My baby always cries (length varies) herself to sleep - Is this typical?

Question

First of all, we have a great bedtime routine. She always has a 4oz bottle then we play, take a bath, etc & then after an hour or so we go into her room & I give her a 2oz bottle & read her the same story & she goes right down - in her crib, on her back. I whisper her prayers & she is asleep before I leave the room. She sleeps anywhere from 5-7 hours straight at night.

BUT, during the day is another story all together.

We have found that she really prefers to sleep on her stomach. She sleeps longer and better.

So when she wakes in the morning, we give her a 6oz bottle & then play for an hour or so & then try to put her down on a blanket on the floor of her room, on her stomach.

As soon as we set her down she starts to cry. Sometimes this cry is just a wimper & then fades to her falling asleep within 30 seconds & other times she has to reach a full on wail for about 2-5 minutes before she tires herself out and then finally falls asleep.

Is this typical? Any suggestions?

1. She will be 4 months on July 9th.
2. She is usually up for an hour or so before I put her down.

Also, I do lay there on the floor with her while she cries... Some people say it is not good to let her "cry it out" so I will stay with her. But others say that I shouldn't be a crutch to help her fall asleep. I don't know... I hope that this is a decent balance to both sides of the argument.

Answer 1

http://www.aap.org/sections/scan/practicingsafety/Modules/Crying/CopingwithCrying.pdf

That link will get you directly to the American Academy of Pediatrics and their guide for baby crying.

2-5 minutes is totally acceptable. The AAP has said that some babies need to cry, it helps them to settle into sleep. It's best for her to have those type of self-soothing techniques rather than to rely on external crutches provided by you to fall asleep.

My suggestion is just to keep up what you are doing. It's very typical. My baby will generally fall asleep after about 30 seconds of crying, but other times it takes longer (she's 7 months old).

Answer 2

It is perfectly normal. If you have ever went back in there and picked her up and stayed with her until she went to sleep that could be the reason for her behavior. She will eventually stop crying and just go to sleep. It may take a week or it may even take several months but don't worry she'll be fine. The most important advice I could give you is to never make the mistake of going back in there to get her or even to comfort her. As like everything else it's all about consistence. Best of luck.

Answer 3

Don't worry this is actually very good. She is learning to self sooth. Lay her in her crib everytime she sleeps. You should very glad she is not attach to a binky. I let my son cry for up to a 1/2 hour sometimes. As long as you know there is nothing wrong with her its ok for them to cry a little while. It helps them get out all the frustation of the day.

Answer 4

2-5 minutes of crying might seem like an eternity to you but that is totally acceptable. You are doing her a favor by teaching her to fall asleep on her own without any props (like a bottle, rocking her, etc.) Pretty soon she won't cry at all when you lay her down. But I still say 2-5 minutes is awesome! Count your blessings.

Answer 5

that amount of time seems to be perfectly fine! i think you are doing a great job, sounds like you have everything together!

you should come check out this great website - pregnancy.org/ there are community message boards, birth clubs, and lots of other things... it's a great support as you really get to know the other woman and take and give advice and it's also a place to vent... check it out!

Answer 6

First, how old is she? Second, how long has she been up before you put her down to nap? Let her fall asleep next to you, she should not cry for 2 whole minutes.

Answer 7

There are times it is good for babies to cry, it will develope their lungs, don't worry.