Hellobee Boards

definitely move his bedtime up... between 6 and 6:30 worked best for us. then we did the whole let him cry for 5 mins before getting him, then soothe him back to sleep. next time he cries, wait 10 mins before getting him, then 15, and every time after that 15 mins. awful and traumatic (mostly for mom! not baby!) but it worked for us at 4.5 months, after about a week or two. only had to wait the 15 mins twice. slept thru the night every night since, and he's 2 years 9 months now.

@mrsaudi: it's best if you don't, so we tried not to, but in the beginning obviously it wasn't enough to just shush and pat so we'd pick him up. we'd hold him for less and less time each time we picked him up. it was kind of a trial and error situation. by the end we were just shushing and patting.

just a note that listening to them cry is probably the hardest thing you'll have to do. it's torture. but the change in your life when they start sleeping thru the night...!!! it is UNBELIEVABLE. plus you are more at peace knowing your baby is getting good rest and able to soothe themselves back to sleep. Life CHANGINGLY good.

@mrsaudi: Yes, she sleeps until about 6:30 or 7:00 the next day. However, my husband was giving her a "dream feed" for a long time, usually around 11pm or so. Then recently my pediatrician advised us to stop doing it since LO is old enough and weighs enough to not need it anymore. The first night we dropped it there was no problem and she slept through. But last night she was up at 2am. I haven't been up with her like that in nearly 2 months and so I'm a little grumpy today, lol. I have no idea what's going on, but figure it may have something to do with the 4 month sleep regression.

I'm 5 nights into CIO and agree with what everyone is saying about the first night being the worst, and listening to the crying being torture, but it is indeed life changing. My husband and I have so much time in the evenings to ourselves with the early bedtime and me not worried about him waking up every hour, like he was. And now even for nap time I can just put him into his crib *not even drowsy* and he puts himself to sleep, and if he wakes up in the middle of his nap, he extendes his nap by putting himself back to sleep. The way he went from waking up soooooo many times a night to just one or two times to feed, and to have that change happen so fast, was really remarkable. I'm proud of us for making it through.

Oh, on that first night when I was trying not to listen to the crying, I was on my laptop reading every ounce I could that supports CIO so that I could get my mind through it.

Good luck!