Did you let your baby "cry it out?"

Eire - posted on 02/04/2013

my daughter is 12 months old next wk and we have started the 'cry it out' as she goes to bed every night at 7, then up around 1ish and again at 3 except at 3 she is wide awake until 5am....to stop this i rock her or put her to bed with me - i started the cry it out in her crib but last night she got sick she screamed so much, this was the 2nd night of trying !!! i go in every 4 minutes...i'm at my wits end, i don't know what to do !

Lela - posted on 02/11/2010

That is great I think, my baby is 8 months old, and she still falls asleap in my arms. Actually that is the only way she wants to go to sleep. her daddy will not let her cry he spoils her.

Beth - posted on 02/03/2010

Our daughter, who is now almost 8 months old, didn't sleep thru the night at all. It got so bad that she was up at the most every 2 hours and at the worst it was every 40 minutes.
We finally said enough and let her cry it out.
The first night she cried for 2 hours before she fell asleep and was up for hours during the night crying. The next night was alot better. By the fifth night she slept for 13 hours without a peep.
She's still sleeping thru the night and it's been almost a month now.
We are so relieved. It was horrible to go thru it, but I'm really glad we did!

Cece - posted on 02/02/2010

I am a mother of 3, my oldest is 15 years old, When I had him the dr said to let him cry for 10 minutes go in and calm the baby down so that they do not feel abandon, then lay them down and continue(make sure to leave room for 10 minutes) until they fall asleep. It worked and he was always a good sleeper. However I am in the same boat as you now with my daughter however I breast feed and she will only go to sleep while breast feeding as soon as i put her in the crib she wakes and cries she will not fall asleep. She slept in the crib since she was 3 weeks all night, once she got sick and slept with me I can not get her out of my bed. I am curious to see how it works for you, but it sounds like you are doing great and should be no time at all before they sleep all night in the crib.

Tamara - posted on 02/02/2010

i find that if my 7mo old son is swaddled the cry time is much shorter. most usually the cry indicates a burp and he is back down.

Mel - posted on 02/02/2010

I let my second daughter cry it out and she is usually asleep in 5-10 mins. If she doesn't go to sleep in that time I will go and sooth her every 10 mins until she does go to sleep. I only have to do this for the odd night now and she usually sleeps through the night or at least until 5am

Henriikka - posted on 02/02/2010

My son is now 8 months old and he has been sleeping 13 hours straight since he was like 3 months old. He used to wake up at 6am for some milk but after a while i just stopped giving it to him and soon he didn't wake up. We sure do get the nights when he wakes up crying and i definitely let him cry it out, i won't pick him up and if he just keeps crying i go to him n put my hand on his back so he knows i'm right there.. He usually calms down pretty quick and falls back to sleep! My son usually goes to sleep at 9pm and wakes up somewhere around 9-10am. He also takes 1-2 hrs nap 4 times a day. Twice outside in the baby buggy, twice in his own bed. I've noticed that if he don't have all 4 naps a day (If we go visit relatives for example and he's not too keen on sleeping when so many people around) he sleeps less at night.

Good luck!

Kathy - posted on 02/01/2010

Our Ped said to just try to let him cry it out. It's not hurting them but its hard for you. We would feed him and put him in his crib, He would cry for 15 mins and then check on him. After checking on him twice, the next time we would give him a few ounces of diluted juice and usually after thate fell asleep. Our Ped said the only time not to do that is when hes sick then nix the cry it out method. its had for a few days but its worth it. hes very independent now. hope this helps

Ashley - posted on 02/01/2010

im in the same boat huni, its so good to hear that other people r going through what u r, my we man is 7 and a half months and he had a cold and was teething badly so i was cuddling him alot and rocking him to sleep and now he wont let me stop lol iv tried letting him cry the bit out but he even pretends to choke hes a we rascal i am noticing he isn't crying as long now wen i dont lift him every time, just hope if i keep at it9not lifting him all the time) he will come out of the spoiltness

Jessica - posted on 02/01/2010

My daughter is 7 months too and i loved to rock her to sleep when she was litte and now she is the habit of it. Sometimes when i get her to sleep i can lay her down, but other times she will wake up right when i lay her down, I havent trying the "Cry it out" method. I think it would be too hard to just sit there and listen to her cry. It usually just depends on how tired my baby is.

