Controlld crying, no discussion - just what do I do

[missingsleep]

and a few tales of how well it works would be much appreciated. My 6 month old dd wakes every two hours, only goes to sleep on the breast and can take up to an hour to settle if I accidentally wake her between breast and cot. I'm knackered and honestly feel cc is my only option so plan to start tomorrow night.

I've read a bit of the discussion on the other thread but to be honest I'm just too knackered to scroll through the whole thing so..

Who's done it, how did you do it and how long did it take to work? Anyone anti cc by the way please don't post on here as I just can't handle it.

We used it with ds1 at about the same age - it's going back a few years so I'm a bit hazy, but basically we'd put him to bed after a bath and feed - whatever your usual routine is. say goodnight etc. and leave the room.

Then sit outside the room (or downstairs if you're sensible!) and go in every few minutes - I can't remember exactly (not very helpful, sorry) and say shhhhh, night night, or whatever phrase you want to use. Try and say the same thing each time. Don't pick her up!! Don't stay for any longer than to say the phrase and do it over and over (and over) again until they get the message that they're not going to escape the cot...

Didn't take long but it felt like a lifetime. Worked a treat with ds1 who is a fantastic sleeper to this day.

I'm not against sleep training per se. but personally I wouldn't do it with a 6 month old.

Thanks Dottydot. Am off to watch a video with dp now (and try to stay awake) but any further pearls of wisdom in my absence would be much appreciated.

Specifically how long do you leave between cries, what do you do when you go back in and most importantly how long should I expect her to be crying for?

I did it. DD was actually good at going to sleep on her own providing she had her dummy. But she was totally addicted to it and I had to get up about 1000 times a night to replace it when it fell out. So we took it off her and did some cc. I was prepared for the worst. She cried for about 10- 15mins first nap, I didn't go in. About 5 mins next time around and about 5 mins for her nighttime sleep. I never went in. She also managed to re-settle herself in the morning at 6am when she woke. This was last weekend. Now she'll have a bit of a grumble when she goes into bed but it'll only last for a minute or so then she's out. She does have a comfort toy in the bed with her but finally no more dummy addiction.

I really think it worked for us, thankfully. You can only do it if you're ready and it obviously does not work for some.

I know it's a mn hot topic but each to their own I reckon.

Good luck, hope you get some rest soon.

Imaginary friend I don't have any other option apart from going insane from lack of sleep. I don't like the idea, said I'd never do it but honestly don't know what else to do.

I think we read somewhere that you start off with a couple of minutes between cries, and then about every 5 minutes. It's really hard and you feel horrible and exhausted just listening to them, but if you stick to it (and that's the crucial thing) it should work and shouldn't take more than a few nights. Good luck!!

Thanks again. The other thing is that she's still bf and I reckon may still need her night feeds (she never takes much in one go). If you do cc is it OK to go in and feed them in the night still? What I really want to achieve is her being able to sleep without my breast in her mouth, I don't mind feeding her if she needs it obviously.

By the way dp decided to watch telly instead so I can carry on keeping an eye on this thread.

i did cc with my 12 week old which i know is totally against what most people say here. however, my ds suddenly woke at 2am when he'd never woken between his 10pm dream feed and about a 5am morning feed before. i decided there and then that i couldn't cope with loads more night waking. i did cc with him for an hour and 40 mins that night, going in to him over progressively longer and longer periods. it killed me, however, from that night on he went down asleep for naps and bedtime without a murmer. and he is the happiest most settled and confident 18 month old ever. i truly believe it didn't do him any harm at all. in fact, he loves his cot for naps and bed. hth..

sorry i mean he went down awake and got himself off to sleep without much in the way of crying.....

12 weeks!
Jeezuz,that's inhuman.

these cc no comment threads are agonising..I agree moondog..12 weeks is no age atall

12 weeks

Thanks cubby. I don't think your inhuman.

I'd definitely be carrying on with her actual night feeds - you'll know roughly when they are so that's fine to do that, but then put her down and go..!

but even the guy who came up with it says dont do it till a year old...

It's almost impossible not to let this turn into a discussion on the merits or downsides of cc. If my dd slept I reckon I would be happily thinking "god I'd never do that" BUT she doesn't. I'm exhausted. I love her indiscribably but I can't carry on never letting her cry at night and being an attentitive, playful Mum in the day. Something has to give so tales of it woking is what I want to hear, not discussions.

my d is 7 months old and we have done/are in the process of doing cc with him. He is poorly at the moment which ahs knocked things off a little but i thought i would share my experience with you (as our dc are a similar age)

i hadnt planned to do it, one night ds wouldnt be nursed (i used to rock him till he was almost asleep then put him in his cot) but he cried in my arms, so i put him down crying and checked on him every 3 minutes (would go in after 3 mins stroke his face and ssh him until he was calm but not asleep). It took 3 visits and he put himself to sleep. Because he had managed it one night i decided there and then that we would do this every night, from then on at most it took 3 visits (10 mins in total)for ds to go to sleep, he wasnt crying most of the time, just making noises to himself. a few nights he went straight to sleep, most other nights he took just one visit from me. It is honestly the best decision i have made. it was difficult at first and i think we were lucky that on the worst night it was 25 mins! but i would certainl recommend it!

however having said that he has an ear infection atm so it has all gone out of the window. We will have to start all over again i think when he's better because i just cannot leave him to cry now incase he is crying in pain!

sorry for the long post but i hth! Good luck!

Trouble is it's a discussion board. People are shocked at the 12 week baby.

Missing,big difference between 12 week old and 6 month old.
In your situation i would (and have) sometimes practiced cc when i absolutely know that they are full up and comfortable in every other way.

I often co sleep when I just can't stay awake anymore trying to get her down. Trouble is dp then wakes me up every hour terrified she's been rolled on.

12 weeks!!

Feel sick reading about any CC but 12 weeks...

By the way moondog did it work for you then when you did it?