When is it okay...

to start letting them CIO? I know my girls are still to young. But nothing makes Gretchyn happy at night. So I've started letting her cry, but only for a maximum of 5 minutes at a time. Then I try and soothe her, I get her her pacifier, I swaddle her, if that doesn't work I will pick her up and cuddle her, but that hardle works. So then I lay back down and give her 5 more minutes. Usually she will calm down this time during the 5 minutes, but not always. Once she goes to sleep for the night its fine. It's just getting her to sleep for the night. Both girls average 3 nights a week that they sleep through, about 9 hours each. So I'm not complaining, I just need to know how to get her to go to sleep at night without a big fuss.

 

I dont think anything is wrong with a few minutes of crying here and there. Most suggest to not start real CIO until 6 months

 

You can let her cry for up to 15 minutes at this age, perhaps she just has a hard time nodding off. Have you tried using white noise? Sometimes that's knocks babies out.

Most experts agree that babies should be 6 months old before starting CIO.

 

Thank you, I thought I had read that but I couldn't find where. And it's nice to know that we can do 15 minutes. We generally have a fan or humidifier or something running to try and help because that's what helped DS.

 

15 minutes? Really, I thought 3 months would be a little young to let them cry that long, JMHO.

 

My pediatrician said you could let them cry for 10 minutes or so, but I usually can't bear it for that long. He said often they cry because they are overstimulated from the day's activities and it is like us "going for a run." I let them cry for 5-8 minutes before going in. If they are still crying then, I usually have to do something with them because they won't quiet down. Wow, 9 hours. I am jealous!!!
Mine will occasionally do 6 and a half, but only after a busy day and a bath and a bottle if they are exhausted.

 

I would not do CIO til 4 months, and would recommend waiting until 6. Considering they are only 3 months old, and 1 month adjusted, they are doing really well. They are still very needy, and need to know that mom or dad are there, no matter what time it is.

 

Mine have cried much longer than 15 minutes, and I don't feel bad about it either. It's not that my twin boy won't get his feeding, but I won't allow him to go back to the point where he was 2 months ago, so if he wakes way too early, we have him cry. He goes back to sleep after 20-25 minutes or so for another 2-4 hours ... completely worth it in my opinion.

 

Thank you for your responses...Last night we we're going to let them go 10 minutes and after 8 they we're asleep. Hopefully this will be the start of something new and wonderful. Plus then they slept 10 hours, 2nd night in a row.

 

quote:
Plus then they slept 10 hours, 2nd night in a row.