How do you handle sleep training a baby?

[Anonymous]

Our 6 month old is getting used to putting himself to sleep - which he has done very few times. He is happy to be in his crib, and it takes him a good long while until he gets upset about being in there. For example, today:

I put him in there at 12:19. For a solid hour, he's happy as a clam. He starts to fuss, and I let him for a bit (10 min). Now it is 1:30. I go in and rock him, he goes to sleep. I put him down in teh crib, he wakes up. I let him fuss for a bit 5 min. This routine we do 3 times. It is now about 1:50 or so. DH says go to the store and I'll continue this routine. I leave. It doens't work, he finally puts him in the Rock n Play and rocks him to sleep. Kid is finally asleep at 3:00 or so. And he's still sleeping, and it is 4:00.

So - the afternoon nap is basically going to take 5 hours when it is all said and done. Is this what you did? I can't see how he'll learn if he doesn't just hang out in the crib at nap time, and I figure eventually, he'll get the picture and go to sleep. But, with all the waiting, and rocking, and putting him back down, etc, he is then way overtired and then really won't settle himself because we've missed the sleep window!

Help.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I should add that if I had nursed him at 1219, he would have fallen asleep within 10 minutes, so that timing was good for a potential nap.

[Anonymous]

My opinion is unpopular but I would have nursed him. I have prioritized sleep and efficiency over "training." Now I have a 2.5 year old who is a pretty good sleeper.

[Anonymous]

Nurse or give him a pacifier. Rock him with your hand while in the crib if he wakes up. Make a set sleep/prenup routine and never divert from it. Darken the room as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

My DD is a month younger but I’m learning that if I try to put her down a bit too early and she’s not quite tired enough, the put-down process takes forever and we’re both fighting the whole way. Now if I put her down and it’s clear she isn’t starting to nod off, I pick her back up and we go do something for 10-15 minutes. Nothing crazy, just walk around, wipe the counters, whatever. I try again and 9 times out of 10 she goes right out. I focus more on wake time between naps than going down for a nap at a set time.

[Anonymous]

We gave him a bottle for every nap and going to sleep at night until he self weened at 15mo.

We did however sleep train him at 6mo (full extinction). Took 3 nights (45mins, 20mins and 5 mins crying). We had to do it a 1 or 2 more times after illnesses or teething. But it was only 1 night of 15-20 mins of crying.

Now at 22mo, he’ll roll around in bed for 15-60 mins until he falls asleep.

[Anonymous]

Depends on how bad the fussing is. I only went in for prolonged, intense crying. For mild- to moderate- fussing, I left DD alone and she usually put herself to sleep.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like nap training, which is more difficult than night sleep training. I recommend the book and Facebook group “Precious Little Sleep”. I think the recommendation there is only tackle naps once night sleep independence is established. You should use a short pre-nap routine. Baby gets 1 hour. If not asleep after an hour, nap time is over and you go about your day.

[Anonymous]

OP what is your general overall schedule? When did he wake up from his previous nap?

Was he fussing for 10 min, or crying? If it was just fussing, or some crying and then periods of not crying, then I would just let him be a while longer.

[Anonymous]

Any reason why you don’t want to feed him a bit before nap? If that’s what it takes to get a solid nap I’d say do it.

[Anonymous]

What time was the earlier night nap? May be moving from 3 to 2 naps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our 6 month old is getting used to putting himself to sleep - which he has done very few times. He is happy to be in his crib, and it takes him a good long while until he gets upset about being in there. For example, today:

I put him in there at 12:19. For a solid hour, he's happy as a clam. He starts to fuss, and I let him for a bit (10 min). Now it is 1:30. I go in and rock him, he goes to sleep. I put him down in teh crib, he wakes up. I let him fuss for a bit 5 min. This routine we do 3 times. It is now about 1:50 or so. DH says go to the store and I'll continue this routine. I leave. It doens't work, he finally puts him in the Rock n Play and rocks him to sleep. Kid is finally asleep at 3:00 or so. And he's still sleeping, and it is 4:00.

So - the afternoon nap is basically going to take 5 hours when it is all said and done. Is this what you did? I can't see how he'll learn if he doesn't just hang out in the crib at nap time, and I figure eventually, he'll get the picture and go to sleep. But, with all the waiting, and rocking, and putting him back down, etc, he is then way overtired and then really won't settle himself because we've missed the sleep window!

Help.

I’d just feed him and put him down at 12:19 and come back an hour later.

[Anonymous]

I always prioritized falling asleep at nap time over self-soothing. Otherwise their schedule gets off and you cannot expect an over tired baby to learn to self-soothe well (it would be like you learning a difficult new skill while sleep deprived). The goal should be rock solid schedule, then train. With all of mine there was barely any crying because the sleep pressure and circadian rhythm did most of the work.