Raven - posted on 02/01/2010

I let my baby cry it out, but make sure he is ready for bed before he gets put down. I give him a bottle, then a bath, put warm clothes on him and then let him play for a few, he will start rubbing his eyes after about 10 minutes, I carry him to bed and read him a book, he is usually out in just a few minutes. Other times when he is crying there is some reason he is crying; uncomfortable, to warm, to cold, if none of that works I will let him cry for 5-10 minutes, get him let him play some more, then try to lay him down again

Averylle - posted on 01/31/2010

This is a phenomenal thread! I'm all for the cry it out method. We did it with our oldest daughter, but she was already a year old. Our baby girl is 7 months now and she gets rocked to sleep. We would like her to be able to go to sleep on her own as well but we're not sure how to let her cry it out without possibly disturbing her sister. Any suggestions?

Elizabeth - posted on 01/31/2010

Ever since my daughter was born, I let her cry for a couple minutes just to see if she would fall asleep on her own. As she got older, I let her cry longer. Before I put her in her crib, I make sure she doesn't want anymore of her bottle & has a clean diaper. I hold her & rock her for about one minute, lay her down, and tell her goodnight & to go to sleep. Around 4 1/2 months, I started to get her on schedule with her bedtime. I would let her cry for up to 20 minutes before I would go get her out of her crib. By a month later, she would yell twice and then go to sleep. I think I would go insane if I had never let her cry it out. And now, she knows how to put herself to sleep! :)

Caren - posted on 01/31/2010

I had the same problem. EXACTLY! There was nothing wrong with Ethan but he got used to being rocked to sleep. I checked out some resources and was happy with what i read in "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg. A none extremist method, somewhere in between Attachment Parenting and Cry-it-Out Parenting.

Basically, I began to wean him from the rocking slowly. First the book taught me how to read his signs for hunger and sleepiness before it was too late in the process. Then I began changing his rocking routine by first rocking until he yawned but wasn't asleep. Then i wouldn't pick him up anymore, just soothed him in bed until he calmed down but before he fell asleep. This process began 10 days ago and he has now been going to sleep by himself, staying asleep all night or if he wakes is back to sleep within a few fusses by himself. I don't even get out of bed unless i hear the "emergency" cry (which has happened only once in the last 4 nights. He has even been sick with pneumonia through this process, and learning from the last time I over-cuddled him I didn't stop the weaning process.

Just stick with whatever method you are comfortable with, make sure you understand the long term consequences of your choices and that you can live with them.

Good luck!

Laura - posted on 01/31/2010

We did the cry it out method and it seemed to be what worked best for our son. We started letting him cry for 5 minutes, then moved up to 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, etc and after each cry session we would go into his room and settle him down by talking to him, spinning his mobile, offering soother, etc. We tried not to pick him up unless he'd really gotten himself worked up and couldn't calm down. It worked after a couple of nights and now he knows how to put himself to sleep in his bed on his own. It's hard listening to them cry at first, but it gets better! Good luck!

Courtney - posted on 01/30/2010

I started doing it with Alex at five months. I was at my wits end. I got mixed answers from everyone. Some people said it was mean and others said I had to do it. The pediatrician said that it was okay so we went for it. My rule now is that if he wakes up at night and it has been less than four hours, I do not go in and nurse him. If it has been more I do. I am okay with getting up once but that is it. I usually put him down asleep but if he wakes up when I lay him down, I let him cry. It has been our saving grace. I don't care what people say. They know how to manipulate us! They need to learn to self soothe. You are doing the right thing, mama! Your baby deserves a well rested mom. We still struggle with the sleep thing, but it is getting better.

Hollie - posted on 01/30/2010

I did it with my now 3 year old and am doing it now with my 7 month old. He's down to about 5 minutes of seriously fussing and then going to sleep. He doesn't want anything....he just wants Mommy.

Kristen - posted on 01/30/2010

I let my son & now he does amazing and goes to sleep without crying within 15 minutes. At first he cried for almost an hour before he would go to bed. Then I changed his bedtime to a little later and that made a huge difference. If you are going to do it just make sure you are consistent once you start with them

Bridgette - posted on 01/30/2010

Thank you all for your helpful comments! Its good to hear that im not the only mom, i don't feel as mean...haha.

