CC Night one: Success! UPDATE: Not such a great success :/

[kissesandhugs]

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT READ NOR COMMENT ON THIS THREAD IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE NEGATIVE OR STATE HOW AGAINST CC/CIO YOU ARE. I DO NOT CARE.


I always said if it needed to come this point, we would do it. But since having LO I pushed my thoughts away from the thought off cc and cio. Plus, it wasn't terrible putting him to sleep and I didn't mind the middle of the night wakings since we were co-sleeping I'd just pop a boob in his mouth and that was it. But the past 3-4 weeks have been a nightmare. He will not go down for NOTHING and his middle night wakings have been more frequent than ever. I'm not getting any sleep or any evening time.I work full time, come home take care of LO play & cuddle all evening until 8 when I have to wrestle him to bed EVERY NIGHT for 2+ hours. It was not fair on me or him. We talked to our dr, who is pro ap all the way so I thought no way in hell would she recommend it. And she did. So, tonight was night one. I figured I'll start out at 2 mins, go in, then 3 etc etc. He seriously didn't even make it 2 mins without passing out!!! I was so shocked. BUT, he was also very tired & fell asleep in his car seat for about 5 mins before hand. I woke him up (on accident) so I changed his diaper, put him in his pjs, and tried nursing him to sleep before this. He wouldn't nurse to sleep, he ate then wanted to play so I knew I was in for a long night. I decided to go for it. He did wonderful. I bawled of course, it was a terrible feeling. I checked on him after 10 mins of putting him down. Took less than 2 for him to go to sleep. the floor creaked and he woke up, screaming. I picked him up cuddled him he calmed down, put him down again with his stuffed animal that lights up and plays nursery rhymes. He cried for less than a minute and has been out since. For about 45 mins now.


SO! So far, so good. I'm curious to see how it works tomorrow night. I hope just as well. My question is though: will this help him STTN as well or will it just help him go to sleep at bed time? Eventually, he shouldn't be crying at all at night-correct?

 

[Peggy O]

Congratulations! I am pro what works for ya' parenting style. Sounds like this does.

 

[Jaylynne]

Congrats, I use a vicks humidifier to help keep any stray noises from waking him up. He loves the sound since he got croup and it seems to help keep him asleep.

 

[kissesandhugs]

Thanks! That's a good idea actually, I was just saying how we needed one anyways so 2 birds one stone

 

[robinator]

Sweet; glad you've had success! Fx it continues

 

[ElmaWG]

Thanks for posting this. My DS is almost 5 months and our situation is similar. It's getting so hard to get him to sleep. Seems like each week it is harder, and my back and hip ache constantly. So even though I never thought that i'd even think of a crying method...I might just give it at try when he's 6 months. Not sure though. In any case, I'm looking forward to following your progress.

Could you give me some background concerning your baby's temperament. Calm, fussy, hyper?. You say you wrestled him to bed...would he cry? My babe cry's bloody murder even though I'm holding him. Makes me so sad

 

[LisaL79]

WOO! Glad to hear that your little guy is doing well getting himself to sleep. FX that it continues!

We started CC 5 nights ago and DD is doing GREAT on it as well.
First night, she cried for about 10min and good lord it was SO hard on me. I wanted to go and comfort her SO much the entire time and got SO pissed off at DH for no reason.
Anyway, at around 10min, she went to sleep. I went and checked on her a few mins after she stopped crying and other than kicking her blanket off, she was sleeping peacefully.
2nd night, she cried for another 10 or so min. DH got up and checked on her, and she went right to sleep after.
3rd night, she cried for a minute or 2 and fell asleep after that.

I do still want to get up to check on her whenever she cries, but now at least I don't have so much guilt letting her cry some.

 

[bananaz]

I'm glad you had such a good start! I totally understand where you're coming from. When your baby won't nurse to sleep and trying to soothe them to sleep means hours of screaming, you have to try a new approach.

To answer your question, yes, it should help reduce night wakings assuming that the reason he's waking so much is because he doesn't know how to self-soothe. Hope you have a good night!

 

[Noodlebear]

I don't normally really like CC when done 'by the book' I've done my own little version, but I was naughty and read anyway 2 mins is so fast! Amazing. Glad it worked well for you x

 

[cmarie33]

Two mins is great! We had an hour and 15mins last night

 

[x Helen x]

Do you mind me asking what methods you guys use? How often do you go to check on them and comfort them, and do you just ssshhh them in the cot or do you pick them up?

I have always said that I would never do CC or CIO but things just seem to be going from bad to worse, my LO wakes up every hour most nights needing to be resettled and I'm absolutely exhausted the worst part is I have no energy whatsoever during the day so I struggle to get out with her and go for walks or do the things we used to do. I've tried just about everything to help her sleep but nothing works, I am starting to think CC may be my only option

 

[CertainTurton]

x helen x - we put her in her cot sleepy but awake (if possible although sometimes she fell asleep on the bottle). Then did checks at 1min, 3min, 5min, 5min, 10min, 10min (neve had to do longer). We tried not to pick her up and tended to lay her back down (she sits up in the cot) put the dummy in and stroke her back. I also never stayed longer than 2 mins, even if it meant leaving when she was still crying (but not really upset). A couple of times we did pick her up but just to calm her for a few secs and no rocking etc.
It is very hard! we did it at 7months and it was amazingly quick, 30mins 1st night, 15 the 2nd and 3 the 3rd, then she slept through for a week. But then she got ill, we did it again a couple of weeks ago and it was harder, I think she is more aware and mobile (so so hard hearing her crying 'mamama' but it did work again (although not sleeping through ) We were told not to do it before 7mths though.
I think my hardest point is having to do it again in the night when they wake as you are so tired you just want to give in but you must try to not to as its crueler in the end to have let them cry then give in anyway.

