Controlled Crying Poll

[Hopeful3]

Hi, I have started my LO on the Controlled Crying after not having much success any other way. Really didn't want to go down this route however it's been working better than I thought it would despite heartache on my part.

Just wondered for those that have used this method how long it took until your LOs didn't cry and settled themselves without fuss? This could also be useful for those considering it, so they have an idea of timescales.

THANKS ALL XX

 

[jaybee]

Hi hon,
it took us five nights for Tobias to learn to settle himself. With nights 1 and 3 being the worst and 4 and 5 only being about 10 minutes!
He still had a whinge and a small cry sometimes, if he has had a busy day and that takes about 8 minutes.
Some days it doesn't work and he needs to be cuddled to sleep. But seeing as that is only once in a blue moon now, I don't mind.

I personally have no problem with CC/CIO as it was what was right for us. All the 'no cry' solutions didn't work at all!

Good luck if you decide to carry on withit. xx

 

[Lyndz]

Hello! I started using CC about 2 months ago, i used to be very "i will never use it, don't believe in it" blah.... But there was, for us, no other option, at bed time, she turned it into play time, would cry till we picked her up, then smile and laugh when we did.

I wont lie, the first couple of days were HELL.

I started off by giving Bella a bath, massage, a bottle, cuddle, Giving her a kiss, saying night night then putting her in the cot. I'd then sit at the end of the cot with my knees up and head down on them. She'd stand up, and just cry, so i'd give her 2 minutes, then i'd get up, lie her down, then resume my position. Repeat until asleep.

The first night, i was at it for 2 1/2 hours. The next night took about an hour, the third night took bout 40 minutes, the 4th took about 15. After about a week, we saw results. I remember the times because i hated every single minute of it. But, now, she will have her milk and i can then put her in her cot and she doesn't stand up nor does she scream the house down, even if she's wide awake when i put her down, and i leave the room, she'll lie there happily cooing to herself till she falls asleep.

What i would suggest though, and this is what i do now, is i actually leave the room for 2 minutes, then go in to her, lie her down etc if she has the odd bad night. I think the reason it took us so long is because i was sat in the room and it upset her more to see me.

Good luck

 

[Celesse]

We did CC at 10 months after trying pretty much everything else. First night was 50 minutes, second / third night abour 20-25mins. From the 4th night 10mins or less then from night 8 no crying what-so-ever. I've selected less than 5 nights as after night 4 it was really only whinging not crying.

 

[kiwimama]

It took 2 nights for us but she was alot older - 20 mths.

 

[honey08]

morgan was 10mth old and took him 2nights

 

[angel2010]

Great thread, I thought it would take a lot longer than what the majority shows so far.

 

[aliss]

I haven't done it myself but I've really looked into it (we did not need it in the end) but it seems that the older they are, the less time it takes. At 8 months, you are probably looking at 3-5 days, from what I've noticed.

 

[hpjagged]

Thanks for putting this up! We are looking to start CC this Friday night. Every waking hour I am researching anything and everything on how to do it right.
Now I'm just scared.

 

[blue.bird]

.

 

[bathbabe]

We are starting this tonight (now actually)... i cant go on with how things are at the moment. I really didnt want to go down this route. Id rather do cc but i think that might upset him more

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

used it our son when he was 8mths old, he was a brilliant sleeper from 4mths (rubbish before that!) so we didn't know what had happened - worked within 3/4 nights.
we use it occasionally on our 7mth old when she is being cheeky - usually overtired and although not an ongoing situation she is done within 10 minutes x

 

[fluffpuffin]

took about 4 nights, works like a charm also for naptime. now we just put her down when she's tired,she'll curl up and find her thumb and happily go to sleep

 

[hannahR]

I agree with most of the others, about3/4 nights. xx

 

[DaisyBee]

We did cc less than a month ago. It was something I NEVER wanted to do - but it has been the best thing I have done to date w/ Megan. Honestly! SHe is sleeping soooo much better. Goes down w/out any struggle - zero crying - no struggle, no more rocking & sleeping through most nights.

