https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:17:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/drowsy-but-awake-advice#post-413765 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:40:00 +0000 abmamma 413765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@London Mama: thanks! it does help to know that there are others facing the same problems. Sometimes I feel like everyone else I know has good sleepers....but i have to remind myself that there are a million books on sleep and sleep training on the market for a reason!</p> <p>@Sandy and @Beachmama: these are helpful ideas. I am going to start trying to let her fuss for awhile after putting her down and see what happens. She recently started sucking on her fingers a little (although still prefers her pacifier) so I am hoping that she is getting closer to being able to self-soothe!</p> <p>Keep the advice (or commiseration) coming! I can take all that I can get :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/drowsy-but-awake-advice#post-413653 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 17:37:02 +0000 BeachMama 413653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wasn't able to do drowsy but awake until she was about 3-4 months because she would scream bloody murder if she was put down awake. One day I'd just had enough and closed her door and sat in the other room for 10 minutes. Low and behold she stopped crying and fell asleep. That moment literally changed my life because before that I didn't think she was capable of calming herself. After that I'd put her down for naps awake and if she cried for more than 10 min I'd go in and pick her up to soothe her, then put her down again when she was calm. I did this for a couple weeks before we sleep trained her with CIO (at about 4 months). It didn't always work and sometimes id have to bounce her to sleep but after the CIO she goes down so easily. </p> <p>Just try to use your gut. If you're not comfortable with her crying for long, then go comfort her. Maybe try to let her cry for progressively longer periods before going in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/drowsy-but-awake-advice#post-413501 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:42:58 +0000 sandy 413501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@abmamma: "drowsy but awake" was a mystery to me too...but my mom friend helped me figure it out...at least for my LO. I wrote about it here a bit:</p> <p><a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips-for-putting-baby-down-drowsy-at-bedtime" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips-for-putting-baby-down-drowsy-at-bedtime</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/drowsy-but-awake-advice#post-413470 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:04:44 +0000 London Mama 413470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is 4.5 months and only this week was I able to put him down awake for naps, it happened twice and the rest of the time I have to rock him to sleep. In our case I think he's just not ready yet as he's still so young, sorry I don't have much advice but wanted to let you know you're not alone... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/drowsy-but-awake-advice#post-413461 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 14:54:42 +0000 littlek 413461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish I knew.. Naps are still a problem for us and LO is 6 months.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/drowsy-but-awake-advice#post-413409 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 14:08:00 +0000 abmamma 413409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter just turned 3 months old and is still pretty much unable to put herself to sleep in any capacity. Her sleep has gone downhill (although it was never that great to begin with) since she turned 2 months old and became more aware of the world. I feel like we now have to put her in the swing or rock/bounce her in order to get her to go to sleep (day or night) and if we don't hit that magic window (usually after 90 minutes of being awake), then she is an overtired, screaming mess. </p> <p>I will be the first to admit that we probably have not done a great job with the drowsy but awake strategy. My problem is that I don't really understand how to do it. when you put them down drowsy but eyes still open, what do you do when they cry? pick them up and start over or let them fuss? Letting her cry seems like sleep training to me (which I am not necessarily opposed to) which I keep hearing is not effective until babies are four months. So I am not entirely sure I understand what I should have been doing/what I should do now.... Is gradual extinction our only hope at this point?</p> <p>I know we are getting to the point where sleep associations are much more likely and I am worried that if we don't address this soon we will have an even harder time . Also, I am going back to work in another month and I am worried that our caregiver (we are doing a nanny share with another family) won't have time to spend soothing her to sleep for every nap and I don't want her to be totally traumatized by my not being at home!</p> <p>Help!! </p>