Help self soothing!

Sandra - posted on 02/05/2009

Sorry to say but your doctor is right.  From my own experience the longer you wait the harder it gets but after a week of crying she should be able to fall asleep on her own.

Amber - posted on 02/05/2009

yeah i was going to try and stay in there... i hope it works! Thats so good about hayden going to bed! I hope mine will too! Its ok that yall are talking on here! i dont mind!

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

Quoting Lacie:

OMG!!! Hayden just put himself to bed in his own bed...didn't even ask me to tuck him in or fight me to stay awake or anything!!!  SOOOO HAPPY!

Aw, that's good!! =)

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

Quoting Lacie:

Amber if u can maybe try the sitting next to her crib suggestion.  Don't talk to her so she knows it sleep time and let her do her own thing til she just falls asleep. or u could hold her hand thru thr rails of the crib ur still there and touching her.  And i saw on nanny 911 (not that u need that) but u can do that and every night move a little farther away til u don't need to sit with her or like once a week move the chair. let me no how the pillow or shirt works.

 i put Adicen in her crib last night and ended up sleeping in the floor next to her, lol!

I've seen people do that before. Just move a little closer to the door each night until you're not even in there anymore. That's a good suggestion!

Amber--Christopher loves it when I sing to him! Although it might be a little off key or whatever, he still loves it. You could sit in a rocking chair next to her crib and sing...maybe it'll soothe her. =)

Lacie - posted on 02/04/2009

OMG!!! Hayden just put himself to bed in his own bed...didn't even ask me to tuck him in or fight me to stay awake or anything!!!  SOOOO HAPPY!

Lacie - posted on 02/04/2009

Amber if u can maybe try the sitting next to her crib suggestion.  Don't talk to her so she knows it sleep time and let her do her own thing til she just falls asleep. or u could hold her hand thru thr rails of the crib ur still there and touching her.  And i saw on nanny 911 (not that u need that) but u can do that and every night move a little farther away til u don't need to sit with her or like once a week move the chair. let me no how the pillow or shirt works.

 i put Adicen in her crib last night and ended up sleeping in the floor next to her, lol!

Sinead - posted on 02/04/2009

Fair enough!

Hehe. I feel the same about Lucretia (Bloody parents! haha)
She's 6 months now. So great watching how she learns new things..
We really are stealing the thread, aren't we? =P

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

It is amazing! I swear, people at work must get annoyed with me, Christopher is all I talk about. He's such an amazing little boy...it's funny how such a little boy can have sooooo much personality. How old is your little girl??

It was very hard...definitely an emotional day. That's one of there reasons I couldn't stay working there.

Sinead - posted on 02/04/2009

Definitely. I don't blame you... I don't think i could carry that boy to the morgue. Would have been too much for me >.<
Isn't it amazing how much things effect you once you have kids?

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

Sorry we're talking over the thread, Amber.

I just can't seem to keep myself quiet! lol :)

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

I used to work down in the Emergency Room at one of the hospitals located close to where I live. My very first day on the floor an 8 month old boy came in and they couldn't revive him...I had to carry him to the morge...they said it was SIDS. That entire day all I could think about was my own son and from then on...he slept with me. Maybe I was just overly paranoid. But given the circumstances, I think any mom would have been...

Sinead - posted on 02/04/2009

I think we're all like that though.. SIDS is such a scary thing to think about! A couple months ago someone i know lost their little girl over night and since then i think i've been extra paranoid. Seems Lucretia just enjoys sleeping on her own though.. I miss the cuddles and co-sleeping! It's impossible now haha

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

It's my fault Christopher's this way...even when he was sleeping fine by himself, I'd take him out of his crib because I was terrified of SIDS. He's a pretty good baby, even when he had colic in the beginning. The only issue we have is with sleeping.

Hopefully we'll all get out sleepless babies under control! :)

Sinead - posted on 02/04/2009

I hope you all manage to get these babies sleeping well! I feel so lucky to have had such an amazingly happy baby (smiles even when she's crying haha). She even had reflux and colic! The first time i put her in her cot (she was too small for the bassinet at about 2 months) she loved it! Slept right through the night for the first time. Was amazing.. *crosses fingers that they'll all be like that!*

Ashley - posted on 02/04/2009

One of the bathrooms is really close to Christopher's room. Turning on the fan kind of blocks out all the noise so he can't here anything other than the noise going on in his own room...I suppose I'll try that again.

Amber--I know Adriauna doesn't take any real naps, but maybe laying her in there once a day while she's napping might get her to understand. Even if she crys a little, just put her in there and see what happens. Christopher stands up in his crib now and it so difficult...I'm scared he's going to pull himself up and over the railing! He's actually taking a nap in his crib right now. Even if he doesn't sleep in there at night, maybe just taking a nap or two in there during the day will help him get used to his crib??

I don't know--I have the same problem you do, so I suppose I shouldn't talk. Lol :)

Sinead - posted on 02/04/2009

Have you got a chair in the room? Maybe you could sit next to her cot each night until she falls asleep then sneak out. It saves having to hold her then get her to bed without her waking up and maybe she'll be happy just having you there. Possibly reading a quiet book to her?

Amber - posted on 02/04/2009

She doesnt have a special something... just us... maybe if she got attached to something that would make it better. I am going to try the pillow being mine or one of my shirts.

