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Jewals's picture

not step kid related but ... 

any advice on getting an 8 month old to sleep alone?? I had the baby sleeping in own bed until about a month ago and suddenly that has stopped. As soon as you lay her down she’s awake.  I don’t want to do the cry it out method but I really don’t want to keep putting her in my bed . 

Comments

Exjuliemccoy's picture

I have no advice, but your question did make me chuckle.

We have members on this site who can't get their teen skids to sleep alone!

Kes's picture

You can use a gentler version of the "cry it out" method, which I did with both my own daughters when babies - because really, there is no other way.    Put them in their cot, reassure and leave.  If they cry, go back in after 5 minutes, pat them, verbally reassure them, but do NOT get them out of the cot.  Keep doing this every 5 minutes until they fall asleep.  

You will find they will cry for a long time on the first night, then for slightly lesser amounts of time every day till they realise that being put in their cot, means sleep time!    For me it was half an hour the first night, 20 minutes the second night, then reducing till after 1 week they were going down no problem.  If you weaken and get them out of the cot once, you will have to start from the beginning again. 

justmakingthebest's picture

I used this same method with my son - 12 years ago now! But it really does work. You just have to be strong! IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER to just scoop them up and put them in bed with you for the sake of sleep. But just stand there for a minute or 2 patting their little diaper butts reassuring them and slowly but surely the walks into the nursery get fewer and then stop. If my memory is right, it took right at about a week to get a full nights sleep but each night was better than the one before. 

Jewals's picture

i tried this last night & every time I would go in she got hysterical. Took 30 min & she went to sleep. But 20 min later she woke up, went through the process again & took 20 min and she was out.  20 min later she was up again. 5 min she was asleep, 10 min later she was up .. I gave up after a few hours lol

justmakingthebest's picture

Don't stay in there until she falls back asleep. Just go in for a minute or 2. Tell her you love her. Try and lay her back down- BUT DON"T TAKE HER OUT OF THE CRIB. Then walk away. Go back in after another 5 minutes and do the same thing- then leave. Go back, so on and so on. It is just reassuring her that you are there and aren't leaving forever. 

Jewals's picture

Took about a week but she is in her room and sleeps through the night 

thinkthrice's picture

cry it out method.  Check to make sure diaper is clean and dry, make sure baby is well fed and hydrated, assuring pat, etc.  My daughter is still a nightowl but at 8 mos she needed to get on the day schedule.   Also increase play time activities, fresh air during the day.

Its not easy but the crying lessens during the week. If you stick to your guns baby will sleep through the night within the 1st week or two.