So now you all know where I've been :hi: !! My son will be 12 weeks this Saturday. He sleeps wonderfully if he is in bed with me, a habit I don't want to get into. I've tried it all, swaddling, music, white noise, trying to let him fall asleep in the crib (which doesn't happen), laying him down after he falls asleep, etc. Every I lay him down, his eyes pop open and hes wide awake!! I'm hoping as he gets a bit older he will be better at falling asleep on his own, but in the meantime, any suggestions?
Make my baby sleep...
- Thread starter Holly9937
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Oddly enough my mom just called me as I was reading your post.
She says to put him in the crib when it is time for bed and if he is awake then just stay awhile until he falls asleep or leave (keeping the baby monitor on of course). She said that it is hard to break yourself of "babying" your first child. But you will keep your sanity if you do. If the baby cries then she said to just let it cry. I hope the advice doesn't sound to cruel, but it is what she did with me.
She says to put him in the crib when it is time for bed and if he is awake then just stay awhile until he falls asleep or leave (keeping the baby monitor on of course). She said that it is hard to break yourself of "babying" your first child. But you will keep your sanity if you do. If the baby cries then she said to just let it cry. I hope the advice doesn't sound to cruel, but it is what she did with me.
We had friends that just could not put their child to bed...by the time she was 4~5 it was h3ll to be at their house at bedtime visiting, and have any attention diverted from her. There is nothing more manipulative that a 4 yr old screaming at bedtime.
If he's asleep and you put him down...and his eyes open...tuck him in and go away. Gotta start. It's the building of a bedtime ritual that helps. Saw an episode of the nanny relating to this...they had a whole housefull of kids that had no bedtime...fell asleep with mom and dad there.
Not that I believe you want to be like this, but just becasue they opne their eyes when you put them down doesn't mean you need to pick them back up. leave them. They will learn to wiggle around and settle themselves.
If he's asleep and you put him down...and his eyes open...tuck him in and go away. Gotta start. It's the building of a bedtime ritual that helps. Saw an episode of the nanny relating to this...they had a whole housefull of kids that had no bedtime...fell asleep with mom and dad there.
Not that I believe you want to be like this, but just becasue they opne their eyes when you put them down doesn't mean you need to pick them back up. leave them. They will learn to wiggle around and settle themselves.
I definately plan to let him cry it out eventually, but I read that you shouldn't do that until around 4-6 months. I guess that is the age where they really start to understand that crying will bring you running 
I used to get up every couple of hours for up to an hour at a time, trying to get him to fall back asleep and put him in the crib. The last couple of weeks I've been lazy, and just wanted to sleep and its been so much easier to have him in bed with me. I'm still just grateful that having a baby has not nearly been the stressful experience that so many make it out to be
I used to get up every couple of hours for up to an hour at a time, trying to get him to fall back asleep and put him in the crib. The last couple of weeks I've been lazy, and just wanted to sleep and its been so much easier to have him in bed with me. I'm still just grateful that having a baby has not nearly been the stressful experience that so many make it out to be 
If laying down with him is working, then go with it. You cannot spoil a baby with holding or cuddling them. Their cries are their only way of communicating at this point. Since you're not fond of having baby in bed, though, have you tried placing the crib along side your bed so that you're close by for him to feel comfortable, and within arm's reach to comfort him before he becomes too awake?Holly9937 said:I definately plan to let him cry it out eventually, but I read that you shouldn't do that until around 4-6 months. I guess that is the age where they really start to understand that crying will bring you running
Holly, my son is 7 weeks yesterday and we have a similar problem though not quite as bad as you. We too have read that you should never let a baby cry unattended until around 6 months old. (Up to that point they have not learned how to manipulate with a cry. Allowing them to do so will establish a sense of abandonment.)
I wish I had a good solution but I can at least tell you what (sometimes) works for us. Aidan loves his bouncy char and his swing. He will sleep in those frequently. He hates the basinet but will tolerate if we do three things. First, we keep an old shirt my wife wears to bed on top of the sheets. Second, we use a sleep positioner because he likes sleeping on his side. Third, we use a popcorn bag (one of those comfort bags you heat in the microwave) to warm up the basinet. We put in on the tshirt about 5 minutes before we want to lay him down and cover it with the blanket. When we're ready to put him in the bed is warm, smells like mommy, and allows him to sleep in his favorite position.