Jennifer - posted on 01/30/2010

My daughter is almost 8 months old and a very hard one to get to sleep. I used to spend literally HOURS trying to her to fall asleep, and maybe just maybe I could lay her down and she would stay asleep. It was almost like she just knew that she could get me to walk/pat/hum/sing her to sleep and it was getting silly. All of this hard work seemed to be going down the drain, it just took longer and longer every night to get her down. I felt that I was almost holding her back from learning and teaching herself to go to sleep. I decided to try and let her cry it out, I didn' think that it could get any worse than it already was. First I made a plan and tried my best to stick to it. At first I would get her to sleep however I could and then I would lay her down after about five minuets of holding her. She would start crying as soon as her little cheek hit the sheets, but I would just stay calm, cover her with the blanket, and close the door. For the first few days I went in after ten minuets, picked her up and held her for less than five min. Then I put her down weather she was completely out or not. I knew she was tired/dry/full. After laying her down the second time, she would usually go to sleep after a couple minuets of fussing, if not I would go in after another ten minuets, hold her for about three minuets to tell her that everything was okay, lay her back down and that would almost always work. I think it is important to tap into your instincts and listen to the kind of cry she is putting off. There is a difference between crying and complaining. Since I have been letting her fuss she has slept so much better. Sometimes our routine gets messed up if she is teething and sometimes it is just fun to hold her. Honestly listening to her complain for a few minuets is much better than walking/patting/humming/singing for half an hour and then MAYBE laying her down successfully. I'm really glad that conversations like this are available because it is nice to have the support! Hang in there mama!

Yoshimi - posted on 01/28/2010

I have 4 kids now and the youngest is 7 months. My boys were seemed harder than my girls. Anyways, with boys, I needed to let them cry out some point for more than 1 week (you have to give your husband a pair of ear plugs), but they eventually figured out how to make themselves sleep. When you let him cry out, you should come in his room in a certain pattern (like first time, you tell him that you come back for him and come back in 3 min. Then, tell him same thing and come back in 5 min. Little by little you increase the time between you come in.) It was really hard while they were crying so long (one boy cried out for more than 2 hours straight), but you have to do it otherwise, it will get harder and harder on you. You have to stick on certain bedtime routine (bath, feeding, story, hug & kiss, and good-night etc.) every night, so he will expect what comes next. Also if you give him his favorite buddy (my son has a special bear and blanket that he soothes himself with) to sleep with, it doesn't bother him so much even you put him down in different places. (of course, you should do the same bed time routine, though.) Also, with my youngest, when she was 2 months or so, I started put her down when she was almost asleep, but not totally asleep. So she kind of got the idea how to sleep while I am leaving her, so whenever she wakes up middle of the night, she expects that I am not with her. Since then, I can put her down while she is wide awake. It is nice to not worry about whether she wakes up or not. I am sure you are doing your best. Just be confident what you are doing.

Rachael - posted on 01/28/2010

I have a 7 1/2 month old as well and we just went through the same thing! He used to sleep at night until he got sick once and then he was used to me rocking him and feeding him in the middle of the night. We let him cry it out for 2 nights and it worked like a charm! I think it's totally appropriate to do, it's not hurting them. It is tough when they're crying for you, but you just have to be strong! :) It's definitely worth it in the end. Now he goes to bed at 7:30 and doesn't wake up till 6:30 or 7am. Life is good when your baby is sleeping all night!!

Judy - posted on 01/28/2010

I put my 7 month old in her crib asleep from rocking and her last bottle but I stopped getting up with her in the middle of the night when we moved her to her own room about a month ago now. The first 2 nights were rough but now she sometimes will wake up and complain for 1-5 minutes but then puts herself back to sleep. The dr said I should put her to bed awake but I'm not ready and I like the quiet cuddle time after the older 2 go to bed!

