Please help my 8mo old DS all of a sudden won't sleep in his crib!

This started one week ago. DS was never a great sleeper - he has always woken up in the middle of the night one or more times and needed to be rocked to sleep BUT, that said he has always spent all his sleeping time in his crib.

Starting last week the second he is lowered into the crib he starts hysterical crying. If I let him CIO a bit he is beyond hysterical hanging on the bars, eyes open, screaming. I haven't been feeling well so the last three nights I gave him and let him sleep in bed with us. It was NOT FUN and I hardly slept but, HE DID - just woke up once so...it is obviously a crib problem!

What can I do? I am really hesitant to do a full on CIO Dr. Ferber style b/c I am in the process of weaning from EBF to FF and I don't want to traumatize the kid completely!

Any help would be appreciated! I need to sleep!

Re: Please help my 8mo old DS all of a sudden won't sleep in his crib!

First of all .. sorry you are having to deal with this.

I can only speak from my experience. DS is almost 8 months and when he was 6 months, we tried out the Ferber method because we would have to make sure he was totally asleep before putting him in his crib and it was getting tiring. First night it took 25 minutes, second night nothing. He took to it like a champ. For 2 months it was great.

3 nights ago, DS went crazy again. He has started standing up, so DH would feed him his last bottle and put him in the crib and he would start screaming. DH went in to check on him and he was standing up in the crib! DH caved in and rocked him to sleep.

Last night I decided we could not get into that habit and we started the Ferber method again. DH put him down, he cried for 5 minutes we went to check on him and he was kneeling with hands on bars screaming. We lay him down, reassured him and leave... screaming again. Long story short, after checking on him a few times, laying him down from kneeling or standing position... he eventually fell asleep after about 30 minutes.

I personally believe in the Ferber method. But if you are going to do it, you really have to commit to it. Good luck with your decision!!!

Message edited 5/1/2008 2:36:35 PM.

Re: Please help my 8mo old DS all of a sudden won't sleep in his crib!

Posted by jerseypanda

First of all .. sorry you are having to deal with this.

I can only speak from my experience. DS is almost 8 months and when he was 6 months, we tried out the Ferber method because we would have to make sure he was totally asleep before putting him in his crib and it was getting tiring. First night it took 25 minutes, second night nothing. He took to it like a champ. For 2 months it was great.

3 nights ago, DS went crazy again. He has started standing up, so DH would feed him his last bottle and put him in the crib and he would start screaming. DH went in to check on him and he was standing up in the crib! DH caved in and rocked him to sleep.

Last night I decided we could not get into that habit and we started the Ferber method again. DH put him down, he cried for 5 minutes we went to check on him and he was kneeling with hands on bars screaming. We lay him down, reassured him and leave... screaming again. Long story short, after checking on him a few times, laying him down from kneeling or standing position... he eventually fell asleep after about 30 minutes.

I personally believe in the Ferber method. But if you are going to do it, you really have to commit to it. Good luck with your decision!!!

Re: Please help my 8mo old DS all of a sudden won't sleep in his crib!

Posted by jerseypanda

First of all .. sorry you are having to deal with this.

I can only speak from my experience. DS is almost 8 months and when he was 6 months, we tried out the Ferber method because we would have to make sure he was totally asleep before putting him in his crib and it was getting tiring. First night it took 25 minutes, second night nothing. He took to it like a champ. For 2 months it was great.

3 nights ago, DS went crazy again. He has started standing up, so DH would feed him his last bottle and put him in the crib and he would start screaming. DH went in to check on him and he was standing up in the crib! DH caved in and rocked him to sleep.

Last night I decided we could not get into that habit and we started the Ferber method again. DH put him down, he cried for 5 minutes we went to check on him and he was kneeling with hands on bars screaming. We lay him down, reassured him and leave... screaming again. Long story short, after checking on him a few times, laying him down from kneeling or standing position... he eventually fell asleep after about 30 minutes.

I personally believe in the Ferber method. But if you are going to do it, you really have to commit to it. Good luck with your decision!!!

Re: Please help my 8mo old DS all of a sudden won't sleep in his crib!

Posted by Aga

Posted by jerseypanda

First of all .. sorry you are having to deal with this.

I can only speak from my experience. DS is almost 8 months and when he was 6 months, we tried out the Ferber method because we would have to make sure he was totally asleep before putting him in his crib and it was getting tiring. First night it took 25 minutes, second night nothing. He took to it like a champ. For 2 months it was great.

3 nights ago, DS went crazy again. He has started standing up, so DH would feed him his last bottle and put him in the crib and he would start screaming. DH went in to check on him and he was standing up in the crib! DH caved in and rocked him to sleep.

Last night I decided we could not get into that habit and we started the Ferber method again. DH put him down, he cried for 5 minutes we went to check on him and he was kneeling with hands on bars screaming. We lay him down, reassured him and leave... screaming again. Long story short, after checking on him a few times, laying him down from kneeling or standing position... he eventually fell asleep after about 30 minutes.

I personally believe in the Ferber method. But if you are going to do it, you really have to commit to it. Good luck with your decision!!!

this is exactly what we are going through right now... standing up and screaming 2 nights ago we tried what you did, only after 2 hours I gave up, couldnt do it anymore... yesterday he fell asleep just fine, but woke up after 2 hours screaming... back to CIO tonight, we shall see...

Re: Please help my 8mo old DS all of a sudden won't sleep in his crib!

Posted by itsbabytime

Posted by Aga

Posted by jerseypanda

First of all .. sorry you are having to deal with this.

I can only speak from my experience. DS is almost 8 months and when he was 6 months, we tried out the Ferber method because we would have to make sure he was totally asleep before putting him in his crib and it was getting tiring. First night it took 25 minutes, second night nothing. He took to it like a champ. For 2 months it was great.

3 nights ago, DS went crazy again. He has started standing up, so DH would feed him his last bottle and put him in the crib and he would start screaming. DH went in to check on him and he was standing up in the crib! DH caved in and rocked him to sleep.

Last night I decided we could not get into that habit and we started the Ferber method again. DH put him down, he cried for 5 minutes we went to check on him and he was kneeling with hands on bars screaming. We lay him down, reassured him and leave... screaming again. Long story short, after checking on him a few times, laying him down from kneeling or standing position... he eventually fell asleep after about 30 minutes.

I personally believe in the Ferber method. But if you are going to do it, you really have to commit to it. Good luck with your decision!!!

this is exactly what we are going through right now... standing up and screaming 2 nights ago we tried what you did, only after 2 hours I gave up, couldnt do it anymore... yesterday he fell asleep just fine, but woke up after 2 hours screaming... back to CIO tonight, we shall see...

This is what I am afraid of. My DS is very stubborn. I have let him CIO going it at intervals for 30-40 min and he only gets more and more awake and hysterical But, it is getting where I think i will have no choice.