https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 06:24:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687220 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 09:01:41 +0000 blackbird 1687220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh yeah I take E to a chiro every 3 months or so. When my back hurts, I don't sleep well, so it makes sense to me. But it was never some magical or immediate fix for mine.</p> <p>I think I just kept hoping she would figure it out once it went downhill, but it's like the regression got worse and worse and she would STTN about once a week, but never more. Finally I was so tired at work, I just decided to try CIO. So many friends had great success, I figured why not. I did NOT believe I was forever damaging her or some BS lol. I hit my limit at 6 months, mostly </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687143 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 06:43:48 +0000 Grace 1687143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: You know what? I'd just try it once. I think that the rocking was actually stimulating my kid and that's why she went to sleep so much faster when I just put her in her crib. Think of it as an experiment. If she just shrieks the whole time (and I'm suggesting 10-15 min, not hours), then abort. You don't have to make a commitment right now.</p> <p>@MrsB2012: That was fascinating! I'll admit, I could never trust my baby to a chiropractor, but your description was so interesting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687098 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 00:56:01 +0000 Kemma 1687098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here's the link!</p> <p><a href="http://askmoxie.org/blog/2011/01/tension-increasers.html" rel="nofollow">http://askmoxie.org/blog/2011/01/tension-increasers.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687096 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 00:52:54 +0000 Kemma 1687096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Zbug: I used to do this with my LO, if she didnt fall asleep nursing I'd pop her in the cot until she needed me and was starting to get upset. Most of the time she'd happily fuss for about for 5-10 minutes and when I went back to nurse her she'd knock out pretty quick!</p> <p>@Emsmems: have you ever read the article about tension increasers and tension decreasers? I'll try in find the link but basically some babies need to have a good cry as part of settling down for sleep but others just wind up if left to cry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687074 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 00:04:32 +0000 MrsB2012 1687074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Zbug: haha that is exactly it. Once you think you have it figured out it all changes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687073 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:59:18 +0000 Zbug 1687073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: haha that's pretty much my plan too. Don't worry, mama. It will be okay. The thing we have all learned about babies is that nothing lasts forever. Once you think you've figured it out, it all changes. We just do the best we can do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687070 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:53:04 +0000 Emsmems 1687070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsB2012: wow, interesting! I saw a chiropractor all through my pregnancy as well, and she told me to bring DS in once he was born for a free evaluation, and I never have (just not on my list of things to do!). Maybe I will give her a call!</p> <p>@Zbug: thank you. For nap time I did just leave him to scream and cry, but I couldn't believe it was only 10 minutes. I don't really know what my plan is, I'm just kinda doing what feels right as I go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687064 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:45:33 +0000 MrsB2012 1687064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter was a really good sleeper, sleeping on average 12 hours straight through the night by 1 month old. When she was 8 months old, it all went down the drain. We spent 2 months trying to figure out a way to get her to sleep. Either she would A) scream for 3 hours before falling asleep, B) wake up 2-5 times a night, or C) get up at like 430/5am for the day and then often not nap. This week I had a dr appt for an unrelated issue, and while there I brought it up with my Dr. She said I just need to sleep train her, that I needed to let her cry for as long as it took and within 7-10 days she should be 'reset.' The problem for us, was we had attempted to sleep train during these last 2 months, but whenever we went in the room she would become hysterical. I wasn't comfortable with just leaving her alone for long periods at a time, I just couldn't do it. </p> <p>I had heard from a few people that they had great success with bringing their baby to a chiropractor. I've never been into chiropractors, but had gone during my pregnancy and found it very useful. My friend works as a receptionist and I asked her if they had babies come in and she said absolutely, all the time. So I got ahold of the Dr that I went to during pregnancy and brought my daughter in. ( She's 10 months old. ) He spent a long time looking at her range of motion, gently feeling her out, seeing how she was aligned. He found a couple spots on her back where she had some obvious discomfort and asked if I was ok with him fixing them. I said absolutely. He was super gentle, basically just had her laying on the table and put his fingers under her back and basically just rocked her over his fingertips. I don't know how to describe it, but it was extremely gentle and honestly I didn't even know if he was doing anything.</p> <p>That was 3 days ago. The first night she went into bed and was asleep with no crying within 5 minutes of laying down. She slept 8 hours, was up for a feed and then slept for 3 more. The second night she was asleep right away and slept for 11 hours and then after her feed slept for 3 more. Tonight, I put her to bed at 7 and she's still asleep, it's almost 10. ( She honestly hasn't been to bed at 7 since the last night of March. She used to always be in bed and asleep by 730 at the latest.) </p> <p>I know a lot of people don't agree with chiropractic care and will warn you about the 'what can happen.' If you know a pediatric chiropractor who is gentle it's something you could look into it. I'm not trying to start a debate about it, it's just something that I've done that's been a miracle worker. </p> <p>Good luck! I hope you find something that works with you and what you're comfortable doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687063 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:44:42 +0000 Zbug 1687063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: I totally understand. I also think that letting them cry for a bit is fine. When my LO won't settle, I will leave the room for a few minutes. When she gets really upset, I go back in. Sometimes she just falls asleep. Sometimes she's ready to calm down and settle when I go back. Sometimes I repeat the process. For the record, I think what you did is vastly different than shutting the door and just letting the baby cry. For what it's worth, it sounds like you are doing a great job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687032 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 22:37:38 +0000 immabeetoo 1687032@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: you don't have to explain anything to me! Your baby, your sleep, your sanity :wink: Just answering your question with my opinion re: age! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687029 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 22:33:54 +0000 Emsmems 1687029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Zbug: @scg00387: it is such a hard decision, and not one I'm taking lightly. I don't mind getting up with him at night, but the screaming every nap and bedtime for so long is what is dragging me down. That's why I don't know if I can wait any longer! </p> <p>Tonight I nursed, put him down wide awake, waited until he really cried (not just fussed), and then went back in and nursed and rocked again and he was out pretty fast. I want to comfort him but holding him while he screams doesn't seem comforting or productive! It's clearly not working since it's been going on for weeks! We'll see if what I did tonight works again tomorrow </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1687014 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 22:14:40 +0000 immabeetoo 1687014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: I don't think 6months is a magic number I just think that's a common age developmentally that kids sort stuff out sleep wise and are probably more receptive to sleep training. For us, that was also about the time that he reliably didn't have burping issues, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686810 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 17:57:20 +0000 Zbug 1686810@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: here you go!! These links more made me feel better about deciding not to sleep train than helped with the bedtime battle. I was really conflicted about it bc I was worried I needed to help DD sleep better but didn't feel right letting her cry. The articles made me feel better about just letting it ride. As far as the bedtime battle goes, we have had weeks when every night was a battle, and I was so over it. Recently, I had to walk her in the ergo to get her to sleep at night. I sort of keep trying new things, adjusting bedtime, trying to follow her cues, etc. I also feel that crying in the arms of a loving parent is different than crying alone, and I think I read somewhere that cortisol levels aren't elevated when crying while being held. It's really hard. I'm not saying you shouldn't sleep train. It's a really personal decision. I'm just sharing what made me feel better about our decision not to do so.<br /> <a href="http://kellymom.com/blog-post/why-we-dont-like-sleep-training-for-babies/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/blog-post/why-we-dont-like-sleep-training-for-babies/</a><br /> <a href="http://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleepstudies/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleepstudies/</a><br /> <a href="http://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleep/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleep/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686785 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 17:09:03 +0000 Emsmems 1686785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Zbug: I'll take those links if you have them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686728 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 16:04:57 +0000 Emsmems 1686728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: I've thought about that too! What's so special about 6 months that I should wait until then? I don't know...</p> <p>Well, he just fought his nap with me for an hour, so I just put him down and walked away because I needed a break. 10 min of crying and he was out. He was so so tired though. We will see how this goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686683 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 14:50:01 +0000 blackbird 1686683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't do CIO sleep training until month 6, and I wish I had tried it earlier, honestly. I always wonder if we could have saved ourselves a lot of grief between months 4 and 6!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686635 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 14:11:11 +0000 Emsmems 1686635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you to everyone who weighed in! I know it's such a personal decision! I wanted to wait until 6 months to sleep train (at least) but I don't know if I can do 2 months of crying and screaming for every sleep time. Every time he's screaming I think "we've got to just do CIO" and then when he's not I think "I can't do that to him"! So I will keep thinking about it and seeing if anything else will work. </p> <p>I think our new babysitter thinks we are crazy when we showed her how we bounce, sway, etc for naps while he just screams! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686264 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 01:48:16 +0000 abbydabbydoodlebug 1686264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So sorry you're still having trouble! I really hope you all get some relief soon. *hugs* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686240 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 01:07:36 +0000 Corduroy 1686240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds like your current routine isn't working for you. The thing is you just won't know if CIO is your best option unless you try it. </p> <p>CIO worked for us at 4 months and controversial as it is DH and I look back on it as one of the best parenting decisions we've made. We cut 'bedtime' from an exhausting nightly two hour walk down to 5-10 minutes. It made a world of difference for us. We turned two hours of crying into two hours of 'free' time over the course of three days. And she never cried as much as she did in that 2 hour bedtime routine.</p> <p>Despite the good luck we had with bedtime sleep training we had a really difficult time with naps. We tried nap training 4 times without success. DH finally got LO to nap somewhere besides our arms at one year (even daycare was holding her to get 30 min of peace and quiet) and at 15 months we've finally gotten a nap longer than 30 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686210 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:28:51 +0000 immabeetoo 1686210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think learning to fall asleep is a developmental thing - and there are lots of stories of CIO not working for LOs on the boards. My LO took 30 minute naps until about 5.5 months - around 6 months seems to be when lots of kiddos consolidate on their own.