Amber - posted on 02/04/2009

I tried to lay her down when she was almost alseep and when i was walking out she was screaming... it wasnt just crying it was almost a fearful cry. I have tried the cereal thing and that does not help at all. She found out that it was in there and wouldnt take it any more. And i dont know if diuting the bottle would do good because she loves water. It doesnt seem to matter if there is noise or quiet, light or no light. she does the same with both! she is just so attached to poeple and doesnt want to be left. How do i make it gradual about leaving her in there because we have never left her before and she doesnt understand.

Sinead - posted on 02/03/2009

Another thing i do.. I have a radio in Lucretia's room which plays static while she sleeps. I find she will sleep alot longer with it than without. Also she will calm down sooner with it. That's another possible option =)

Ashley - posted on 02/03/2009

Amber--What did her pediatrican say? Did she have any good suggestions other than just letting her "cry it out"?

Lacie - posted on 02/03/2009

i just keep thinkin gof things at different times sorry!!

Lacie - posted on 02/03/2009

sometimes babies just like to be held by their mommy it makes them feel safe.....safer than a blanket or  a bear does. 

Amby have you tried putting rice or cereal in her bottle before the first bedtime??

Thank you! She is getting bigger and bigger everyday now she is atleast over 9# maybe up to 10!! 2 weeks ago at the doc she was 8# 3oz

Ashley - posted on 02/03/2009

Quoting Lacie:

I know what you mean it is VERY nice to cuddle with them!!!! My kids are both like that too I can't just go put hayden back in his bed and let him cry so he sleeps with me and chris and when Adicen crys after she has eaten at night sometimes she just wants to lie on my chest and I let her until she goes to sleep.  It is nice to feel like ur kids love you as much as you love them!!!!

Yeah... :) I love cuddling with him. And now since Matt's been in Arizona, it's even nicer to have Christopher sleep by me! I don't want to sleep by myself and Christopher doesn't either, so why not? I'll fix it eventually I suppose...maybe when Matt comes home.

Adicen looks so cute in that little picture! She's so itty bitty :)

Lacie - posted on 02/03/2009

I know what you mean it is VERY nice to cuddle with them!!!! My kids are both like that too I can't just go put hayden back in his bed and let him cry so he sleeps with me and chris and when Adicen crys after she has eaten at night sometimes she just wants to lie on my chest and I let her until she goes to sleep.  It is nice to feel like ur kids love you as much as you love them!!!!

Ashley - posted on 02/03/2009

You know, I love that Christopher sleeps by me. Our apartment isn't well insolated, so it gets really cold at night...even when the heat's on, so he's warmer if he's by me and he's such a little cuddler!

I was so terrified of SIDS, that I ended up making the mistake of just letting him sleep by me even when he was perfectly fine in his crib. He's been sleeping with me every night for months. I've turned on music, given him a blanket or a stuffed animal...all he wants is to be picked up. And the fact that he can now stand up in his crib makes it more difficult...I don't know how in the world he ever gets tired if he's walking around his crib screaming! I wish there was another way, but I know there's not. Eventually I'll just get tired the whole thing and have to let him "cry it out" I suppose. I feel so bad doing that!!

Until then.....I still have a little cuddle bug to sleep by. :)



Amber, do you and Adriauna ever sleep by each other or just when you rock her to sleep??

Lacie - posted on 02/03/2009

Quoting Sinead:

I know alot of people who co-sleep with their babies. That's an option if you are happy to do it. Might as well make the most of the cuddles while you can get them! =P

That is true, but then when they are older and you want your bed to yourself again it is hard to reak them of the habit of sleeping with you!!! Believe me Hayden still sleeps with me he is almost 3...He won't fall asleep in his own bed he falls asleep in the living room and i move him to his bed and he wakes up and comes to my bed :(.   I've heard that having a predictable bedtime routine is helpful and as long as the baby is in a safe place, has a clean bottom, and is not hungry, crying might just be the best thing.  Does Christopher or Adriauna like music? That could also help

Sinead - posted on 02/03/2009

I know alot of people who co-sleep with their babies. That's an option if you are happy to do it. Might as well make the most of the cuddles while you can get them! =P

Ashley - posted on 02/03/2009

I have the same problem, which you already know, and am interested to see if anyone has any good suggestions... Christopher sleeps with me and screams every time Iay him in his crib. Even if I rock him, he'll wake up as soon as I lay him down. I can't believe her doctor didn't have any good suggestions! That's so disappointing!

Lacie - posted on 02/03/2009

does she hava a special stuffed animal or blanket that she really likes?  Adicen won't fall asleep without a blanket already and it has to be a fuzzy one and right next to her face.  The doctor used to tell me that by that age they don't need a bottle at night but if you still give her one dilute it more and more until it's just water and then she won't want it anymore and hopefully sleep through the night.

Sinead - posted on 02/03/2009

I think that's the only way.. The only time i ever rock my girl to sleep is when she's sick.

From the beginning my midwife and doctors were real hard on me with letting her cry so i have just done that.. She also has a dummy. Do you use one? Lucretia won't sleep without it pretty much.

Do you have any toys in her cot? I've also got a couple little teddies that Lucretia likes to cuddle when she sleeps =)

Another option for the day.. you could let her sleep with your pillow. That way it smells like you and she may calm herself down a bit easier?

That's all i can think of at the moment >.