Infant in Crib

At 8 weeks I started letting my son fuss a bit to get himself to sleep. I didn't let any long crying jags happen. But I'd feed him, swaddle him and then put him down. I'd let him fuss for about 10 minutes before I went in to him. If he was really crying, I'd go comfort him. But he's at the age where you can set the framework for sleep training. Start the associations of the routine you'll use for bedtime, associate the crib with sleep, etc...

CIO generally starts around 4-5mos. 8 wees is waaaay too early for that. But again, you can begin the pattern. With any luck, starting now, you won't have to sleep train at all.

Our daughter wouldn't sleep in her crib either so when she was about 6 weeks old we purchased a Kohlcraft bassinet with a lighted up mobile that turned in a circle. She would stare at the mobile and lights till she fell asleep! Worked every time! (She did not like plain bassinets, it had to have the light and mobile!) We used it till she was like 6 months old (she was small.)

I think the earliest age for the cry it out method is 6 months old. HOWEVER, it's better if you can find out why your baby is crying and soothe his need rather than make him fend for himself.

Try swaddling, (nursing to sleep if you are breastfeeding), a pacifier fulfills some babies need to suck otherwise. It's okay to use the swing too! Let your baby fall asleep in the swing and then try to move him to a bed. We even let our daughter sleep in her car seat before getting the bassinet..... Good luck!

Well, there are a number of things to try..............put him in his crib and pat him.....I would pat hard enough to bounce him......not hurt him...........you can also put nice calm music in there playing softly............does he have a baby carousel to look at?

You might try rocking him once in a bit and see if that helps.......maybe glow in the dark stuff on the walls and ceiling, (not over him where if they fall, they fall in the crib) but where he can see them.........

He's pretty young, so hang in there............you'll figure it out......

Good Luck and take care.

C. -

It will happen.. hang in there! You can let him cry for a bit now if you know he's not in need of anything -like food or a diaper change.

Not to burst your bubble.. but, contrary to a lot of people's belief, not every baby will eventually cry themselves to sleep!! My son would, my daughter wouldn't. She would get herself so worked up that she couldn't sleep - so, most of the time we ended up rubbing her back or rocking her until she slept.

*on a side note.. if you can do that - it's not necessarily a bad thing. She did eventually learn how to soothe herself and the time of being able to rock her and hold her went by VERY quickly!! Enjoy it as much as you can... you will love every stage he goes through - but miss the baby part one day.

God Bless-
C.

Why are you wanting to ignore your 8 week old baby who has been in your womb for 9 MONTHS being perfectly cared for and completely surrounded by you? Ignore the culture that says you need to work on your baby's independence, or that your baby needs to sleep in his crib. Baby mammals including humans need to be with their mama. Love your baby and let him know that you love him in the language he knows best at this age -- your time, attention, and touch.

Your child has a built-in desire to be close to you, where he feels safe, comforted, and loved. He also may have some acid reflux or something that makes crib-sleeping painful for him. Don't push your baby away at 8 weeks of age to cry alone in his crib!

If you're wanting tips on how to gradually acclimatize your baby to the crib, there are ways of doing that. Nurse him to sleep, and then put him sleeping into the crib. If/when he wakes up, pat him gently on the back for a while. He will become used to sleeping in the crib. Gradually, eventually, he'll understand that crib is for sleeping and that even though he's separated from you, you still exist and will come back from him. He's too young to understand that now; right now, he only knows that what he sees is what exists.

I have had great success with the Babywise system which just helps them to get on a feeding/napping schedule. All my 3 kids have been sleeping through the night in their own beds by 14 weeks old. Do you have him in your bed? The main thing is to have him learn that he doesn't need YOU in order to fall asleep. When he starts getting drowsy/rubbing his eyes, put him in his crib. He will fuss the first few times since he is used to having you there or hold him. He should get used to it pretty quick though. The best advice I could ever give a new mom is to get the baby on a sleep schedule (and keep them out of your bed) so that you can rest and have time to recoup. We all need that! :) Good luck! You are doing great!

Day time naps were a good place for me to start with my kiddos. I'd rock them or whatever they needed (each were different) and then I'd lay them in the crib. Also if they woke up, but weren't crying, I'd let them hang out in there for a little bit. Sometimes I'd go in and turn on the mobile, sometimes not. Then I slowly started putting them in there more and more awake and more often.

Why are you trying to get him into a crib? Where is he sleeping now? I did the CIO method with my son at 4 months. He previously had slept in the bed with me but was not sleeping well anymore (so neither were we) and we decided it was time to move him. At 8 weeks your son is too young to do CIO. I suggest starting to set up a routine to set the stage for bedtime. This should include bath, quiet time, songs, feedings, whatever you want to occur every night before bedtime. Be consistent but be patient. He is still a newborn and needs the comfort and security of his mommy. Swaddling worked GREAT for my son. We did that from a month or so until 4 months. Do not be surprised even once he gets in a crib if he wakes up several times a night for feedings. This is pretty young to expect a child to literally sleep through the night no matter where you lay him down. Good luck and just remember that this phase will pass. Enjoy these precious weeks with your new little one.

I agree with several of the other mom's answers. The earliest you can let a baby CIO is 6 months old. Even then, it never did work for my daughter. We tried it once because it seemed like nothing else would work. She would work herself up so much she threw up over her entire crib, then we would have to pick her up to change her and the sheets which completely defeats the purpose of CIO.

I also agree with trying him in his cribs for naps first or even maybe to play a little while you fold laundry next to him. This way, he will get used to the crib and new surroundings slowly and not be frightened if he wakes up to something unfamiliar. You could also try swaddling or wrapping the shirt you wore that day around him, too. Just be sure not to leave it loose in the crib, because it is a SIDS hazard.

I know all to well how exhausting it is, espeically if you have no help. Try to hang in there. I always wanted to shoot the people who always told me that it would pass, because at the time, I was so tired and desparate that I didn't think it would. It took my daughter 15.5 months to sleep through the night, but now she has been for a month now.

Good luck and keep your chin up!!

Babywise is dangerous! This method is harmful and the man who wrote it is a fraud. If you want good parenting advise read Dr. Sear.
No 8 week old should be expected to sleep through the night or in a crib. Babys cry to communicate it is all they have. You should never let an infant of any age cry it out. Parenting is a full time job and all children are different. Some will sleep more, some less. Some children don't sleep all night till they are 3 or more. The best thing you can do is be there to comfort and meet your baby's needs so he/she will develop trust in you.

No not at 8 weeks old. He is too young to learn this way. An 8 week old shouldn't be sleeping through the night anyway at that age. You are a parent now and I totally sympathize with the sleep deprivation but you have at least a few more months of waking up many times each night. At this age your child is learning about the world and how quickly you respond to his cries teach him if he can trust his envrionment. In fact studies have shown that if you respond to his cries now he will cry less in the long run b/c he will learn to rely on you when he needs comfort. I would wait until at least 6 months before you try such a harsh method. I loved the book the no cry sleep solution. It offered a gentler way of sleep training and my son is a calm gentle 2 year old now I think in part due to the fact that he knows he can trust me. It is not too early to start a bedtime routine and consistency is key but don't make your baby miserable at this age.