</p> <p>Anyways, we did no cry sleep solution around that age and had great success. I could've written the rest of your post word for word, with the fighting sleep and crying while we rocked him -- I just wanted to try other options since he was so young. If it hadn't had worked, we would've moved to CIO at some point. I know how exhausting it is to have a LO fight sleep hard! Just simply offering that it isn't your only option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686204 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:20:49 +0000 lady grey 1686204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We went though this same thing at that age. We did decide to do cry it out (Sleep Easy Solution). Its such a personal choice, but for us, I knew it was right. Yes, it was painful to hear LO cry for 20-30 minutes learning to out himself to sleep but that ony lasted a 3 nights (full disclosure, naps took longer and he did cry for naps for a few weeks). For us, some crying from CIO is better struggling with sleep day in an day out- that can make a mama go craaazy! I know CIO is not for everyone, its such a personal decision. But life is so good now, let me tell you! LO goes down for sleep so easily every night and every nap. Hope this gets better for you soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686196 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:06:28 +0000 Zbug 1686196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel your pain. We are in a similar boat. DD is 8 months, and it definitely is still really hard at times. We have found things that work for awhile but I often have to adjust. CIO isn't really an option for us. I have no problem letting her fuss or even cry for short periods of time but I just can't leave her alone so upset. It's not always easy, but we are powering through. The nice thing is that DD fell asleep in her own for both naps today and in my arms after nursing tonight (no crying, very peaceful). We have decided to let it ride, and we are finally seeing progress. </p> <p>Sorry, it's late and I'm rambling! Just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. If sleep training works best for your family, that could be a good option for you. There are other options though. I found some kellymom articles extremely helpful. Let me know if you're interested, and I will dig them tomorrow. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686194 Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:05:34 +0000 wonderstruck 1686194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If he's crying himself to sleep anyways it seems like it makes sense to try it! Worked like a charm for my son who was very similar It is HARD the first time you do it, but in our case there was no more screaming than there would have been if we were in there with him - in fact, there may have been less and by night two there was WAY less. Surprisingly enough, he stays upset for longer when we're in the room! Which contradicts every anti-CIO sentiment I've heard, but it was what worked for us and our LO.</p> <p>My main two sanity savers with CIO were a soother (we had an aquarium style one that hooked to the crib, and once he started to calm down he would just watch it, and soon skipped the upset stage and went straight to watching it, even learned how to press the button and turn it on by himself during night wakings!) and a stopwatch, which I used my phone for, because you will always think he's been crying for way longer than it actually has been, so it's nice to be able to verify how long it has truly been.</p> <p>We did Ferber for nighttime (basically CIO with check-ins at certain intervals if he still hadn't calmed down.) Naps were much much more difficult, if we checked in on him it just started the whole cycle over and he took much longer to calm down, so I did nights first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686152 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 23:18:18 +0000 Grace 1686152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Emsmems: For some reason she didn't freak out at bedtime, so I did the same as I always did. Until at maybe 8 months when she didn't like it for bedtime either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686143 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 23:10:36 +0000 Emsmems 1686143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: good to know it worked! Did you do naps and bedtime all at once? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686139 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 23:06:01 +0000 Grace 1686139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO did that at that age too. I thought the same thing. If you are going to cry, then you might as well cry in the crib. It worked. She just didn't want to be rocked anymore. The first time, she cried half the time that she had been crying while I rocked her and every time after that, it got shorter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-cry-it-out-our-best-option-baby-fighting-sleep#post-1686130 Fri, 06 Jun 2014 22:58:56 +0000 Emsmems 1686130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 5 months next week. For the past 3+ weeks, he has been fighting sleep SO HARD! First I thought it was the 4 month sleep regression, but we have gone from waking up every hour at night to only two wake ups at around 12-1 am and 3-4 am (I feel like I'm cursing myself by writing that!), so I'm assuming our sleep regression is over. </p> <p>However, DS screams and cries for 30-60minutes for naps and bedtime. We have a consistent nap and bedtime routine. We take him upstairs as soon as he starts yawning for naps. I nurse him or DH feeds him a bottle, because we had been nursing to sleep, but 3/4 of the time he will stop eating and start screaming and crying. Bouncing, swaying, rocking, walking and shushing ensue until he cries himself to sleep. The only other option is waiting until he is super super tired (really, overtired) and then he will just fall asleep eating because he can't fight it anymore. Naps are usually only 30 minutes. But at night I'll see him on the monitor wake up and stir and go back to sleep. </p> <p>I feel like our only option at this point in cry it out. It seems like if he's going to cry that long anyway, might as well be to learn to put himself to sleep. But not sure if that will work. And "drowsy but awake" does NOT work. He will start screaming at some point, never falls asleep on his own! He also doesn't take a pacifier anymore (that used to soothe him from drowsy to sleep, but he's caught on and refuses it, screams harder). What should I do? I didn't want to do CIO but I can't take the incessant screaming for so long every sleep time!</p> <p>PS: if I co-sleep or let him sleep in my bed for naps, it's not as long but he still fights. But he'll usually fall asleep nursing more often and more quickly. Don't know if that makes a difference. </p>