I know this is a hot topic and I don't want to start anything, so I'm wondering if any of you that have had success with it, could please private message me? Thanks so much
I have (sorry, too lazy to PM LOL). I think it depends a lot on the kids and how they behave though... I know when mine need CIO it's because they are overtired and there is just no way to calm them down anyway.
I am not a cio fan but I also think it depends on your kids and exactly what the problem is. I couldn't put Max down awake to go to sleep until recently. I wasn't prepared to do cio but I am prepared for him to cry for 5 mins or so - just not for extended periods. After a few nights of me letting him cry a bit - going in to calm him - cry a bit more - going in to reassure him and calm him - I am now able to put him down awake and he goes to sleep. I think you have to be careful and try other options first - imho!
I have no problems telling my story here, you can PM me if you want. I did CIO at 8mo, my girls were sporadically STTN on their own anyway for almost a month. They were breastfed and were not drinking when they woke up so I knew they weren't looking for milk, and they could STTN, so I figured it was more out of habit. It took ONE NIGHT and only ONE girl woke, they have been STTN since! Good luck if that is what you decide to do!
It not that big of a hot topic. No need to PM. Others might benefit from the conversation. There is tons of info on the web at great sights like BabyCenter if you need to read about it. The key to CIO is to be consistent.
I did not have to do CIO for bedtime but I did have to do it for naptime. Like Rachel said, the key is to be consistent. The first couple of days were rough but eventually they cried less and less and now will go down for a nap without too much of a fuss. Good luck!
One of my boys was sleeping through the night at about 6 months and my other boy I had to CIO with at 9 months. I swear, I'd be feeding him in the middle of the night until he was in college if I didn't! Luckily, I only had to do it for two days. The first night he cried for about 40 minutes and I checked on him every so often. The next night he cried for about 10 minutes and after that, he has been STTN.
I had to do CIO a month or two ago for Ellie. Abby has always been a great sleeper, but Ellie has not. She would wake in the middle of the night for her binky and was very restless. She got to the point where she would expect to be picked up and rocked to go to sleep and the minute you put her in the crib, she'd scream. I started by going in and laying her back down and never picking her up. It would take a few trips in, but eventually she'd go to sleep. Then, that stopped working, so I knew it was time for CIO. My dh was the one who started it while I was out one night. She cried for 1.5 hours the first night and 1 hour the 2nd night. By the 3rd night, it was only a few minutes and most nights not at all. Naps got better too. The key is not going in at all. I had a problem with that, because she would get herself so upset that she'd poop. I made a rule to wait at least 30 min. to see if she pooped. Luckily, that only happened the first few nights. Once she got the idea that nobody was coming to save her, she gave in. It's the best thing we ever did. They now both sleep 12 hours every night without waking up. It's so worth the few nights of misery. I thought I'd throw up from the crying. Now, if we have to do it, it doesn't bother me as much. There are nights that she regresses and we need to do it again. It doesn't last as long though. Good luck and PM me if you have any questions. My friend just did this with her daughter and it worked like a charm. I don't know anyone who has done it and wishes they didn't.