If all this fails, you might think about buying a cosleeper. We're near that purchase, It goes in between you and your husband in the bed and keeps the baby separate so you can't roll over onto him. A lot of people swear by them because you can feed and change the baby without getting out of bed.
I wish I had a good solution but I can at least tell you what (sometimes) works for us. Aidan loves his bouncy char and his swing. He will sleep in those frequently. He hates the basinet but will tolerate if we do three things. First, we keep an old shirt my wife wears to bed on top of the sheets. Second, we use a sleep positioner because he likes sleeping on his side. Third, we use a popcorn bag (one of those comfort bags you heat in the microwave) to warm up the basinet. We put in on the tshirt about 5 minutes before we want to lay him down and cover it with the blanket. When we're ready to put him in the bed is warm, smells like mommy, and allows him to sleep in his favorite position.
If all this fails, you might think about buying a cosleeper. We're near that purchase, It goes in between you and your husband in the bed and keeps the baby separate so you can't roll over onto him. A lot of people swear by them because you can feed and change the baby without getting out of bed.
Tha is pretty much what my Mom says. I would trust her she has had 6.(including me the most perfect and humblest)
My mother always advises counting to 100. If the baby is still crying, go, verify that everything is okay, comfort for a count of 100, and then leave. Takes some repeating, but even when very young, they can learn that being put down doesn't mean they are abandoned, that Mom is still around and will respond.
I'd try warming the bed, as well--could be the temperature change is a shock. Does he stay asleep if passed to another adult? If you stay and rub his tummy after putting him down, does he drift back off? I'd try putting him down before he can actually fall asleep in your arms, as well.
Of course, I don't have kids, and seldom am around them--so may not have any good advice to offer. Wishing you luck, though!
I'd try warming the bed, as well--could be the temperature change is a shock. Does he stay asleep if passed to another adult? If you stay and rub his tummy after putting him down, does he drift back off? I'd try putting him down before he can actually fall asleep in your arms, as well.
Of course, I don't have kids, and seldom am around them--so may not have any good advice to offer.
Wishing you luck, though!
I was blessed with a son who slept anywhere, anytime. He slept in a bassinet in my room for the first 3 months, and then we put him in his crib... I rocked him to sleep until he was a year old. I was STAUNCHLY against letting him cry it out at all, at any age. Right about 13 months he started resisting the rocking, but wouldn't just lie in his crib (he'd get up, cruise around in the crib, etc...) and if we left the room he'd cry.
After about 2 months of pure h3ll at bedtime, I decided to try CIO, since he was old enough to know that we were right in the other room, and that we weren't abandoning. He totally shocked us - he cried (exactly ) 5 minutes the first nite, 2 the second and 15 seconds the third!
Babies don't know how to manipulate w/ their cries until 5-6 months, and if you don't mind sleeping with him, you are NOT causing him any harm or starting any habits by doing so until that age. Does he sleep in the car? My best friend's son ONLY sleeps in the car, and in the car seat in his crib! Swings, bouncy seats, exersaucers, etc... are all ok for a baby to sleep in as well -- wherever they sleep, let them sleep!
If I were in your shoes, I'd co-sleep until 5-6 months, try the crib again and CIO if necessary. . . Good luck!!!
After about 2 months of pure h3ll at bedtime, I decided to try CIO, since he was old enough to know that we were right in the other room, and that we weren't abandoning. He totally shocked us - he cried (exactly
) 5 minutes the first nite, 2 the second and 15 seconds the third!Babies don't know how to manipulate w/ their cries until 5-6 months, and if you don't mind sleeping with him, you are NOT causing him any harm or starting any habits by doing so until that age. Does he sleep in the car? My best friend's son ONLY sleeps in the car, and in the car seat in his crib! Swings, bouncy seats, exersaucers, etc... are all ok for a baby to sleep in as well -- wherever they sleep, let them sleep!
If I were in your shoes, I'd co-sleep until 5-6 months, try the crib again and CIO if necessary. . . Good luck!!!
