand letting her cry. Granted, I don't either, but I need some rest too! I am sorry you are having issues...I have been there too many times!!

[fromustobaby]

If it is teething, I'd go in and comfort...she wants her mommy to make her feel better - cause teething hurts...also, if it a burp, gas hurts too, so in both cases, there is a reason why she is crying...

Kaiden woke up at 1am and 3am, then he came into bed with us and slept till 8am...thats the best we can do with him right now

[MommaLee]

Could you try some Orajel or teething tablets before bedtime and maybe that will help with the teething situation?

Also, we do what others have said. Julie can stay up until we go to sleep whenever that is, but once we go, she has to go. Like Emma said, we try and tire her out and like Tonya, we co-sleep part of the night and it works.

[Oreobaby]

The only problem with waiting till we go to bed to put her to bed is I have to pump after she goes to bed (take me about an hour) so it's a very long night. lol. I am very against co-sleeping, not because I think it's wrong, but because I worry that I will roll on top of her.

Tonya - Ya, I agree that she was upset the first time because of the burp, and that's fine....I helped it out, so she was good, but really after that, when she was crying again, and we brought her out, she was happy as a clam, there was nothing wrong, she just didn't want to go to bed yet. lol...I know I will figure it out, I Just wondered if anyone had any ideas.

[fromustobaby]

ahhh, pumping...oh how i remember pumping...ya, that isnt fun...
maybe try letting her stay up bit later - maybe 30 minutes?

Kaiden does much better if he goes to bed around 10pm...if he goes to bed before 9pm, hes terrible at night...

[downunderchick]

could you try a pump session while she is on the other breast?

[Oreobaby]

She doesn't breast feed at all. I always pump and gave it to her. Because of my horrible c section, and being sick for 3 days after, and her blood sugars being low, they had to start her on formula. She also has a short frenlum, so couldn't get a proper latch. I have been exclusively pumping since she was born.

[downunderchick]

oh yeah, you know i completely forgot about that, sorry