https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:04:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-647240 Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:21:59 +0000 hilsy85 647240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChelseaRose: thanks! We just put him down to sleep pretty easily tonight--ony two minutes of crying. Hopefully the rest of the night goes well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646786 Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:37:51 +0000 ChelseaRose 646786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hope tonight goes better! It should! In all the posts and other things I've read about sleep training everyone always says thy the first night is the worst/hardest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646302 Sat, 16 Mar 2013 07:21:32 +0000 hilsy85 646302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks so much ladies! Well, we survived...Lo was up from 10-midnight; the 1st hour we were trying rocking and nursing; the 2n hour I started doing checks. I did 2 min, 2 min, 3 min, 5 min, and 7 min. After that he cried on and off (2 min on, 5 min off etc) for about 20 min and then fell asleep. He woke up at 1, I fed him (maybe a mistake?) and put him down. Did one 2 min check and then he slept from 120 to 645. Not bad for the first night I guess! Well see how tonight goes... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646214 Sat, 16 Mar 2013 01:27:34 +0000 plantains 646214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: it varied, once in a while she didn't cry, but mostly the checks just made her madder/more worked up. </p> <p>By the third day, I realized the checks were more to ease my conscience than anything, anxious stopped doing them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646208 Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:57:44 +0000 ChelseaRose 646208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: I read the Moms on Call book, but didn't really implement it because at the time my LO's sleep was improving. I was scared to get rid of the pacifier and swaddle at 12 weeks, but was kicking myself for not doing it when we started having sleep problems and needed to get rid of them anyway. It seemed really harsh when I first read it, but after going through a round of sleep training I don't think it is that bad and the benefits are worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646176 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:46:33 +0000 sandy 646176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree with everyone that it can be so tough but it will change your life and your LO's sleep...they will get long stretches of uninterrupted sleep and so will you! So many moms (including myself) start out anti sleep training but once they try it they realize that it is so worth it...baby and mama benefit! Most of the moms I know that are having a tough time are not sleeping well and their baby is fussy from also not sleeping well. Best of luck!!!</p> <p>I really liked the super short and easy to understand online course at <a href="http://www.momsoncall.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.momsoncall.com</a>. I read so many books (secrets of the baby whisperer, healthy sleep habits happy child, dr. Sear's book, and babywise)...momsoncall was the easiest to implement for me...but I would read and re-read all my books to help me decide what would work best. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646163 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:18:49 +0000 ChelseaRose 646163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: if he's not calming down, you might need to stop the checks. It will get better. The first is the worst. My husband actually just remarked how different the nights are now. Also, I no longer dread the nights. Tonight was night six an he didn't cry or whine at all when I put him down and fell asleep within five minutes. Allowing him to fall asleep on his own and self-soothe will help him in the long run. Thinking of you guys tonight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646126 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:48:53 +0000 hilsy85 646126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChelseaRose: we ditched the swaddle and I give him the paci when I go in for checks but he usually spits it out a few minutes later. This is aaawful!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646122 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:45:59 +0000 ChelseaRose 646122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: Good luck! The first night is by far the worst. I sat in my bedroom with the door closed and could still hear the yelling. I asked my husband to bring me iPad and headphones, which is how I distracted myself. I left the volume on the monitor off, but watched him most of the time.</p> <p>ETA: are you getting rid of the swaddle and paci too? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646077 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:25:32 +0000 hilsy85 646077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>well we are now sleep training! LO started screaming and would NOt be put down and would not sleep. So here we go.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646028 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:46:59 +0000 mrsjyw 646028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Isis parenting has a lot of great webinars and info! I follow nurse nancy holtzman on twitter and she is amazing at responding too. Hope u get btr sleep soon mama! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646013 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:39:48 +0000 Running Elley 646013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ughhhh we're here too. We're waiting until 5.5 months (next week) to start. Heaven help us. I think we'll be following the Weissbluth method but I'm all sorts of scared. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-646007 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:36:49 +0000 edelweiss 646007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hey hilsy! not sure if someone's already mentioned this, but the healthy sleep habits book has great information but is really dry and somewhat repetitive. the beginning of the book goes into onerous detail about why sleep is important and a bunch of other stuff--the basic message is that...well, sleep is important and that sleep begets sleep. </p> <p>towards the middle of the book there is more concrete information regarding sleep needs/patterns depending on what age your child is. i think that's the part that people keep referring to. </p> <p>all this to say that i don't think you have to worry about reading the entire book. you can just focus on the section that you need as time goes along.