My neighbor has a little girl who is one month, one week, and two days older than Rylee. She has been struggling with her DD for a while now to sleep in her own bed. She used to do ok, but now she will not sleep anywhere but on the floor with her Mommy in the room. Both my neighbor and her DH have put their DD to sleep in her crib and she just screams like she is scared of something. She is at her wits end and doesn't know what to do. I suggested a toddler bed, but she doesn't think that she is ready for that yet. I have also told her to try and let her cry it out, but she can't do that either. Can you all please help? I feel so bad for her. TIA.

By Amyk on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 07:00 am:

Hey there -
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I would suggest the Baby Whisperer books - there will be some good suggestions. If the baby is already afraid in the crib - I think CIO would make it all the worse.

HTH.

Amy
Mom to 21mo Garrett

By Amecmom on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 08:51 am:

Ditto Amyk. The Baby Whisperer books are great. They have some great plans. I was a big fan of CIO until I read these books.

One of the things she advocates is putting the baby down in her crib and soothing her there. Letting her feel her mom's presence with a hand on her back. Reassuring her that she's just going to sleep and there's nothing to be afraid of. The important thing is to stay there for the whole nap or night time. When the baby wakes and needs soothing to pat her, or pick her up, then put her doen as soon as she stops crying.
She advocates sleeping on an air mattress in the room so the baby does not feel abandoned in her crib.
I'm ovesimplifing the process. It is long and hard, but worth it.
Have her check the book out of the library, "The Baby Whisperer Solves Your Problems" - or something like that...
Ame

By Kaye on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 09:30 am:

Honestly I would just cosleep. It only lasts for a short time and it really builds that bond of trust (which seems like this little one needs).

By Daisys on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 12:13 pm:

My duaghter slept on her own untill she was about 2 years old. Now, she starts off in her own bed but usually ends up w/ us in ours. This was mainly because she went thru some major groth spurts and I was not getting any sleep by trying to constinantly put her back in her bed. So, mu hubby & I decided to let her sleep w/ us. Everyone gets sleep and we're very close as a fam. BUt, I must admit that we are now trying to slowly adjust her back to fully sleep in her own bed. This is a slow and steady trial & error thing we;re doing. I'm finding that right know I'll like always start her in her own bed, then when she wakes up about 11pm to midnight I'll go and sooth her untill she falls back to sleep. She'll then wake again right about 4am and she usually at that times gets to sleep with us. I figure that after a little while of this I'll start soothing both times she wakes untill she can once again sleep thru the night in her on bed.

I must say though my sit is diff. My duaghter slept thru the night from the start and didn't start waking in the night untill anout 18mo/ 2 years of age.

I do wish your friend luck and totally agree, let the baby in thier bed for a while. It helps the baby to know that she's well cared for and doesn't get that abondon feeling. Personnly, I received one of those baby whisper tapes as a gift and it didn;t work for us but have heard its work well for many.

Another thing is to take the childs fav stuffy and get her to start sleeping w/ it as a sleep buddy.

DaisyS

By Emily7 on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 12:54 pm:

My ds started sleeping all night when he was put in a regular bed at 2 1/2. I am not sure if it was coinceidence or because of the bed.