Sleep improving baby's sleep without "crying it out"? I'd greatly appreciate any advice you all have. I'm looking for a way to improve my 13 month old daughter's sleep without using a crying it out method. We have to nurse or walk her to sleep at bedtime, which often involves a good bit of crying and doesn't always work and she ends up staying up until we try again later, and then she wakes up at least three times a night and can't fall back asleep on her own. She used to sleep with us almost all the time, but we found as she got older that she slept more peacefully in her crib, at least for most of the night. Now we just bring her to our bed in the wee hours of the morning (and nurse her to sleep) when she tends to wake up more frequently and we tend to be too tired to walk her around. We've tried the "No-Cry Sleep Solution" book with only a little success. She falls asleep more calmly with her grandmother and at day care, but even then she needs someone to walk her around or rock her to fall asleep. Does anyone have any suggestions for improving her sleep? We're beginning to consider some form of crying it out (Jodi Mindell's "Sleeping Through the Night" is currently on the bedside table), since there's nearly always a good amount of crying at bedtime anyway, but we don't really have the heart to do it and I suspect it won't work with her. It seems there's not much alternative to continuing as we are or doing some crying-it-out. Please help. , lilaguide.com - Stores, Restaurants, Services, Products, Activities, Events

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Topic: improving baby's sleep without "crying it out"?


Add as a friend Send message	zinzin	09/17/2008 at 10:16 PM
	I'd greatly appreciate any advice you all have. I'm looking for a way to improve my 13 month old daughter's sleep without using a crying it out method. We have to nurse or walk her to sleep at bedtime, which often involves a good bit of crying and doesn't always work and she ends up staying up until we try again later, and then she wakes up at least three times a night and can't fall back asleep on her own. She used to sleep with us almost all the time, but we found as she got older that she slept more peacefully in her crib, at least for most of the night. Now we just bring her to our bed in the wee hours of the morning (and nurse her to sleep) when she tends to wake up more frequently and we tend to be too tired to walk her around. We've tried the "No-Cry Sleep Solution" book with only a little success. She falls asleep more calmly with her grandmother and at day care, but even then she needs someone to walk her around or rock her to fall asleep. Does anyone have any suggestions for improving her sleep? We're beginning to consider some form of crying it out (Jodi Mindell's "Sleeping Through the Night" is currently on the bedside table), since there's nearly always a good amount of crying at bedtime anyway, but we don't really have the heart to do it and I suspect it won't work with her. It seems there's not much alternative to continuing as we are or doing some crying-it-out. Please help. Flag

Add as a friend Send message	pixistx@yahho.com	09/18/2008 at 9:20 AM
	I don't know that I have much to offer, as my son is 4 1/2 months old and sleeps 12 hours at night. We don't have to do anything to get him to go to sleep. We lay him down and he'll talk to himself and then nod off. It wasn't like this at first. We did all the same things. Rocking him, walking outside and nursing him, even though I knew he wasn't really hungry. When I was trying to get his schedule together, he would cry and cry. But I have 2 friends who told me about a book that they used for their children. It's called On Becoming Baby Wise. It's about how to get your baby to sleep through the night on their own. Again I don't know if this will help you b/c of your daughter's age. I do know this, it will take you longer to get it right with her the older she gets. When we moved our son from the bassinet in our room to his crib in his own room we took a step backwards. He would wake up earlier than usually. After about 2 weeks we finally worked up enough nerve to just let him cry a little. We sat there and watched him on the monitor. And in about 10-15 mins he was back asleep. It took about 4 days of him doing this before he wasn't waking up. It was so hard to sit there and listen to him cry, but I've read in that book that it's ok for them to cry. Like I said, don't know if the book will help. Good luck! Wish I had more to offer. Flag

Add as a friend Send message	GnuMom	10/07/2008 at 5:52 PM
	We used the Ferber method (which does involve some crying) at about 8 months with my daughter, and it worked great. Kids need to learn to soothe themselves to sleep. Your daughter is relying on you to soothe her. When she wakes up (babies wake up a little every 90 minutes due to sleep cycles) and you're not there, she can't go back to sleep. It only took us 4 days, and after that when it was bedtime, I would put my awake daughter in her crib, kiss her, and leave. No crying, no fussing, just sleeping 10-12 hours. When she got older, she would kiss us good-night, then run to her crib and wait for me, then tell me to "go away". I would never advocate letting your baby cry it out when there's really something wrong, but a 13-month-old should be able to put herself to sleep and sleep through the night. P.S. If you try the Ferber method or some other CYI-technique, get yourself a good, distracting movie to watch so you're not just sitting there listening to your child cry. It's harder when they're older, since they can call for Mommy. I have a hard time listening to my daughter cry, but I did it, and I'm so glad I did. Flag

Add as a friend Send message	angela@danielhunsicker.com	01/22/2009 at 8:29 PM
	Smart Love Family Services provides parent coaching and consultation on sleep. You can contact them at 708.665.8052. The have a book called the Smart Love Parent by the Piepers. Elizabeth Pantley also has a no cry sleep solution book for toddlers and preschoolers. She has a ton of good tips, but for specific advice by professionals I would contact Smart Love. Hope this helps with what resonates with your ideals. Flag

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I'd greatly appreciate any advice you all have. I'm looking for a way to improve my 13 month old daughter's sleep without using a crying it out method. We have to nurse or walk her to sleep at bedtime, which often involves a good bit of crying and doesn't always work and she ends up staying up until we try again later, and then she wakes up at least three times a night and can't fall back asleep on her own. She used to sleep with us almost all the time, but we found as she got older that she slept more peacefully in her crib, at least for most of the night. Now we just bring her to our bed in the wee hours of the morning (and nurse her to sleep) when she tends to wake up more frequently and we tend to be too tired to walk her around. We've tried the "No-Cry Sleep Solution" book with only a little success. She falls asleep more calmly with her grandmother and at day care, but even then she needs someone to walk her around or rock her to fall asleep. Does anyone have any suggestions for improving her sleep? We're beginning to consider some form of crying it out (Jodi Mindell's "Sleeping Through the Night" is currently on the bedside table), since there's nearly always a good amount of crying at bedtime anyway, but we don't really have the heart to do it and I suspect it won't work with her. It seems there's not much alternative to continuing as we are or doing some crying-it-out. Please help. improving baby's sleep without "crying it out"? Sleep- Stores, Restaurants, Services, Products, Activities, Events