How do i get my baby to sleep?

Question

My baby is 11 months and she still sleeps in our bed. How can I get her in her own room? I cannot stand the thought of letting her "cry it out". Any suggestions??We have tried to move her bed in our room and work her into her own bed but she will just cry until i put her in our bed.

Answer 1

I highly suggest picking up a copy of the No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
Dr. William Sears also has nightime parenting resources.

Answer 2

It's going to take time, and you will lose some sleep but this works. Start out by telling her this is her last night in mom and dad's bed. Then make her a pallet, or get her a sleeping bag and put it beside your bed. Let her know she can sleep there, but not in your bed. Slowly move the pallet or sleeping bag closer to the door. As you move it away from the bed, one of you will have to sleep on the floor with her. Over time you'll move it into her room then she'll be in her bed, with one of you sleeping on the floor beside her. Get her a nightlight, and some soft music and she'll eventually sleep in her bed without fail. Oh a soothing stuffed animal or blanket works too. I know it's time consuming, but it does work. The only other way I found was to get up and keep putting them back in their bed, either way you lose sleep for a while. I'm mom to 3 and my daughters had to be coaxed into their beds too.

Answer 3

To be honest I think you've let her get away with it for too long now. She probably thinks that now everytime she cries, when left alone, you will let her sleep with you and what baby wouldn't want the comfort of sleeping with her mummy?!!

I'd let her cry. it would only last a few days and if you are that worried about her crying, try telling her you'll sleep in her room with her and find a cozy spot then try and sneak out. Will be tiring for a few days until she settles down but may work. Another alternative is to find her another comfort. Maybe a new blanket or toy she really loves that you can place her with from day one of placing her in her own room. she can learn to snuggle up to it. and give her warm milk and make sure her belly is full and she should be happy. babies need to learn and the sooner the better. crying wont hurt her unless it lasts for weeks then theres obviously a problem. but if she settles in your bed ok then its obviously she feels comfortable and secure there so she just needs to learn she'll be safe and comfortable in her own bed. Good luck!

Answer 4

Do not give her a bottle of milk to go to bed with unless you want to watch her go through extensive dental work for rotted teeth. Ask a dentist if you don't believe me.

Check out the Baby Whisperer book, or The No Cry Sleep Solution. There are several other books out there but have heard of great results from those two. I've had great success with CIO but I know it's not for everyone.

Answer 5

It will only take 3 days of crying herself to sleep before she'll stop. Same when it comes time to take away her bottle or pacifier (if she has one). I was a nervous wreck at the thought of doing anything that was going to cause my child to be half the night crying. My sister (who has 5 kids) told me that it would only be 3 days so I gave it a try and she was right! After the 3rd day, no more crying. You just have to stick with it and don't give in no matter how much you want to. Either that or prepare yourself to be sleeping with her until she's 10. I'd do the three days and get it over with!

Good luck, it's not easy but if you know the time frame, it makes it easier to do!

Answer 6

I would suggest laying with her in her room until she is asleep. Give her a bottle to go to bed with. My sister has just done the same thing with boy. She let him cry it out. The first night he cried for nearly 2 hours. From then on he cried about 15 minutes less each night. No problems now. If your going to try this it is better if you have a friend or someone with you to control you so you don't go in there.

Answer 7

I know it is hard to have them cry it out. I did it with my daughter when she was 10 months old. There is this method called Ferberizing that I read about in "What to expect the first year". It worked very well with my baby. You could start out with trying it in the daytime for her nap. Your supposed to lay the baby down and let them cry but only a certain amount of time and then you go in and tuck her in and your not supposed to spend more than about 1-2 minutes and then leave again. I started out with twenty minutes, went in after five minutes of crying and tucked her in and would just keep doing that. Then after a couple of days I went from five to ten minutes. She didn't do it right away it took about a week. Once we got her to go to sleep on her own she slept through the night because she was able to get herself back to sleep and we were also able to get her in bed at night at 7:30 instead of at 10:00 with a lot of crying. After about a month she was telling us she was ready for bed. It is hard to hear them cry but it is not going to hurt them. I would suggest looking up the Ferberizing method or getting the book What to expect the Toddler Years. When I look back the crying I had to listen to was nothing compared to being woke up all the time at night and not having any time in the evening for me. Just remember to be consistant. Good Luck!

Answer 8

I had this same problem with two of mine and my last baby I swore never to put him in bed with me no matter what. I will sleep in a bed in his room if I have to. Now that he is a little older 18 months once in a while if he wakes during the night he is allowed to come to mums bed for the rest of the night.
Look it is going to take alot of patience as they can be so much more stubborn than you.
Put her to sleep yourself and put her into her cot, try in your bedroom first, you could be up and down constantly so be prepared for that, and not just a night or two for as long as it takes. I think girls seem to be more determined than boys so be prepared for some long nights.
My daughter is 5 in a couple of weeks and it has taken me since she was two to go to bed on her own and stay in her bed.
If she gets up during the night because of a bad dream I hop into her bed. We moved her from room to room, she didn't like this room because and this went on and on. We eventually put our bed into her room and she moved into our room with the baby. She can see everyone while she is going to sleep and feels that we are close by and goes to sleep easily. We all get a good nights sleep, thats when the youngest doesn't play up at night. It took us a few years to get her to where she is now. I don't believe in tham screaming themselves to sleep but sometimes it can't hurt to let them cry and let them realise they can't have it over you all of the time. Babies and children are not silly.
Good luck, keep trying, it will take along time but you will get there, try not to give in.

Answer 9

I am not one of those "new age" parents with the "parents magazine" do the right thing answers for everything people, I raised 3 kids, and from time to time they have slept with us...My mother in law said, "let her cry".....my youngest when she was just one.....I tried that, she cried till she was red, and I just couldn't take it.....There is a comfort level with children, and appropriate time (age) for them to be in their own bed. It is easier to pop them into bed with you so you can actually get some sleep!!! That is where we made our mistake, but geez, ya' need some rest!! Have you tried putting her bed right up against yours. It was easier for me to get them in their own beds, all three close in age, and each kid different.....but to all those "no you shouldn't do...."....your children yada yada"......My kids turned out just fine, have children of their own, and two are in the US Military, one 9yrs, one 6 1/2 yrs, both stable and kids are great, my other just had her baby and none of them are "scarred" for life from sleeping with us from time to time when they were little.....So don't worry too much, put her bed in your room, try some warm oatmeal, or some warm soup an hour before bedtime, get the house quiet, read a story, night lite, try lots of different things, but don't fret too much. They are little for such a short amount of time, and she'll be in her own bed/room soon enough, and then she'll lock you out of it! You can also go to Americanbaby.com, or Pampers.com, Huggies.com, the list is endless for parent type websites, I looked them up for my daughter when she was expecting.....Best of luck to ya'.....(ps, if you are a stay at home mom, get a schedule going...Up Early, bed early......hard I know, but if you want night time for you/your spouse, ya' gotta do it :) )

Answer 10

" cannot stand the thought of letting her "cry it out" Then you're going to wind up with an 11 YEAR old sleeping in your bed. YOU have to let go and allow your child some independence. The reasons she cries is because she KNOWS she will wind up in your bed. SHE is in control...YOU have spoiled her. Either you start letting her cry it out now or you will not get her out of her bed until she is ready to have sex with a guy and doesn't want to have it with mommy and daddy in bed with them.