How in the heck do we ......................
@camomom (7535)
United States
June 3, 2009 9:29am CST
Our 11 month old is still sleeping in her swing. Obviously, she shouldn't still be sleeping in it because, for one, she's too old. For two, she's too big. She's definitely too heavy for it because it won't even swing while she's in it. She won't sleep anywhere else except her car seat, usually in the car. My question is, how can we get her to sleep in her crib? She hates to lay flat to sleep. we've tried to put a pillow in the crib, under the mattress and on top. She'll sleep for maybe an hour then absolutely will not go back to sleep until she's either in the swing or in her car seat going for a ride in the car. Any suggestions?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@Raven7317 (691)
• United States
3 Jun 09
This is something I had very little trouble with... I put my son in his crib at one month... he only stayed in his bassinet, in my bedroom, for one month. I started with naps in the crib, nights in the bassinet. Then by 2 months old, he was sleeping in his crib at night too...
I think it time you let her cry it out... Maybe on a weekend, a long weekend, when you don't have to work the next day... it's time to get her in the crib because it really is the best place for her to get a good nights sleep, where it's safe and where you know she won't fall out of it...
I would just toughen up and just put her in the crib. I'm not saying walk away from a hysterical baby now... I'm just saying you have to toughen up or you're going to be in for many more power struggles...
So try a nap in there, sit with her, rub her back, sing, turn on music, or get one of those ceiling music projector thingies... (I had one and it was great!)
Every time she wakes up, go back in and start all over... BUT DON'T PICK HER UP - I've heard this is the worst thing to do when battling sleep issues...
Then after a few days of this, step it up to putting her in there at night. Do the same thing until she gets to the point of at least being in there without crying... at this point, start moving out of her room... for a few seconds at a time, then a few minutes... She needs to get used to being in there and feeling safe... If you really want to, you could start aquainting her with the crib for little play times during the day. You know, when you're folding and/or putting her clothes away, let her sit in the crib and play. Get a small radio and put some music on and let her dance in the crib...
It's really important for their posture too that they sleep correctly... at the very least, if you can't start with simply my 'toughen up' suggestion, take the swing apart and place the chair only part INSIDE the crib. Do the same thing with the car seat. She'll sleep in there - if you put her in there. Good luck!
@Raven7317 (691)
• United States
3 Jun 09
Geez, I just read my post... I hope I wasn't being bi*chy. I really wasn't trying to be... My pedi's words are replaying in my mind and this is what he would have told me.
"Trust me, he'll sleep when he's tired... He'll eat when he's hungry... He'll..."
And I've always trusted him so I just do what needs to be done and trust ME: your child WILL do what you want them to if you don't give them any choice.
Good luck again!
@camomom (7535)
• United States
3 Jun 09
Thank you. We had issues with our oldest too. The only difference was that she would only sleep in our arms, our bed or in her carseat (in the crib). She wasn't out of our room until she was 2 and that was only because I was pregnant. This one is still in our room also but only because of the swing thing and her older sister thinks it's playtime with her in her room. They will be sharing a room. we have all the crib gadgets and she either doesn't like them or she's scared of them. I've been told not to let her play in the crib because then she'll associate the crib with playing instead of sleeping. I'm a stay at home mom so I don't have to worry about her keeping me up but I do have to worry about her keeping her Dad up. I think we'll just have to try it with naps to start out for a few days and then add the nights. I'll have to work it out that we can add the nights when Dad is off from work the next day. At first you did sound a little harsh but I understand. No big deal. you're right, I need to toughen up. I just can't stand the screaming, It makes my heart break for my kids to be unhappy. Thanks for the advice.
@Raven7317 (691)
• United States
3 Jun 09
Hi, I'm glad you understood... sometimes there's no way to say things other than to just say them... No mom likes to be told to toughen up, I was told many times and once I 'got over it' I tried the methods and alot of them worked... Some didn't, but most did...It's great that you're a SAHM, I am too, and I had to worry about DH being kept awake too... ARG, talk about stress, huh??? Like we didn't have enough with new babies, all of a sudden our husbands turned into BABY # 2! But that's another post, LOL...
The thing about the playing in the crib... you're right that she will associate it with play, but it sounds as if she's just not comfortable there so playing is the easiest way to change that... And wouldn't you rather she stay awake or fall asleep playing than stay awake or fall asleep crying? You can change the association much easier later on once she's sleeping in there... I know - it's really hard to listen to your little angel cry, but that's one of the toughest yet most important lesson that a mom and a child needs to learn... The self-soothing thing...trust is taught and learned.
