How do I get my 5 month old to sleep in her crib?

Question

We have co-slept since birth.

Answer 1

tough love, and ear pugs. If you don't go through this now, it will get harder and harder. You still have control, but once they are older, it's becomes even harder on both of you. Say in there as much as poss. but you will have to go through some uncomfortableness, but it will pass. My friends has 2 kids to deal with and they waited too long. Then it was a big long crying . screaming match. Just don't cave in. Once you do that the kid knows that you will every time, and they learn this at a very young age. Believe me, do it soon and don't give in. Good Luck and God Bless. : )

Answer 2

It's not going to be easy, and you will have to deal with a lot of crying. But both you and your baby will sleep better in different beds.

You need to start early in the evening, and put her in her crib. Kiss her good night, give her a favorite toy or blanket, and then leave the room. Close the door to a crack, and then allow her to cry for a few minutes at first. Go in after a few minutes and comfort her, but DON'T pick her up. Then again tell her good night, cover her back up, and then leave the room. Give her a little longer to cry, and go in. Keep up the routine, making the time before you go in longer each time. She will eventually tire herself out, and fall asleep. By going in every so often, you are letting her know that you hear her, and know if she is needing you or not. She will get it that you know if she really needs her, or if she is crying.

She just needs to get used to sleeping in her crib. It is different, and it is scary because she has always had you right next to her. She now is in a room and bed all by herself.

We found toys that our daughter could play with while lying in the crib to comfort her. The "aquarium" that Fisher Price has is wonderful. It lights up, plays soothing music for a period of time, is easy to start and stop for her, and there is some other levers and buttons she can use to move some of the fish. Many nights our daughter used it to lull herself to sleep. Finding something with music and visually attractive that will capture her attention until she falls asleep is a great thing as well. She can then use it when she wants to. It will be comforting to her, and it will occupy her until she falls asleep.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

At five months-old your baby should have her crib in another room, unless you live in a one-bedroom apartment where that is not possible. In order to get her to sleep in her crib, you need to have a strong resolve. For the first few days that you try to make the separation, allow her to fall asleep with you as normal. After she falls asleep, move her into her crib. When she wakes up later, go to her and comfort her as you normally do. You may allow her to fall asleep with you again, but the better plan is to rock her to sleep in her room. After several days, begin putting her to sleep in her crib, but stay in the room with her until she falls asleep. Eventually, put her to bed and establish a routine that includes reading a book or telling a story.

Be firm and consistent with her sleeping in her bed and she will quickly adapt. The hard part is going to be getting you to adapt to having the resolve to let her cry about it the first few times. By now, you know the different sounds of the different cries, so you do not have to worry that something is wrong when she cries. You can tell that she is mad or wanting attention. If you are not sure if something is wrong, try to check on her in such a way that she cannot see that her crying caused you to come running. The tough part is not showing anger or frustration during the first few weeks. Remain calm so that she sees that being in her own bed is not upsetting you. Once she figures out that she cannot control you by crying, she will go to sleep.

By the way, you need to do this with her nap times too. You cannot have her napping in your bed during the day and expect her to sleep in her crib at night.


Good luck!

Will D
Enterprise AL
http://www.notagz.com

Answer 4

5-month old is a good time to start training babies to sleep on their own. Just make sure that there are some favourites toys in the crib... just do it once or twice and slowly increase the number of times you put baby in the crib to familiarise... it may take a while but the rule is practise and incorporate positivity in the activity.

Answer 5

Start off by trying naps.If that goes good do the nights and if she cries just comfort her do not pick her up. Put you a chair beside crib. And every night move it further away until she sleeps pretty much through the night.It does get easier every night. My 5 month old sleep with me the first 4 months.

Answer 6

I did the same thing with my oldest son. I had to start by sleeping next to him outside his crib and have my hand inside the crib touching him. After he got comfortable with that I started slowly moving his crib farther away from my bed. It took a little time but after a while he was fine and slept in his own bed. However, I did not repeat that mistake with my second son...it was crib sleeping from the moment we got home...LOL

Answer 7

Does the child have a favourite doll that joins you in bed? If so, move it and the child to a crib and let it learn that you are no longer there. It will take some time and you will probably have to put up with some sleepless nights, but don't give up. Child in crib and you in bed. The child will learn if you don't give in. This will just be the first incident of you versus child for the good of the child.

Answer 8

my son always falls asleep in his swing then when he is asleep I pick him up and put him in his crib. I also give him a full bottle and some rice cereal in it that way he sleeps threw the night the biggest thing though is have a mobile about the crib because babies love the music once the music stops he cries so I turn it on and he falls asleep.

Answer 9

I did the same thing with my daughter until I was able to buy her a crib. Start by have her take her naps in the crib and then put her in there at night, she should take to it just fine. If she seems scared try camping on her floor for a few nights until she gets used to it.

Answer 10

Put the crib in another room.You have to place her the other room for yourself and your spouse.Learn how to not jump when she cries,now is the time to do it,either learn to just let her cry because shes training you to jump to the tears and if you don't nip it in the bud now you'll be single with a baby that you'll yell at because she'll cry and you'll always pick her up..Do it now you'll be happy in the long run remeber she'll be around for 18 more years..