how to put them to bed while they're still awake?

a response from another question about my girls being such light sleepers brought up this question. at 2 months, are you supposed to let them CIO? i mean, if i put them down and they're awake, most of the time, they start crying. elena will probably eventually fall asleep, but sadie will scream until she is losing her voice and then rest for a few seconds, then start up again. we've tried to leave her alone and see if she'll eventually stop crying and got to maybe 15 min and no luck. do you really let them cry it out to go to sleep at this age? what are some tips to go about this? tia.

 

I think it's a little early for CIO. At that age the only place my two would sleep was their swings.
Have you tried putting them down, but patting their backs until they fall asleep? That way you wouldn't have to move them once they were asleep like you would if you rock them to sleep.

 

At 1.5 months they have not yet learned how to self-soothe. This usually starts to come into play around 4 months or so actual. At that age, mine were still falling asleep on the bottle, in the swing, in my arms, or in a sling. It will come in time. For now, they need your help falling asleep.

 

At that age, we were doing bath, bottle, bed every night. The bath, and then a full tummy, would make them sleepy. So, we put them to bed half asleep. It was easy for them to fall fully asleep from that point. HTH .

 

I agree that it's too early to let them cry to sleep, but I was just as confused when my babies were your age because the pediatrician and her group's website was saying to put them down awake...uh, that wasn't possible without a huge screamfest. By almost 4 months or so we started to let them fuss but if anyone became really upset I would go in and pick them up and do whatever it took to get them to sleep (nursing, rocking, bouncing). We still do that now and only about once in the last month have I had to step in to help a very upset baby. So, don't worry, it will probably get a lot easier in a couple of months and you shouldn't worry about creating any bad habits in my opinion. Especially since they were a few weeks early, they're even a little 'younger.' Hang in there!!! Bedtime was disastrous for us until almost 4 months. Then it became extremely easy

 

DH and I would feed both of my girls on the couch, then place one on each side of me when they were finished. I won't hold them, but could put their pacifiers back in if they fell out. Once they were asleep, we would carry them upstairs and put them in their cribs. When they really got good about falling asleep by themselves, I started putting them in their cribs right after their bottles. Knock on wood, but 16 months later I am still putting them in their cribs completely awake. We do read a couple of quick books in the rocking chair, but that's it. The girls settle down in less than 5 minutes after I leave the room. The only downside is my girls are still using pacifiers.

 

At that age mine were sleeping or eating or crying, either way they couldn't be held ALL the time so I had to find other ways to make them happy/sleep. I used the swing ALOT and also would jiggle the bouncy until they drifted off. I had sore arms in those days, from swinging the swing and bouncing the bouncy!!! I always put mine down awake, they would always wake as soon as they were put down, lol!!

 

In my opinion, it's way to early to CIO. At that stage, we put our babies in bed already asleep. At about 4 months old, Ben showed us that he'd rather go to bed awake (my champion sleeper). Daniel was a bit more difficult but now at 8 months adjusted goes to bed awake.

The only tip I have is to come up with a bedtime routine that works for you so that they know when bedtime is.

 

IMO too early for CIO. I found that I had one good sleeper so I put her down for a nap, then hold the other poor sleeper. My goal was to get her to learn to fall asleep. I swaddled in the early days. Then when they could get out of them ... in the beginning it was holding, then she really became more difficult at that 6 weeks post due date -- so then I put her on my knees on top of a blanket and patted her bottom.

When she was asleep I put her into a moses basket that was right infront of me. If she woke up I just patted her bottom more. So gradually she just needed less and less soothing. Then into the basket drowsy instead of fully asleep. During her naps she slept on her tummy but at night I put her on her back. I figured during the day I was always right there. When she was able to turn over mine have slept on their tummy.

You can try opening the drapes more during play time, darker for naps. Lavender oil on the sheets. A quick kitchen sink bath just before nap time. Not have them awake more than 2 hours. Music...

Soon as early as 4 months you won't be holding them all the time and you will miss holding them. While it is great to have a schedule make sure you don't miss out on holding your babies as much as you can. It heals your soul.

Heather

 

I didn't do full on CIO at 2 months. Usually I'd rock or soothe them until they were good and drowsy and then when I put them down they'd just doze off.

 

At that age I would swaddle them and lay them down in the pnp. If they were fussing a bit, I'd pat them or put the vibration of the pnp on (our's had sounds and vibration). That usually helped them fall asleep.

 

At that age was when I started to recognize their tired cry. I'd then swaddle, nurse & then put them down. (honestly most of the time they fell asleep while nursing) WIth Evan, I'd put him down if I knew he was tired and most of the time he'd fall asleep. It is too early for CIO. Swaddling tends to help or use a plug. Good luck!