</p> <p>of course this is coming from the person who has the worst time getting her baby to fall and stay asleep, so feel free to take what i say with a huge honking boulder of salt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-645682 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:24:03 +0000 coruscations 645682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love this baby sleep website:<br /> <a href="http://www.troublesometots.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.troublesometots.com/</a></p> <p>It has tons of age-specific information, and there's a page on there that summarizes all the sleep books (which I don't have time to read either). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use/page/2#post-645645 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:00:02 +0000 hilsy85 645645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChelseaRose: ah gotcha. I tried using the sleep sack for naps today but was too chicken to use it for night time!<br /> @FutureMrsMcK: well it sounds like your method has worked pretty well! I still feel like i don't really trust myself...like how will I know if he's crying because he needs me or because he's scared, or just because he's tired? I always doubt myself even though I know his cries pretty well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645628 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:41:10 +0000 lovehoneybee 645628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine wouldn't fall asleep anywhere but in my arms while nursing. Like some pps, normal CIO didn't work for us because he would get more pissed off and hysterical when we checked on him at the 5, 10, 15 minute intervals. We didn't go full extinction, though. I would let him cry for up to 15 minutes before going in, with wiggle room either way. If his cry was a very tired, just fighting sleep cry I'd let him go until he fell asleep. If it was a very angry, hysterical cry I'd go in sooner. Once or twice I went in early, and once or twice I let him go longer, but the bulk of the time he was asleep within 10 minutes. Of that 10 minutes he would lightly cry for a few minutes and then sort of whine. </p> <p>I also paid a lot of attention to his body language via the video monitor. If he was sitting up screaming I knew he wouldn't be able to calm himself down. If he was flopped down on his tummy whining I knew it would only be a few minutes before he was out. </p> <p>It's definitely not a perfect method and relies a lot on my gut and being able to read him. We're still working on it. Some nights he'll still cry for a few minutes, some nights he'll roll around and chew on his toys before falling asleep within a few minutes, and some nights he goes right to sleep with no fuss. Rarely does he throw a fit, and if he does it's usually because he's wet. Most nights he wakes up at least once (2 hours or so before he gets up for the day), and sometimes twice (unless he's teething or working on a big developmental milestone, then all bets are off). </p> <p>Not a perfect method, and definitely not for everyone. I didn't read any books, and I only really know the basis of what the generally accepted methods are. I just sort of went with my gut on how to handle it, and tweaked when I needed for what worked or didn't work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645618 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:31:14 +0000 ChelseaRose 645618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I guess, but it won't be as big of a transition because he has a lot more range of motion. Also, we started using the Merlin suit a few weeks ago and were not planning to sleep train yet. He started rolling over while swaddled and an immediate switch to a sleep sack yielded our worst night of sleep ever. We probably should have just sleep trained right then, but he was still sttn at that point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645597 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:13:13 +0000 hilsy85 645597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChelseaRose: but won't you have to wean off the merlin suit as well? That's my fear in using something transitional like that... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645588 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:06:34 +0000 Beebug 645588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: Thank-you for posting this, right behind ya! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645587 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:05:14 +0000 Lindsay05 645587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did the 'throw her in the crib and let her cry if need be' method. I guess our plan was to CIO but we never explored any other options and knew that it would probably work the best for our LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645578 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:01:08 +0000 sunny 645578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My friends told me that CIO worked for them and after reading about how many methods included CIO that's what we decided on. I think my LO got more upset when I went to check on her so we just did extinction. After 2 nights of crying up to 60 min, she stopped. It took awhile but we are now at the point where we just get a little whining and fussing rather than a full on cry when we put her in the crib. We started at 4.5 months. Our pedi recommended that if we wanted to sleep train, that we do it between 4-6 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645538 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:39:55 +0000 ChelseaRose 645538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would get the swaddle weaning and sleep training out of the way at the same time. I'd also ditch the paci for sleeping too, unless he can put it in his own mouth. You would want him to be able to have access to his hands I case he wants to suck on his thumb, fingers, or hand. We've been using the Merlin sleep suit and it has helped a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-645336 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:09:04 +0000 hilsy85 645336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meredithNYC: thanks! :)<br /> @Freckles: he's pretty easy to put down initially at night, but it's been harder in the MOTN and for naps. Boo!