Jenae - posted on 01/28/2010

I use the cry it out method, if they are not in pain. My twins are 7 months old and we started this at about 4 months old. The first few nights were hard, but in the long run it has been wonderful. Our bedtime routine is great!! Baths, play time, bottle, the at 8 I lay them bothn in bed and they are asleep withing 10 min. They dont even cry anymore they talk and fall asleep. And they dont wake up until 8am. One thing that i started doing with my girl twin bc she loves her paci, I put 2-3 of them in her crib so if she woke up she could find one. Usually she crys hard if she cant find one. My Boy twin doenst like the paci he usually just fusses in the middle of the night for maybe 5 min and falls back asleep. I hope this helps. Whatever you do just do whats best for you and your family, Thats all you can do. I have four other kids and this is what worked best for us. So just do what you think is best. Your doing great!!!

Marisa - posted on 01/28/2010

I'm in the middle of that now with my 7month old as well. The time line has been a little up and down. For 3 days in a row he went down with no crying what so ever- and I put him in his crib awake! but on other days when he is crying a lot i just make sure that he's fed, diapered, and medicated (for teething ) if need be. And generally now it's between no time and 10 minutes. With my first kid, he eventually got used to it and i put him down wide awake every night and there was no crying. In general, i believe strongly in letting the kids cry it out, with regular walk ins (every 10 minutes or so) to tell him I love him- and not pick him up. But things are always up in the air, last night he had a fever and bad cold, so all rules were out the window, and i just wanted to snuggle him.

Caitlin - posted on 01/27/2010

My daughter is nearly 8 mths old and she still has some difficulty (off and on) falling asleep on her own. I'll get her comfy and hold her for a bit then at about 9 I put her in her crib. Sometimes she'll go right to sleep but if she doesn't I let her cry it out. If it goes on for 20 minutes (it usually only lasts 5-10) I'll pick her up. She's getting better at it. Your son is most likely used to you rocking him to sleep. He'll come out of it eventually. Just stick to it and don't give in. I learned the hard way.

Melony - posted on 01/27/2010

My son has his moments when he is in a good mood, and not. He does the crying out thing worse when I am holding him trying to get him to sleep more than when he's in his crib, but it only lasts about a minute when he finally gives in. He does sometimes cry out for no reason, but it's mostly because he wants to be up and around. He wants to be picked up so he can then crawl around and be EVERYWHERE! He doesn't like to be held and stuck in any sort of non-moving possition. I think there are moments when you need to let the crying out happen, and other times when it should be attended to, but all in all if its not physically hurting your child then it's ok. You just have to remember if you give in, you are no longer in charge it's the child pulling the strings! Good luck.

Roseanne - posted on 01/27/2010

i can never do that with my daughter i try different tactics such as laying her on a blanket near me or taking her in her pram my daughter is 7mnths aswell a friend of the family let her cry it out for the nite whn she had her and when she come home she was the naughiest i've ever seen her my tactics work 4 my lil one so am happy they do x

Melissa - posted on 01/27/2010

We did cry it out at 4.5 months. For us it worked well! I think the younger they are the easier it is. But he did learn after about 3 nights that I wasn't going to rock him to sleep anymore. Now, at 7 months, he falls asleep without a problem. Every once in a while he will lose his pacifier and I retrieve it for him, otherwise if he wakes up he falls back asleep on his own. He sleeps from 7pm-7am.

Nikki - posted on 01/26/2010

is he teething???
...I never let him cry it out, i just couldnt do it , I tried , but after 2 minutes I'd give in. My son has been a good sleeper he naps 2 times during the day and then would sleep from 9-10pm-7am. Then teething began and his schedule went completely out of wack. I used to put my son to bed with a bottle and I know everyone says that's a bad idea , but it was the only thing that worked, and once he would fall asleep i would gently wash his mouth a wet cloth , now that he is teething they hurt sooo much at night he refuses the bottle and he won't take a soother, one night nothing would get him to sleep so i lied him on my chest and rubbed his back and he fell asleep, now thats usually the only way I can get him down and it does take a lot longer, but if thats what wiill get him to fall asleep rather then being up crying Im all for it !!! Im finding gripe water works wonders for his teeth and it helps relax him before bed and less crying......

Sara - posted on 01/26/2010

I let my daughter cry it out when I first transitioned her to the crib. Now the only time I have to do that is if she is really giving me a hard time. Once I put her down, if she wakes up I turn on the mobile. Occasionally, it doesn't work and she cries but it never lasts more than 10 minutes. It sounds like he just got used to the rocking....it will take a little bit but he will get used to however you choose to put him down.