Good luck and thanks!
@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
3 Jun 09
lol i have a 16 month old cousin...that loves to sleep in her swing too..everytime she sees it she wants to get in. so we took it out. i would have tried the pillows too...other than that i wouldnt know...just wanted you to know shes not the only little big one tryin to sleep in the swing
@camomom (7535)
• United States
4 Jun 09
I'm glad to hear that. I was starting to worry that the thing would collapse if she stays in it too much longer. I guess we have atleast another 7 months that she'll be safe in it
. Thank you.
. Thank you.@britt_200 (1226)
• United States
4 Jun 09
lol...yeah BUT i was looking through a magazine last night...and i found a wedge pillow...its for ppl who have to sleep at the angle...have you tried that? i was looking through the magazine and i thought of you..just a thought
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
3 Jun 09
Sounds like she is accustomed to falling asleep sitting up slightly. Maby you could find her one of the head reast pillow things where she could sit up slightly in her crib and can hopefully fall asleep that way. Does the swing make a soft soothing noise. Maybe she likes the sound of the motion of the swing, or the car. Maybe you could try getting her something to put in the crib or just outside of the crib that makes the soothing sound. Or maybe you can tape the sound and play the sound by her crip at night.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
3 Jun 09
We've tried those "boppy" pillows and they don't work. We tried regular pillows under her mattress. we tried a regular pillow on top of her mattress.
The funny thing is that she isn't even swinging in the swing and we don't turn on the music. The music keeps her awake. We use to a lullaby CD and it helped but all of a sudden it kept her awake.
She will fall asleep in the car everytime but them once we put her back in the house she wakes up. She'll even wake up if we keep her in the carseat sometimes.
We have a "Momma Bear" that plays sounds of the womb, that only works 1 out of about 10 tries.
She just doesn't want to sleep lying down.
Thank you for the suggestions though.
@glords (2614)
• United States
3 Jun 09
My son didn't like to sleep laying down either... especially because of ear infections. I just sat in the room with him one day and held his hand and sang to him while he cried himself to sleep. The first time it took 2.5 hours and nearly broke my heart. The second time it took 45 minutes, after that 20, and in just a few days he learned to sleep in his crib.
I still feel sick when I think about that day he cried for 2.5 hours. I feel guilty about making him suffer like that, but its been very good for everyone. My husband and I are getting a lot more rest, and he is learning healthy sleeping habits.
I think every child is different, so just try what ever feels right for you.
I also tried to put a stuffed animal in his crib, but he hated that. I don't know, maybe a doll or toy might be comforting to your child.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
3 Jun 09
I know what you mean. I can't stand the crying. I feel guilty and my heart breaks when my kids cry. I think I do need to do what you did. I think I'll start doing it with naps first then add the nights after a few days. I just need to plan it out for when camodad isn't working the next day. We've tried toys too and mobiles, nothing seems to help. She has had an ear infection and tugs at her ears a lot. Maybe that's why she won't sleep in there. If we hold her and she falls asleep, we can put her i there and she'll stay asleep for an hour or two but then she just screams until we put her in the swing again. Thank you. I'll have to have her doc check out her ears.
@Kanani79 (22)
• United States
4 Jun 09
Now I know this is going to break your heart but you're going to have to force yourself to lie her flat. She will cry for awhile and she'll be mad but eventually she'll learn that her crib is where she's meant to sleep. I work in a daycare with the infants. We've had some babies who will sleep with only constant movement and that seems to be what your baby is suffering from. While laying flat she doesn't have the constant rocking or motion to rock her to sleep. By just leaving the room(trust me I know it's heartbreaking. They aren't my kids and I feel for them)and slowly weening her into it she'll eventually fall asleep. If she cries herself to sleep that's okay. You can't keep giving into her because she'll grow up and you'll still be giving into her. You have to make her understand that even at this young age you are the boss and what you do/say goes.
Good luck
K
@camomom (7535)
• United States
4 Jun 09
She doesn't swing in the swing to sleep, so there is no movement. I understand what you're saying though. I get that we have to just let her cry and eventually she'll sleep but we have to sleep too and so do our other kids. She's in our bedroom and her dad works long hours and needs his sleep. We can't put her in another room yet because then we have 2 kids up all night. If she goes in her sisters room, her sister thinks it's playtime. If she goes in her brothers room he's up all night from her crying then he's a mess the next day. We don't have another bedroom in the house. Thanks for the advice.