<br /> @ChelseaRose: that's awesome that it only took a few nights!<br /> @mrskc: no prob! Hopefully our guys both get through this sleep regression nonsense soon!<br /> @plantains: ahhh that sounds terrible :( Did she stop crying when you went in for checks, or just cried through them?<br /> @prettylizy: yeah I mean I'm a SAHM so I guess I could nap during the day...but I never do because there's always other stuff to do. It sounds like your LO never really needed sleep training, which is awesome!<br /> @NovBaby1112: I think doing 1-2 feedings is ok as long as YOU set the time for them--it's not just whenever they wake up. That's tough though, because I feel like we've been very inconsistent with it up til now!</p> <p>For everyone: we should swaddle wean before sleep training, right? It doesn't make sense to sleep train while he's swaddled? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644659 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:00:53 +0000 NovBaby1112 644659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good thread...we've been doing sleep training, but with no checks since Lo really only fusses/whines. I have not been consistent with it though so that's probably why its hit or miss with us. The problem I'm having is how do you decide which wake up to feed at? I don't have a problem with one or even 2 night feeds at her age, but how do you decide which ones to do it for? Does it confuse them if you let them cry/fuss for some wakeups at night but feed them at others? This is what has been the most confusing for me. Maybe some sleep training mamas can weigh in.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644485 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:25:19 +0000 prettylizy 644485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't sleep train, but I had a whole year off and didn't need to be on the ball at work every day, I could take a nap if I needed it. We were lucky in that she went to sleep fairly easily by 4 months, at 6 months was in her own room and started STTN on her own. I remember stressing about it in the moment, but looking back, letting her sort it out herself worked best for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644467 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:19:03 +0000 plantains 644467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I know your pain. It was exactly atound this age that L started waking up every 1.5hrs and it was sooooo frustrating, especially because she had previously only been waking up once or twice at most to eat. </p> <p>We did CIO. We checked on her after 5,10 and then 15 the first night but by the second night we modified it to letting her cry for 15 mins then check on her once to tell her we love her etc and then just let her CIO till she fell asleep. </p> <p>The firs night was awful, she cried for an hour and a half and without DH, it would have been impossible to pull off. Over the next 7 days, the crying time reduced and eventually got down to about 5 mins or so. After 3 weeks she went down without a peep. </p> <p>I didn't bother with nap training because honestly, I just couldn't face it. She sleeps 11-11.5 hours straight at night which is my top priority. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644432 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:08:43 +0000 mrskc 644432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh, I'm right there with you @hilsy85: ! Sleep has not been great for us. My baby used to sleep all night and now he's up 4-5 times a night. Thanks for starting this thread! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644407 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:02:08 +0000 ChelseaRose 644407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: We said that we would try it for about 4-5 nights and that I we didn't see any improvement then we would just go back to how things were before. We decided that if he didn't improve then he wasn't ready and we would revisit it in a month or so if things were still bad. Night two was much better than the first and the third night was better than the second. Naps seem to be getting better too. After two days of him waking up after 30-40 minutes and fussing before going back to sleep, he's now been sleeping for over an hour. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644324 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:43:24 +0000 Freckles 644324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I read EASY and Weissbluth at the 2 month mark (you really just have to skim through a couple of chapters) to start instilling good sleep habits and it helped a lot. I used a mix of both, and it really helped her get into a good sleep schedule.</p> <p>I actually thought i didn't end up having to do CIO with LO because she didn't wake up like crazy throughout the night and was easy to put down to sleep. She went through a rough phase at 3.5 months but i was reluctant to do any sort of CIO method. At 4.5 months it was unbearable to put her down so we did Feber's CIO method and after 3 nights we were able to put her to sleep without a peep and with her fully awake.</p> <p>For night weaning we did extinction because LO was a lot older then (8ish months). It really just decides on your LO and only you know what would work best. Usually you get an idea after the first night! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-you-decide-what-sleep-training-method-you-would-use#post-644286 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:31:16 +0000 BabyBruins 644286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I was part of a mom group that was led by a sleep expert and her method was CIO with checks so we did that. He was 22 weeks actual/16 weeks adjusted and my group leader felt strongly that we shouldn't do any sleep training until after 16 weeks. The first few nights were hard and I cried just as much as him, but his sleep, especially naps, got so much better after we did it. He never napped in his crib before we trained him and now we can read a couple books, sing a song and put him down and he falls asleep on his own. We kept a dream feed for a long time, 9 months, (probably longer than we needed to), but we didn't have to deal with middle of the night wake ups after he dropped all of his other night feeds.<br /> Good luck! </p>