It is about that time folks...that we actually start the CIO method. Yikes! Let me start that by saying up until about a month ago, Brayden would totally go to sleep on his own. When we noticed he was getting tired we would simply give him his pacifier, put him in his crib with Elmo, turn on the music/sound machine and just leave the room. Sometimes we would stay for a minute to rub his back but most of the time, he would go to sleep on his own without any problems. Well, then came along a little something called "separation anxiety"...I HATE it! Brayden started showing his separation anxiety right around 9 months (on track for developmental purposes) and I was not allowed to leave his side. Even when I just left the room to go pee or change my clothes, he would immediately start crying. Not fun! He has gotten better about this during the day time but it is a whole different ball game at night when it is time for bed.
Our night time routine is usually the same because I know that is very important to babies...to get them prepared to go to bed mentally. So we usually play like crazy until about 6:30 or 7 and then we take a bath. After the bath we use the amazing lavender lotion, get dressed in PJs and then have a bottle. Immediately after the bottle, I brush his teeth and then we head into his room. I turn on his music, light up his turtle night light and turn on the humidifier. On most nights, it only takes him about 30 seconds to fall asleep while I rock him in his chair but tonight was a different story. He flat out REFUSED to go to sleep. He was looking up at the stars on his ceiling(courtesy of his turtle night light), swinging his arms everywhere, crawling all over me and so on. I tried so many things to get him to relax and fall asleep. My last resort was just putting him in his crib and letting him scream. I knew he was tired and I knew nothing was physically wrong with him when I put him in his crib so I knew I had to let him cry-it-out. Ugh.
Brayden cried for about 10 minutes but it wasn't just little whimpers....he was full on screaming at the top of his lungs and even made himself cough a few times because he was crying so hard. Of course, I was right outside his door crying right along with him. As much as I know that he needs to learn to fall asleep on his own, for everyone's sanity, it still did not make the situation an easier. As I heard him start to stop, I was able to wipe my own tears and have hope that this will only be a phase and that eventually we will get past it. Hearing my son cry like that was HORRIBLE but I know its best...blah blah blah!!
So the bottom line is that we have started the cry-it-out method. Ugh. Wish us luck!
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2 comments:
I know how hard that is. We did that with my first son and it was rough. He seemed to cry a lot though....all the time. Not just at bedtime. He was very colicky. I have a 7 1/2 month old and I have only let him cry maybe 2 or 3 times. (I can't stand to hear him sob.) He went through a stage from 4months until 6 months where he didn't nap. At all. It was rough. We eventually got him to start napping though. We put him on his belly in his bed, give him his paci and cover him with a blanket. I also play "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins on my iphone and leave it on repeat right next to his crib. He would flip over onto his back and I would pick him up and put him back on his belly every single time. When he would get squirmy I would pat his booty or shake it. (That seemed to calm him down). Then I would rub his booty while he laid there. We would do this for probably 30 minutes or more but eventually he would fall asleep. It took about 2 weeks of doing this (kind of a pain) but he finally learned how to go to sleep. Now we just put him on his belly and and he goes to sleep on his own. I was SO shocked that this worked because we did the cry it out method with my other son (which worked too but it was far more painful for both of us.) Anyway, I know it is difficult because I have been through it twice. I know there are different schools of thought with the CIO or No CIO so I don't want to push my opinion on you. I just know from my first child that they don't stay babies for long. I look at my toddler and wonder where my little baby went. So I definitely held my 2nd baby more while he slept, etc. (Which some people would say is spoiling but he is just SO dang sweet. I can't resist!) My heart just breaks for you as a mom because I know how rough it can be. It is horrible to hear your child not just scream, but sob. I hope things get better!
Amy
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Amy,
Thank you so much for your comment! The CIO is actually starting to show signs of success so for now that is what we are going to stick with. I know that each child is different so any tips or strategies are welcome on my blog! Brayden is almost 11 months and we are just starting the CIO method...it didn't feel right before to let him cry but for some reason, now it seems to feel right and make sense for us. I really appreciate your input and wish you luck with sleeping and all other adventures that babies bring us as mothers!
Stephanie
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