How do I get my baby to sleep?????

Question

She's 10 months old and she won't let me put her in her crib!!! I swear I did everything we always do: we didn't go out today, I played with her all afternoon, gave her dinner, gave her a bottle, cuddle with her, gave her medicine for her teeth, rocked her, etc... Well, three times so far she started to scream... she stands up in her crib, and screams til I take her out, to make sure she's ok, and then when I realize she is in fact, ok, i try to calm her down and the second time she started to cry i actually gave her some more formula, in case she was stil a bit hungry... I rocked her a little just to make her drowsy, and when I put her down, she started to wail. Then I took her out again, cuddle with her (no rocking), she fell asleep this time, and as soon as she felt me putting her in her crib, she started to scream!
Seriously, I don't know how to handle this... I need some sound advice.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Sometime around 9-10 months of age babies suddenly discover that the world is a very interesting place. Assuming your routine hasn't changed at all during the day (and with naps) there are a couple of things you can try. I am not a strong supporter of the "cry it out" school of thought, but I know some people who have used this method. Basically you would make sure your daughter is ok and then say good night and leave. My friends who used this method literally had to set a timer and go back to check on their baby after 10 minutes. After 10 minutes if she's still crying go in and check on her. You would gradually increase the time you let her "cry it out" each night.
As I said, I'm not a believer in this method. With each of our 4 children we went in when they cried and did whatever we needed to comfort them. Often times the fussing and crying only went on for a night or two. My daughter (who is now 2 1/2) hated the crib at about the same age. We started rocking with her and would put her down in our bed (with bed rails) until we came to bed a couple of hours later. Usually she was in such a deep sleep when we came to bed that moving her to her own room didn't even phase her.
It's also possible your daughter is teething and this discomfort is causing her stress.
If nothing helps over the weekend, and you still are concerned, call your physician on Monday.
Good luck!

Answer 2

Many moms will disagree with me, however, I am a big fan of the "cry it out" method While the ideal time to do it is 6 months, a 10 month old can be trained to sleep via this method, however, it may take a bit longer. I know it sounds mean but as long as you know she's not hungry, soiled, sick, or in pain...just leave her there. With a baby that old it could take several hours a night for a week or more. You will go through hell and feel like you've totally abandoned your baby! I assure you though, it's well worth it and in the long run, you are doing your baby a favor. She needs a mom who is rested and is energetic enough to keep her safe and happy all day. She also needs to learn to sooth herself to sleep. If she doesn't learn now, you can bet she'll wear you down and she'll be sleeping in your bed 5 years from now! I know I may sound like a monster to you, but ask yourself if a couple of weeks of misery is worth a lifetime of restful nights. The answer is yes!My 6 month old sleeps every single night from 8pm -7am and has been doing so for 3 months or more. My son who is now 4 was the same way. Be strong. You can do it! Good luck!

Answer 3

Mine did this at 6 months, and now is worse doing it again at 11 months.
I have her crib a nice and cozy place for her. She has a stuffed bunny that she LOVES and her Ocean Wonders crib aquarium. I put the music and lights on in the aquarium and give her bunny. I lay her down awake and head for the door. She stands up and wails, I shhh her and tell her it is night-night time and lay her down again. We repeat this a few times until she takes the hint and stays laying down. when she does this, I leave the room, before she falls asleep. If she is fussing, but laying down, I leave the room then too. Usually I hang out in the hall to make sure she is not standing there wailing after I leave.
I am NOT a supporter of crying it out, but I do the controlled version. While she is standing there wailing (before I leave the room), I tell her that is is time to sleep, night-night time, and shhh her. I lay her down, pat her head, nad walk away again. but I do NOT pick her up, no matter what. It is hard, because she really wants out of the crib..........but that is all that it is. she is at the age where it is more fun to be awake with mommy then in bed. Bunny helps, because she is not alone that way. But it takes a few tries each night to get her down.

BUT........
if she is only screaming when laid down, watch to see if she is pulling at her ears. Sometimes if a baby has an ear ache, it is aggrivated by laying down and that could be contributing to her screaming. Or it could just be that she does not want to go to bed. I had my baby's ears checked when she started doign this and they were fine. But I felt better knowing that she was okay.
Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

Here are a few tips I have used, but it depends on the baby:

Wear her out by playing with her for an hour or so. Whatever you have to do to keep her busy and moving.

Take her for a drive. Babys like the car ride because it reminds them of the womb. Also, try holding her firmly in your arms and swinging her swiftly back and forth, not rock a by baby, but swiftly. It may seem like you are playing with her but they find it to be relaxing.

Make sure she is not sick or in pain (no fever or anything). Is she okay when she is not in her crib?

And lastly, it may take all the mental and emotional strength you have but leave her in her crib to cry. Make sure she has been fed, make sure she has a clean diaper, and make sure she cannot get out of or fall from her crib and just leave her in there till she cries herself to sleep. It is the most hear wrenching thing you will ever go through but she has to learn that bedtime is bedtime and she cant get whatever she wants by crying. It may seem like she isnt intellegent enough right now but she IS testing her boundries with you and running for her whenever she cries is only teaching her whos boss and its not you!

Good Luck!

Answer 5

If she isnt usually like this then their maybe somthing wrong, did you check her temp? maybe it is just her teeth. If you have put her down to sleep and cant think why she would be behaving like that I think I would just let her cry for a few minutes then go in, and re settle in her usual way then leave the room, try not to stay in there for anymore than 30secs at a time and keep repeating this for about 30mins if she still hasnt settled then get her up for 20mins and after that put her back to bed and see if she will settle. she may be just testing you.

Answer 6

I know this can drive you nutty. I don't know what makes them do that but anyway mine did to' This may sound odd but this is what I did. I would put her in her car seat warm a blanket up in the drier just a few minutes then put the car seat on the washer start it and stand there till she fell asleep which usually was a few minutes. It worked. I'd take her out and put her to bed. Odd but true.

Answer 7

first off you said you did not take her out side it is a proven factor a child that gets AT LEAST 15 min a day of fresh air outside sleeps better! second of try giving her a drink of water third try giving her something to chew on for her teeth, if none of those work just keep laying her down untill she gets the hint it is bed time. but seriously even if you have to stand on the porch with her take he out for atleast 15 min a day when my son was that age i would take him out 4 15 min sesions in one day. now days he (he is two) we go sledding twice a day for 30 min to a hour and he LOVES it and he loves to play in the snow. If you take her out make sure she is dressed for the weather.

Answer 8

Fool proof advice-

Get in the car(put her in car seat)
Drive as needed.

Don't make this a habit though, establish a good solid routine(bath, storytime, "wind down time") and let her know bedtime is bedtime.

Answer 9

She may be comeing down with something there is a lot of bugs goung around. When you hol;d her and rock make sure she falls in a deep sleep before you lay her down. She may just need you to be ith her they go through this stage. I know it is hard but you need to stick with it. Good luck and i hope you get the rest you need also.

Answer 10

Have you tried a noise machine? When we put my baby down for bed or a nap, we always turn her noise machine onto the rain setting and set the timer for 30 minutes. It calms her down, and she's learned that when she hears it that means it's time to sleep. Good luck!