ANOTHER controlled crying thread!!!......7 months old too young?

[Titania]

Every night, when I put ds2 (7 months old this week) in his cot, he screams the place down......he doesnt let up and the crying only increases in volume. As he shares a room with my older two, who are already asleep by the time he goes to bed, its not fair on them as he keeps waking them up. He has enough time from when he has his last bottle to digest it, he is clean, changed and winded. I was wondering about controlled crying......I did do controlled crying with ds1 when he was younger but I can't remember at what age. Also, I think I have forgotten how to do it properly. It may have even changed since having ds1. Sorry ladies....and TIA

he is also a very clingy baby as well in the day atm......if i leave the room he screams.......

think you can do CC from 6 months up. I'm sure someone will be along soon who can give you more detail. If he goes down a bit later - an hour late say, would be be OK, or still scream the place down as much?

i posted some detail about cc as i understand it at the top of this thread - hth

MTS....i put him down later last night and he still screamed......for ages!!!

acnebride...thanks

thought you would have checked on that TBH. sounds like the whole 6 month separation anxiety thing - can't wait till that kicks in with DS - NOT

oh its great!!! NOT....with the combination of teething and clingy baby....its very wearing!!

Titania, if he is teething, I would dose him with nurofen or calpol before bed to make sure that's not the problem. Also I would check his naps - is he over-tired before he goes to sleep? Plus you might want to check that there is nothing medically wrong (ear infection etc) which might make him esp ratty at the moment. But if all else is OK then I think 7mths could be old enough - I did CC with DS at 6.5mths and it worked fine. But depends on individual baby really.

how long has he been doing this?
it he is clingy then I recommend a sling - takes lots of strain off the arms and back and lets you have two hands... this will make he feel alot more secure and he may well start settling better in the evening. Especially if you wear the sling in late afternoon / evening. If you are not into slings then keeping him close by - read a story or just cuddles on your bed could help things also. IMO 7 months is still too young to really comprehend controlled crying but then tbh i don't like the ethos of cc. But nonetheless hope the screaming subdues soon

Titania, you have my sympathy. DS is 8mths and a couple of weeks ago he started screaming as soon as we left his room in the evening (he had always gone down fine before) so we did controlled crying. At first we went in every 5, 10, 15mins but we found this made him worse so I'm afraid we tried the harsher method of just leaving him to sort himself out BUT IT WORKED!! After 3-4days we had improvements. we still have a little whimper now and again but on the whole he will go to bed just fine.

However, during the he is suffering badly from separation anxiety but I've found the best way to deal with this is to spend lots of time playing, cuddling, talking, etc. It can be quite draining but apparently this is the best way to get them past this phase.

Good luck.

Maybe CC isn't the way to go with your DC? It may have worked with your other DC but perhaps your DS needs you. There are other methods of encouraging your DS to fall asleep independantly. I used a the Elastic Band Method in a book called the Parentalk Guide To Sleep, however I am also not fan of CC.

Hopefully you're on the way to success by now with ds2.

I just wanted to add a few suggestions. I haven't read the other thread so all this might be in there already...

First of all 7 months seems like the ideal age for it (I used it with DD when she was just over 6 months old and it was fine).

If ds2 has an day time nap, could you use CC for that one to start with as it is easier on everyone else.

Could you put DS2's cot in a different room and use CC there until he gets used to it?

Most importantly, if you do do it, be consistent and kind like you probably were last time.

Good luck and happy sleeping!

Titania
What time is he going to bed? You say that by the time he goes to bed the other two are already asleep. Any chance of trying for earlier bedtime (not a Gina freak, but mine in bed for 7 (1 yr) and 7.30 (3yr))As you may remember, controlled crying a bit of a b***r, and if needed to get him to sleep, will have to be before others go to sleep as they will be disturbed by baby and you surely?
Loads of luck

well we had a lot of sleep issues around this time with my ds. I didnt want to use CC so we would just use a variety of methods , one was the pat/shh in combination with pick up -put down method. we used to pick him up when he screamed and place him back in cot rubbing his back and shhushing him. i firmly beleive if you remain consistent with a method it will work. our ds is just over a year now and sleeps really well and we never had to use cc. do the same routine to put him to bed at night and keep consistent whatver you do. there will be days when u see progress then others when it all seems to go pear shaped but keep with the same routine and method and it will work. I honestly eleive CC is unecessecary. sorry if my comments are unhelpful as maybe you really want to use CC. all the best. let us know how things are going. u have support!

My sympathies Titania. My DD (7 months and one week) has just started this too. She has been a model sleeper up until last week when she got poorly. I am still giving her the benefit of the doubt and cuddling her and feeding her to sleep because I don't know if she still feels poorly (she has had croup and an ear infection and is on antibiotics) but as soon as her nose dries up and she is 'herself' again I will reassess ...
She is also very clingy ... but IIRC this is very normal for babies of this age. They are really not designed to be separated from their mums (have you read the 'Continuum Concept'?) and that is why they cry when you leave the room. My husband says I am making a rod for my own back by lugging her around everywhere (she is no lightweight) but I really think babies need to be with their mums at this age (or with someone ... if mum is working).
So, what I am saying is, I think it is an 'age' thing ...
Sorry, not much help am I?

Mine started that at 6 months. Someone suggested putting her down on her front (my mum I think). I did. Like magic!!, she sort of snuffles into the mattress - often falls asleep completely face down. The first two nights I didn't sleep a wink as I was sure she would suffocate - but no!!

Also since then she now sleeps ALL NIGHT . previously two night wakings!!!