Please share your CIO experiences

We are on night 4 of CIO with our DD (no flames, please ... it was HARD decision and not one that was made frivolously).

I was hoping you could all share your experiences with CIO -- the ups and downs, etc. How many days/nights it took ... did the crying ever end? Etc .......

Thanks so much!

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

bump

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

we tried CIO with Matthew at about 7-8 months and it was unsuccessful. He cried for over an hour the first 2 nights, and I couldnt do it, because I felt it too long for him to cry.
I read the No cry sleep soultion and used many techniques in that book.
We tried again at 10 months and he only cried for 15-20 minutes 2 nights in a row and never did he wake up crying
sometimes he will wake up, but talk to himself, and will put his crib aquarium on and put himself back to sleep.
we did it because he was waking up at 3am every night for a bottle.

It is not for every child.
You as a parent will know how much you can take

Message edited 2/5/2008 7:08:20 AM.

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

We did it at 5 1/2 months to cut out the one middle of the night feeding...
She was good about putting herself to sleep when I put her down so that part wasn't the problem...

It took about 3 nights, the first night 45 minutes, 2nd night I think like 20 and then the 3rd night just a few...

I did not go in and console her at all, that made things worse for us...good luck!

ETA: there were nights she woke up and was always able to put herself back to sleep with only a short amount of crying/whining...

Message edited 2/5/2008 7:06:43 AM.

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

Tried it, he jumped out of the crib.

Tried it again, he broke the crib.

Didn't work for us

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

We started CIO with my son when he was 6 months old...I think the first night he cried for 45 minutes, the next night about 25 minutes and the next night, about 25 again. He started crying for maybe 20 minutes, then gradually going down to maybe 10. He cried for about 10 minutes every single night until he was maybe 18 months old. He just cries when he goes to bed (its probably because he is enjoying his time with us and doesn't want us to leave...its just protesting.)

The thing to remember is...your baby is in a safe place, she won't get hurt, and she is really crying as a protest that you aren't doing what she likes. (thats what I think anyway) keep it up if you are comfortable doing so. Or, give yourself a time limit, so if after 20 minutes you aren't happy. Give up, try again the next night! Good Luck!!

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

DS cries for about 10 minutes...I let him be and then he is off to sleep...i never rocked him or got him used to that

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

I did CIO with Jack - really by accident one day. He was going down for a nap - I normally would rock him for 30-45 mins - then put him down asleep. I was so tired that morning that I just put him down in the crib. He was screaming. I called a friend and talked to her - and said if he didn't stop by X time I would go in and get him. Sure enough - one minute left and I'm walking into his room - he stopped crying.

That was about 30 mins.

Each time it got easier and easier. One night was a little harder but he ended up going to sleep.

Now - I can put him in his crib and he listens to the music and play - and then pass out. Doesn't cry for me anymore.

Except - for last night at 2 am - he has two teeth breaking - I think that woke up him - so I gave him tylenol and a bottle.

Good luck - it will def. get easier I promise!

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

We did it at about 5 months, but not because we couldn't get him to go to sleep, we just couldn't get him to sleep in the crib. Before that he had been sleeping in the swing and he would pass out as soon as we puthim down. But then he was in daycare and he had to learn to sleep in his crib for naps, so we did CIO at home for naps and at night. The first night he cried for about 10 minutes and my husband couldn't take it anymore and went in and got him. The next night, it was about 8 min. DH went in to check on him and gave him his pacifier and he rolled over and passed out. The next couple of nights we let him cry for about 3 minutes before we popped in, put the pacifier back in his mouth and he passed out as soon as it hit his lips. In less than a week, we were putting him down and there was no crying. Naps were a little harder I found the FP Aquarium came in very handy too and I would turn it on before I laid him down so he was distracted by the music/bubbles before I even laid him down and he had a chance to cry.

ETA Now he goes down no problem...never cries at night or for nap and hasn't in months. Sometimes, if he's not ready to close his eyes immediately, he turns the aquarium on himself and watches it and is asleep before the music is off.

Message edited 2/5/2008 9:02:20 AM.

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

I was a CIO failure...it just did not work for us.

although, the last few days, I have been putting dd in her crib sleepy but awake and sometimes she goes right to sleep, sometimes she cries for a minute or two...

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

i think the success of CIO depends largely on the devotion of the parent- and the knowledge of real CIO....

i dont think real CIO is putting your child in, and just leaving them there, never to go back in again (this is what our parents pretty much did with us- as i was told by DHs mom and my mom)....

the thing about CIO is that you are NOT abandoning your child, you are actually still GOING IN TO THEM at increasing increments....

the first nite, after DC wakes up and is crying, you wait 5 minutes, you go in, lay them down or pat their back, and tell them very sternly that it is still nite nite time- mommy loves you but it is time for nite nite (all that stuff)...and then leave (your stay in the room shouldnt be more than 1-2 minutes)...they may continue to cry after you leave, but this time you wait 7 minutes or even 10, and repeat....then you wait 12 or 15, whatever you are comfortable with...your child may not cry, then after 10 minutes, start to cry- you still have to wait the alotted time that you are on, whether it was a 10 minute wait or a 20 minute wait....

thats the first nite nite- the next nite is the same except you wait that INITIAL time like 10 minute, and the 3rd nite you start the wait at like 15 minutes...

i didnt want to use CIO, i was convinced that she will sleep "eventually"...but then EYE needed to sleep, and after 6 months, i just couldnt wait for her eventually, so i used CIO, and by the 3rd nite, not a peep, she goes down wide awake, she plays and talks to herself for an HOUR sometimes....and once in a while, a tooth or a sickness, and then shes right back into it....

its tough- that first nite, listening to her- im not cold hearted but i needed sleep too...i was dragging a** all day....i think a lot of people give in to the crying, becasue it IS hearbreaking to hear your child, knowing that if u just walked in and rocked them or whatever, they would go right back to sleep- but that isnt a good way to "teach" them how to fall asleep....

so stay strong, you CAN do it...

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

CIO never worked here...
DS is 14 months and he still gets up.

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

CIO WAS THE BEST THING WE EVER DID! It took a long time to make the decision to do it but now we have aqn excellent self soother and sleeper!

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

Thank you, everyone!

Tonight was CIO night 5 for us, and I have to say it is going very well. We had one rough patch on Sunday, but it seems we have gotten past that.

I did do the intervals of going in (5, 10, 15 min) ... she never cried for more than 15 min. without a reassuring visit from me or DH. One night (Sunday, the "bad" night) I had to stay in the room while she fell asleep (stood away from the crib) since I had reached the point at which I was comfortable letting her cry. Tonight she cried for less than 10 min and has been sleeping since.

Our major issue was that DD was waking for her pacifier NUMEROUS times throughout the night - and guess what - that issue is now GONE! That actually was "solved" on night 1. Amazing.

Thank you, again, for sharing your stories. I hope in a week or so I can report that DD no longer cries at all at bedtime.

Re: Please share your CIO experiences

CIO seems to work well for us at her bedtime. Both times we had to do it it was about 40 minutes the first night 20 the next followed by 10 and then no more crying. We do not go in at all though b/c it makes things worse.

FOr some reason the middle of the night it doesnt work nearly as well, but that could be my fault..... I will eventually go and lay down on her floor and she will keep checking on me that I am still there.