 

[shmoo75]

I did CC with DD1 & nearly 3wks ago with DD2. I remember crying at one point when doing it with DD1 as, she was crying and holding her arms up to me wanting to be picked up and, of course doing CC you can't pick them up that was tough but, I didn't shed a tear or get upset this time round as I had already done it before and I knew DD's cry's/screams were angry and frustrated as I wasn't picking her up and cuddling/rocking her to sleep as she was used to. I am so glad I did CC with her as, both me and DH have very heavy colds her had a temp of 38.4C yesterday evening and I had a temp of 38C this morning and we have been feeling really rough of a night plus DD1 has croup and now its just a normal cough and DD2 had slap cheek but, wasn't ill with it luckily. I'll keep my fingers crossed that tonight goes just as well for you.

 

[cmarie33]

Do you mind me asking what methods you guys use? How often do you go to check on them and comfort them, and do you just ssshhh them in the cot or do you pick them up?

I have always said that I would never do CC or CIO but things just seem to be going from bad to worse, my LO wakes up every hour most nights needing to be resettled and I'm absolutely exhausted the worst part is I have no energy whatsoever during the day so I struggle to get out with her and go for walks or do the things we used to do. I've tried just about everything to help her sleep but nothing works, I am starting to think CC may be my only option

I said I'd never do it either, but when I walk in and she stops crying and starts babbling away I know she's ok.
I put her to sleep after a feed when she's usually drowsy and put her mobile on. I've built up to leaving ten mins between going in and comforting her. I rub her chest and shhh her and she stops crying instantly and talks to me! Monkey! She cries when I leave the room though. Last night I ended up staying in the room for about ten minutes then left when she seemed to have forgotten she was crying xx

 

[LisaL79]

Thankfully for us, DD is on a pretty set schedule when it comes to bedtime. She is ready for bed at 6:30-7 and will either go right to sleep or babble to herself for a bit before going to sleep.

First night we did CC, we were planning on checking on her in 10-15mins, but she went to sleep before we were going to check.
2nd night, we waited about 10min before DH went to check on her. I don't think he picked her up, probably just put the pacifier in her mouth, soothed her while she was still in her crib and that was enough b/c she was asleep right after that.

If you're thinking about doing it.... at least for myself. It was VERY difficult that first night. You have to fight your instinct to go to them and it breaks your heart listening to them cry. Just remember that they are perfectly OK and this is probably going to sound worse than intended, but it does get easier to hear them cry as you continue doing it. But that first night though... it's rough.

 

[jd83]

Congrats on gettign him to sleep on his own! I did CC at around 4 1/2 months, per the advice of our pediatrician. She told us he was old enough, and weighed enough that there was no reason he should be waking as often as he was. It was a habit we had let him get into. Sure, if he gets up once and is genuinely hungry, thats fine. But there is no reason whatsoever to be waking 5-10 times. When we started CC, she told us to not go into his room for the first 15 minutes or it would be over and he would know he got what he wanted. So we waited 15 minutes, which was agonizing, the first night, then went in at 2 minute intervals to shh pat. he went to sleep after a total of 30 min. After the first night, it only took him about 5 minutes at the most, usually less.

To answer your question, for us, CC DID help him STTN. Once he started learning to self settle, literally within a week he was sleeping all night. He just started rolling recently though, and has woken himself a few times by banging into the crib rails. I have to settle him from that, but other than that issue, he STTN most of the time.

 

[kissesandhugs]

Gosh I love reading all these positive responses makes it so much harder to say it didn't end up working! Ugh! Worked for 2 hrs then I went to go to sleep (his crib is in our room) & ended up waking himup! I'm investing in a humidifier TODAY so there's some noise in there. He cried for a min, would stop, cry again, stop. OH came in to comfort him & ended up putting him to sleep didn't last long until he woke up AGAIN. I couldn't take it& put him in bed with me. Which felt SO much better,I missed his cuddles but I know we have to do this as hard as it Mary be...so night 2 wish us luck. Hopefully the whit noise of the humidifier will help.

 

[babyhopes2010]

yey! best thing i ever did when used properly

 

[mellyboo]

Awe im so jealous it worked for you, we also co sleep right now and she's doing the exact same thing waking up a zillion times a night its frigging ridiculousness! ... I tried CC for one of her naps it took her 1 hr and 30 mins of to do it.. and i cried the whole time with her.. maybe i gave up to quick i dont no what to do.. but she's waking up every 20 minutes.. and she has the ability to sleep longer she has before... I no it might be a 4 month thing, but honestly i like to use that as an excuse but i never even heard of a " 4month regression before".. I'm going to the DR today for myself so i'm going to tell him and see what he reccomends.. because ive had my wits end..I'm losing it she's worse then she was a NB and i never even knew that was possible as she was SOOOO high needs!!

anyway congrats!! im really jelly!

 

[mellyboo]

Gosh I love reading all these positive responses makes it so much harder to say it didn't end up working! Ugh! Worked for 2 hrs then I went to go to sleep (his crib is in our room) & ended up waking himup! I'm investing in a humidifier TODAY so there's some noise in there. He cried for a min, would stop, cry again, stop. OH came in to comfort him & ended up putting him to sleep didn't last long until he woke up AGAIN. I couldn't take it& put him in bed with me. Which felt SO much better,I missed his cuddles but I know we have to do this as hard as it Mary be...so night 2 wish us luck. Hopefully the whit noise of the humidifier will help.

we have an air ex-changer in are house and we ALWAYS put it on to have some noise for her, because she's the same you make one noise and she's up! lol