ugh, bedtime is so hit or miss these days!

Some nights...she takes her bottle and goes right off to sleep but lately there are more nights that are NOT like this! DD is almost 14 months and lately when we put her down about 7:30 she cries and gets herself so worked up! Some nights it got so bad that we just took her out and let her play quietly and calmly so she would relax. That seemed to do the trick but we can't get into that habit. I really don't think i'm cut out for cry it out :( Any advice?!

Re: ugh, bedtime is so hit or miss these days!

can you go into her room when she gets upset and try soothing her WITHOUT picking her up??? rub her back, play with her hair, talk quietly to her??

Does she have a lovey or a special stuffed animal she like to sleep with? If not you may want to introduce it.

You can try a modified CIO and go in and soothe every few minutes so she knows you are there. Literally go in every few minutes.... eventually she should calm down

Re: ugh, bedtime is so hit or miss these days!

DS went through a phase like this around that time. I remember not letting him out of his room. I kept the lights low and held him. If he wanted to 'play' I let him do it in the low light with whatever was in his room. Soon he wanted to go back to sleep.

Does she have anything that she can soothe herself with in the crib? DS had a music thing that he played himself and put himself back to sleep most nights.