She had been getting worse w/ sleeping. Waking constantly & not going back to sleep w/out me rocking her forever & one night I just couldnt do it anymore. At midnight one night I just put her in her crib (she had woken after being asleep earlier- and then refused to go back to sleep) told her mommy loves you - night-night. And left the room. I went in at 5minutes, then 7minutes, etc. Total crying before she fell asleep was around 25minutes. It was the hardest thing ever to listen to her cry! She slept for 10minutes and woke up crying. We did the cc again - but that time I only had to go in 1ce. She then slept for the rest of the night!

Did cc for naps & bedtimes - by the 2nd nap there was no crying at all at nap. By the 3rd day there was 30 seconds of crying when I left the room at bedtime and then she slept for an hour and woke crying hard. We did the cc at that point - and she was asleep in about 10minutes & then slept through the night. She still is waking at 1 hr sometimes - but usually quites down within a minute & goes back to sleep w/out us going in.

It was soooo much easier than I thought it was going to be. Once I had the guts to do it & stick w/ it Im glad I did it. It is going so well. Megan wakes up in a better mood & ready for her day - before she wasnt sleeping well enough. Megan sleeps soooo much better now! On the few occasions that she wakes crying in the night - most of the time she will quiet quickly and go back to sleep. Last night she woke - but wasnt crying - she talked to herself for quite a while til I went in and gave her a pacifier - covered her up w/ her blanket & she fell asleep. Im not having to pick her up - and no rocking.

The schedule we tried to follow for cc was in the Ferber book - we did similar

Day 1 3minutes, 5min, 10, 10, 10 etc
Day 2 5minutes, 10, 12, 12, 12,12
Day 3 10min, 12, 15,15
Day 4 12min, 15, 17, etc

We did same bedtime routine as always. We found she queited faster & cried less if daddy went in the room vs. mommy. She always cried harder right when we left the room - but then would quiet down quickly after that.

Huge progress & barely any crying w/in 2-3 days. Within 4-5 days pretty much zero crying.

 

[amandad192]

I did CIO with Liam at just over 6 months. First night he cried for 20 minutes, 2nd night 5 minutes, 3rd night he cried for about 15/20 minutes. 4th night I put him down and he went straight to sleep and always has done since unless he's had a good reason (pooed after I laid him down, thirsty etc.)

 

[Hopeful3]

Great thread, I thought it would take a lot longer than what the majority shows so far.

Thanks.
Thought we'd cracked it last night, which would have made it 7 days, but back to crying tonight again Hope he gets it soon,

 

[Hopeful3]

Thanks for putting this up! We are looking to start CC this Friday night. Every waking hour I am researching anything and everything on how to do it right.
Now I'm just scared.

I was really worried and apprehensive, and it took me a long time to decide to do this. I expected it to be hard and thought the first night would be at least 2hrs. However he went to sleep within 45mins. Since it has been between 5-20 mins, with no real pattern. Last night he went straight to sleep but tonight we were back to 20mins. Just keeping everything crossed that he gets it soon....I feel soooooo guilty, poor little might - just got to stay strong, it'll be worth it in the end

 

[Hopeful3]

We are starting this tonight (now actually)... i cant go on with how things are at the moment. I really didnt want to go down this route. Id rather do cc but i think that might upset him more

Good luck, its tough and heart breaking at times, I try and keep busy during the time lapses and have a video monitor which is always to hand so I can keep an eye on him

 

[Hopeful3]

took about 4 nights, works like a charm also for naptime. now we just put her down when she's tired,she'll curl up and find her thumb and happily go to sleep

Did you tackle naps at the same time? So far I haven't, and have been either taking LO out in the car or buggy to instigate sleep. Unfortunately I got him into the habit of settling by sucking my little finger, as he wouldn't take a soother. My fault So have had to break that habit at the same time.
He has slept though each night since startung this
Thanks