How long does it normally take?

**Alana13** · 01-08-2007 20:03

Hello!

6 days ago I started self settling with my 12 week old baby by letting him cry so he falls asleep by himself after some advice i was given by my ECHN. Previously I was having to pat him to sleep for all sleeps which sometimes took over an hour - and he would sometimes wake after 40 mins, and would only EVER sleep for 40 mins at a time during the day.

Since we started he now sleeps for 2 - 2 1/2 hours at a time during the day, and has started sleeping through at night, so we are very happy with the progress BUT the last 2 nights the crying before going to sleep at night has been 20+ mins, when on days 3 and 4 it was between 2 - 5 mins! I feel like for some reason we are now going backwards in terms of the crying?!?!

I was wondering how long this takes before he wont cry when I put him down?

Any feedback/help would realllllly be appreciated!

**tru** · 01-08-2007 20:07

DS is 9 months old and still cries sometimes when I put him down, and if he hasn't stopped within a minute then I go and resettle by patting/stroking and calm talking.

Are you sure about the controlled crying so young? I read that it was only meant for babies over 6 months?

Hope it gets better for you soon

**moonblossom** · 01-08-2007 20:09

I wouldn't do it...

**cheezelz** · 01-08-2007 20:22

I encourage you highly to research this before you try again. CC should not be done till babies are at least 6 months in age. At such a young age theyare unable to associate cot with sleep. If your bub has fallen asleep previously I think it was due to him being sleepy when you put him down and not from you practicing CC. Babies this young also find it hard to stop crying once they have started and if you leave them they will only exhaust themselves and become very distressed. They can have long term affects on children coping with stress.

Many mums as well as myself are pro CC but know that it should not be done on babies under 6 months.

**Alana13** · 01-08-2007 20:29

Thanks for your help, my ECHN said that it was fine to start before 6 months???!?! A lot of friends of mine started before 6 months and had success - I will have to think about this some more.

BUT how do I ignore such massive changes in his sleep. going from 40 mins to 2 1/2 hour sleeps during the day and now sleeping through at night.

This is so hard! I feel really really confussed about what to do!

**tru** · 01-08-2007 20:35

Hugs for you! I know it's really hard. Just hang in there and try to do what feels right for you and your bub. Their sleep patterns do change a lot. DS's are different everyday. You're doing a great job. Just remember your bub still needs lots of comforting at this young age.

**moonblossom** · 01-08-2007 20:38

Hi Alana...

I never let my son cry, nor did I with any of my children. I know its hard, but I would suffer, if they were upset, so I didn't want to put myself through it.

My last baby who is a year old now, is the worst sleeper, he still has two or three feeds during the night (i'm breastfeeding) I always feed him to sleep and YES i'm at his beck and call, as long as he is happy.

I am lucky, I am not a working mother who HAS to sleep ...or have other really little children to run after, but even when I did, I never let them cry.

I think a mothers instinct tells her what is right. DO NOT listen to other's when your heart is telling you different.

Most of the time when people ask me for advice, I tell them to listen to their intuition, to their heartstrings, it will never lead you wrong.

Good luck hun

p.s. And yes i'm a totally knackered 44 year old mum of eight children and I could be happier

**Alana13** · 01-08-2007 20:38

Before we started this he was sleeping so badly he would be so over tired he could not feed properly - he was over assisted to get to sleep, he had colic untill 9 weeks so we HAD to help him get to sleep, I think I need to work on a happy medium

**WizzFizz** · 01-08-2007 20:44

I say stick with it! I dont believe that babies dont associate cots with sleep. I think they do. So keep going how you are, you'll get there!

**mum2bubba** · 01-08-2007 21:39

It took Hayley about 2 or 4 days to start sleeping through (about 10 to 20 minutes to get to sleep on her own) with Skye she takes about 10 minutes to half an hour to get to sleep (on a good day) she still wakes early morning for a feed but she is only 3 months so I still expect this.