3Mo Old Will Not Sleep in Crib

before getting the rail to keep the baby in your bed, I'd try a co-sleeper first. It's safer since the baby does have her own space but it attaches to mom's bed so there's easy access for nighttime feedings or just so you can soothe her during the night without worrying about her getting rolled over or stuck between the rail and mattress. I really don't know anything about the rail things or how they attach but I don't think they'd be as safe as a co-sleeper. I also let my daughter (now 9) sleep with us because she wouldn't sleep in her crib. I was awake most of the night worrying that one of us would roll over her, I wish I'd had a co-sleeper...I would have gotten more sleep!

I second the No Cry Sleep Solution vote - our son never cries to sleep, and we've used those techniques since he was about your daughters age.... he's 2 now and associates his crib with pleasent feelings and goes without resistance every time!

Hi M.,

I don't believe in the sleep methods/training personally (I rock my son to sleep every night to get him to sleep). In saying that I have 2 suggestions:

First, you can co-sleep without the baby between you and your husband. I use a baby bed rail on my side of the bed. My son sleeps between me and the rail. My husband would roll over on him or elbow him in the head or something like that. He is a very sound sleeper.

My second suggestion would be to start a bedtime routine. This may take several nights before your daughter catches on, but it will eventually set in. For example, at a certain time start by getting a bath, then dimming the lights, then do lotion and message before PJs, then give the last bottle or nurse, then rock baby to sleep or lay baby down. Which ever you choose to do. Be very consistent!! If you do rock to sleep, make sure the baby has been asleep for around 20 mins before trying to lay her down. Babies take at least that long before getting into a deep sleep. This gets less around 7 to 8 months old, but until then they are easily aroused. Like what your daughter is doing. It takes patience on your part to sit with her until she is in that deep sleep.

Maybe this might help you a little. Blessings to you!

I believe they recommend not using the Ferber CIO until at least four months and sometimes they're still not ready for it. It worked really well for me at 6 months. Until then, how long do you hold her before laying her down. Maybe hold a little longer to make sure she's good and out. Of course if she wakes after 45 minutes like mine, then that's no good. If you don't mind her in the bed with you, then you could get a bed rail and keep her between you and it so no husband elbows. A good book if you like to read is "The No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. Good Luck!!

Oh, Honey, you've no idea how common this happens. Honestly, can you blame the little thing! lol I know I hate to sleep alone!

Have you heard of The No Cry Sleep Solution? It's such a great book with many alternatives to CIO, ala Ferberizing.

Here are some links to give you some ideas, too. That book is a godsend, though, I really recommend it!
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp

http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/index.html

Here's a sneak peek at The No Cry Sleep Solution (and other stuff from the same author)
http://www.kellymom.com/pantley/index.html

HTH!

Taking care of your own children is entirely different and much harder than taking care of someone else's children.

If your baby is crying when you lay her down then she is telling you in the only way she knows how, that she does not want to sleep alone.

Mammals naturally are not meant to sleep alone. Sleeping with parents provides warmth and safety that are necessary to a child growing up to feel secure and independent. Pushing a child toward independence before they are ready just leads them to be more clingy and needy. If you show them you are there for them as much as they need you they will feel strong and confident and know they are loved, and thus feel ready to strike out on their own. And this applies to all ages, from birth to death.

I hope you can find a way to let your baby sleep in the warmth and comfort of mommy. I promise you it will not last long. Childhood is just a whisper anyway, over too soon.

My 10-year old slept in her own crib and then toddler bed in my bedroom for 2 years, then her dad left when she was 2 and I brought her in bed with me. She slept in bed with me until she was 6, then I met my second husband and she has been in her own bed since then.

My 3 1/2-year old slept in her crib in our bedroom until my husband deployed when she was 1-year old, I brought her in bed with me then, she just decided a few days ago she wants to sleep in her own bed in her own room. She did it herself. Child-led is the best way in my opinion.

My 8-month old slept in her bassinet for the first few months, but she often slept in my arms after we both fell asleep during night time nursing sessions. Now she is too big for the bassinet so she sleeps in her crib for a few hours at night, then wakes up and I nurse her back to sleep and then she sleeps in bed with my husband and me.

Babyhood's neediness doesn't last long, promise.

I know what you're going through. I have a 2 month old that sleeps with us. I am trying to get her to sleep in her bassinet so that we can eventually move her to her crib but she does the same thing your daughter does...as soon as you set her down she wakes up and won't go back to sleep. The minute I put her back with me she falls asleep right away. It's very frustrating when it's 4 in the morning and you're trying to let her "cry it out" for a few minutes in her bassinet. Usually she just wakes up and starts moving around and kicking. It then leads to a cry and thats when I put her back in bed with me since my husband has to work the next day. Does anyone have any other suggestions for getting her to sleep in her bassinet? I've been trying to get her to take naps in it during the day. I make sure she's in a pretty deep sleep first and then put her in it. She will usually only sleep about an hour or less but at least she sleeps for a bit. I have to go back to work in March so I wanted to start transitioning her to her bassinet first and then eventually her crib. Any advice would be great!

One last thing...I'm breastfeeding so it makes it so much easier for her to sleep with me. I usually get up, change her diaper and feed her in a chair in our room and then put her back down but it's nice sometimes to just feed her in bed and let her fall asleep.