Controlled crying success stories

[Appleofmyeye05]

Hi everyone

Can you tell you your success stories with the controlled crying method?

I’m starting from scratch coz I’ve let things slide again and I need to hear that this will be worth it!

I’m currently on 9 mins, going in laying my ds back down and then adding a minute.

He’s so upset, I hate it but I’ve only myself to blame for letting it slide

I did controlled crying with my DD at about 12 months. Worked in 3 nights! Was bloody hard though, felt awful but we all needed it. She's now 16 and doesn't seem to have any lasting effects!

What age is your baby?

I did it with both of my boys who are now very happy and sleep very well. It didn't take more than 3 nights but you have to be very strict! Every time you go back in is a wasted cry.

You have to be sure there is nothing else wrong and the only reason they're crying is because they are tired and can't get to sleep. It's a very controversial topic but as in all things parenting, you know your baby and your family and what is right for all of you.

We did v gentle CC at bedtime and naps when DD was 6ish months (not leaving the room at first, small intervals etc) but still fed overnight because she was so small. Then at 10 months we did CC for the night wakes. First night it took 1hr10min, going in every 2, 4, 6 minutes and then every 6 after that, second night she slept 7-7.

I did it with my 9 month old and was told to never leave them for any longer than 8 minutes.

Start with 1 minutes
Then 2 minutes
Then 4 minutes
Then 8 minutes
Continued intervals of 8 minutes.

The first night was hard (50 minutes), the second night was better (30 minutes) the third night was even better (15 minutes) fourth night even better (10 minutes) and on the fifth night he didn’t cry at all and went to sleep within 5 minutes and this then continued.

Yea, I did, my older child it didn't work because he has asd and isn't producing melatonin even with perfect sleep hygiene. He's 4 and on melatonin now.
My youngest it worked so amazingly, I now put him in his bed and walk straight out turning the light off and he goes straight to sleep and almost always sleeps though (exceptions being when he has a cold or other problem)
He's 3
Sometimes he just takes himself off to bed now if he feels tired early!

@cringyminge

My son cries till he's sick

Within 2 minutes? Has he seen a doctor?

At 10 months ds had never slept either alone or in the dark. Hospital most of his life..
Third night of cc he slept through. Nothing short of a bloody miracle...
Ime.

Depends how old the baby is. I did it with both mine around 13/14 months but at 3min intervals only and only during "cross" cry. Worked in 2-3 nights.

Oh my gosh cringyminge!! That’s what I was afraid of.

My son is 13 months old now. He’s finally asleep but I was under the impression that you had to go back in intervals @BoysRule ? I sought advice from a sleep therapist who said leaving them too long can make them sick and poo themselves which obviously I want to avoid.

I wasn’t aware of the 8 min rule either I had told myself 10 mins tops @ThornAmongstRoses as I was worried about him being sick.

I ended up coming in the room and laying him down and sitting next to the cot and he must of been so worn out from 45 mins crying he laid down after a few attempts of getting up and is holding my leg through the cot bars 😥

My own fault for letting it slide again, we was doing really well before Christmas!

We used it at 18 months when every night DD was refusing sleep then getting overtired and needing to be rocked to sleep while screaming which was incredibly difficult! She was ending up awake each night until 9 or 10ish, with lots of crying.
First night it took about 35 minutes, she was very upset, next night 5 minutes, not so upset. Amazing. After that she's mostly been very easy to get to sleep, she is now just over 2.

DD didn't sleep through until she was 6, so when DS (initially a relatively good sleeper) started waking all the time and having trouble going to sleep - at about 15-18 months old I think, I did CC, and I had absolute willpower as I knew what we were in for if I didn't keep it up. 3 nights was all it took, and even the first night wasn't too bad. He's now a teen and sleeps all day!!

3 kids x 10 months each time, worked within days each time. But we did a version where we never left them crying beyond 5mins. So the first night there were many 5 min episodes I’m gona say 45mins to an hour, the next night probably total half an hour, the next night 15-20 etc.
I’ve simplified a little but you get the picture, good luck! You got this!

Cry it out - don't go back in
Controlled crying - go in at intervals (you can make the intervals as long or as short as you want)
Pick up put down - you stay with them and pick them up and lay them down if they cry or stand up
Gradual retreat- you stay with them and over a few night move yourself further and further away until you are outside the door

I found going back in just made it worse. They saw me again and got wound up again. I stopped going in but did sit outside crying myself! I was broken from waking every 45 minutes and something had to change.

When I stopped going in it took 3 nights. Then they would just go down to sleep instantly with no fussing.

Thanks @dementedpixie that’s really helpful.

@NCstaythefuckathome thank you! I do feel accomplished after tonight. He isn’t sleeping through yet so I’m hoping a bottle and back to sleep will be the one but only time will tell. I need to do it though as it’s Just prolonging it for the both of us. The sleep therapist said it’s a life skill that in teaching him and I need to keep that in mind.

@BoysRule that’s how I felt tonight, he would settle down his crying and be just making noise but every time I went back in it was like re opening the wound and was tears and sobs.

Try switching between you and your partner perhaps? Our boy is always more crying for his mum rather than me,
Although the big change for us was about a year old he dropped to one nap in the day, less than 2 hours, now suddenly he went from taking 1-2 hours to get to sleep he is falling asleep by the end of his routine. Then we just drop him in his cot.
Also consider cosleeping, although we always get kicked a lot in the morning especially, the total sleep we all get is greater. I know cosleeping is frowned upon as giving in and people think you'll still be like that at 5 years old, but let's leave that for another day! We usually cosleep once he needs his night feed at about midnight.
Good luck and there's no right answer but you are the parent so don't do anything that feels wrong.