Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

DS has STTN a handful of times in the past month. Not sure why he wakes sometimes and sometimes he doesn't (same amount of formula/food, same stuff/activities during the day). He just turned 6 months old.

He normally goes in his crib already asleep as he falls asleep on the boob or bottle. I know this is not recommended, but I can't see how NOT to get him to fall asleep (I try burping him etc) and it's after his bath when he has a new diaper.

That said, when he wakes in the middle of the night, he'll nurse for a few minutes or take only 1 oz in a bottle. I honestly don't think he really needs it at this point since I know he's STTN before.

So, do I just let him cry until he falls back to sleep in the middle of the night? We've tried to let him cry and once it's been 5 or 10 minutes he gets hysterical so we get him. We've tried giving him a paci, tried just rocking him, doesn't work. He needs the boob or a bottle, I am thinking that's the only way he knows how to soothe himself at this point.

So what should/can I do to help him? I've also tried putting his aquarium soother on, but that doesn't really work. Would appreciate any advice!

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Thanks for posting this Yesi. DS doesnt wake up to feed but I am REALLY wanting to try this soon. He wakes up 3-4 times but I KNOW he can go through the night bc he has done it a few times before. One week straight actually!

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Posted by headoverheels
This is your answer - he's not eating b/c he is hungry, he's doing it because that is how he soothes himself back to sleep.

If you are committed to CIO, then yes, it needs to be extinction IF you have already tried going in to soothe him with other methods and that doesn't work.

It's very simple, and VERY hard at the same time. Let him cry. He'll get hysterical. He'll sound like someone is trying to hurt him. And then, when you think it can't get any worse, it will. He'll probably even quiet down and start back up again worse than before.

But if you stick with it, he'll fall asleep. He will learn to put himself to sleep and each night will get easier and easier.

Don't put the aquarium on either, the light and music stimulates them and makes it harder for them to fall back asleep.

A white noise machine might help.

And TURN OFF THE SOUND ON THE MONITOR! It only makes it worse

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Well, I know for my DS if I tried to soothe him he would have gotten more upset. DD, I could sometimes rub her back, but not always, so you could try that. My best advice is to let DS CIO with you out of the room. Can you guys sleep in the living room for a few nights? Definitely try this on a weekend if him crying is going to seriously cut into your sleep and make it hard to function at work.

As for how long, I am not sure. I set a time limit of one hour and DS only cried for 30 minutes, DD almost the whole hour. But for both kids I didn't have to do it more than 2 nights.

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Thanks LB! I'm off on weekends but DH works so regardless at least one of us is going to be majorly sleep deprived for work when we do this!

Re: Talk to me about CIO - specifically if they wake in the middle of the night

Yesi, You also may want to consider waiting a little more since even though Henry is 6 months by birth he was a pre-mie and may need a little more time being soothed etc.

Follow your gut, if you don't feel right doing it yet, don't. He still has time to learn to self soothe. If it doesn't bother you to nurse him back down maybe try a little longer.