crying it out?

Question

has anyone tried the crying it out method to get their baby to sleep. mine is almost a year old and still can't fall asleep on her own. we started crying it out last night, took an hour before she fell asleep. how many nights did this take in anyone else's experience?

Answer 1

From what I've read the older the child, the longer it will take. Be thankful she's not yet 2 or 3.


My daughter was 10 months old when we let her cry it out. The first night it took about 2 hours. The second night a little over an hour. The third night it took just under an hour. The fourth night it took about 30 minutes. After that she would go to sleep on her own and sleep all night long.

Be strong. You'll make it

Answer 2

There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting a child cry it out. It teaches them how to self soothe and how to fall asleep unassisted. It took my daughter 3 days of crying it out, every night the crying time cut more than half the time of the night before, and then she was good to go. I would give yourself a week just to make sure. If you stick to it and don't go in to get her, it's hard, you will see results very soon. I would imagine less than a week, but some kids can take up to 2 weeks before it's done, just be prepared. Crying it out does work. It makes me angry when people say that it doesn't and that it's cruel to let babies cry. I think it's cruel not to teach your child self reliance, problem solving skills, and how to deal with disappointment appropriately. It's usually the kids who have not cried it out that are the ones pitching a big hissy fit in the store because Mom or Dad is not giving in to whatever it is that they want.

Answer 3

We let our kids cry it out when they were 6 months old. It only took less than a week for it to work. You just have to be really consistent with it. Crying it out is not cruel at all. It is not a lazy way of parenting. It is actually so much better for babies to learn to fall asleep on their own. Not letting your child fall asleep on their own is called lack of parenting.

For a one year old it may take a couple of weeks. Just keep it up. Each night it will take less time for your baby to fall asleep and eventually she will just fall asleep. Try starting a routine first like bath, brushing of teeth and a story. Then put the baby to bed. This way she will learn what is coming next. Also, turn of the baby monitor if the crying starts upsetting you. Just go check on her every 5-10 minutes. Good luck and keep up the great work.

Answer 4

I have twins so rocking them to sleep and going every now n then as they cried got me to wits end with no help around.So i decided to make them learn to fall asleep on their own when they were about 6 months- it wuz very very difficult at first coz u cant stand ur precious babies crying for so long - i told my husband to stop me n support me if i break n give in - it wuz a testing time indeed - twin 1 got the hang of it pretty soon - but twin 2 wuz more persistent so i had to sit with him for a while - without making eye contact untill he settles then slowly i moved a little away from him but where he could still see me - he kept looking at me to reassure himself - then another 5 mins i moved away more - then more - then he wuz okay n he fell asleep - next day i settled him then moved n sat in the first furthur place instead of next to him - he still used to cry but kept quite when he saw me - i did that everyday changing my place everytime i setled him farther n farther untill i settled him and went n sat right next to the door - after few days i wuz out of the door - the crying wuz still there but hardly for 5 mins or so - then SUCESSSSS!!!
I am sooo grateful now that i did that n stuck to it years before - it wuz definitely for their own good - they learnt to sleep on their own - what a relief!!! Definitely worth all the torment!!Good luck!!

Answer 5

CIO has many problems actually, it creates detatchment and mistrust issues. It can also cause long term effects on their vocal cords. I would suggest that you try to get the baby to "do" more things during the day so that she is so worn out at bedtime that she doesn't fight it. Park days, playgrounds, real physical activities. Even walking the mall and such. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Please do not give into the idea that 'crying it out' works. It doesn't. All it does is create a feeling of abandonment that will carry on for years to come. You see kids that are extra clingy and whiney? Those kids are the ones that 'cried it out'. Kids that are nurtured and cared for appropriately grow up to be strong and independent and less clingey. I am not saying give into the child's every whim, but you will do more harm than good by letting a child cry for hours.

Answer 7

For my daughter it took about 3 nights and each day she would cry less and less but you are fortunate that your baby fell alsleep after and hr because my daughter cried for 3 then when she fell asleep it didnt take much for her to wake up and start again. But it took patience and now she sleeps all night long with no interuptions

Answer 8

I agree with the answer about reading the "No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. A lot of the book is centered around her experiences getting her 12 month old to sleep, and she, like a lot of people, think that the crying-it-out method is cruel and outdated. I know it's really frustrating but there are alternatives to stressing everyone out and letting your baby scream.

Answer 9

I haven't tried this but my son doesn't have problems going to sleep get the baby on a schedule and stick with it at all costs, which can ruin your friday nights but is important to the baby.

Answer 10

I started letting them cry it out at about 6 months. In my opinion, a year is late to start...your child knows how to play you at this point. It will take a few nights.