CIO questions

[mackmama]

For those who did CIO, what specifically was your technique and at what age did you do it? I've been reading that there are different ways to go about it. Thanks!

[arivecchi]

We used this method.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-ferber-method-demystified_7755.bc

I think we would initially do 10 minutes then 15, then 20, etc. Took about 3-4 nights with each kid. DH and I alternated going in. We would not pick them up if they were otherwise ok. Just pat, let them know we were there and left the room again after a couple of minutes.

More info:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-sleep-training-cry-it-out-methods_1497112.bc

[BabyBearsMom]

We used this method.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-ferber-method-demystified_7755.bc

I think we would initially do 10 minutes then 15, then 20, etc. Took about 3-4 nights with each kid. DH and I alternated going in. We would not pick them up if they were otherwise ok. Just pat, let them know we were there and left the room again after a couple of minutes.

More info:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-sleep-training-cry-it-out-methods_1497112.bc
We also did Ferber. We did it with DD at 6 months it took 2 or 3 days. We did the same intervals as A and also did not pick up.

[TxCat]

Another Ferber method here.

Slightly shorter intervals initially - 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes, etc., but we did extend it a little each subsequent night, ie, the first interval became 5 minutes on the 2nd night, 7 minutes on the 3rd night, etc.

I think it took us about 5-6 nights, but it's been relatively smooth sailing since then, even when she is sick, the routine is altered, etc. Also, we tried once when DD was 4 months, failed, and tried again when she was 6 months, and succeeded.

[JoyNChrist]

Another Ferber method here.

Slightly shorter intervals initially - 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes, etc., but we did extend it a little each subsequent night, ie, the first interval became 5 minutes on the 2nd night, 7 minutes on the 3rd night, etc.

I think it took us about 5-6 nights, but it's been relatively smooth sailing since then, even when she is sick, the routine is altered, etc. Also, we tried once when DD was 4 months, failed, and tried again when she was 6 months, and succeeded.

This is pretty much what we did too. Took less than a week, and the twins have been sleeping 11-13 hours a night ever since. :)

[wellyes]

Feber at 8.5 months for DD, 7 months for DS. Took less than a week both times to get the bedtime routine from taking HOURS to taking 20 minutes tops.

[waitingforgrace]

Another Ferber method here.

Slightly shorter intervals initially - 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes, etc., but we did extend it a little each subsequent night, ie, the first interval became 5 minutes on the 2nd night, 7 minutes on the 3rd night, etc.

I think it took us about 5-6 nights, but it's been relatively smooth sailing since then, even when she is sick, the routine is altered, etc. Also, we tried once when DD was 4 months, failed, and tried again when she was 6 months, and succeeded.

:yeahthat: only took about 3 nights, we were very lucky

[StantonHyde]

The first thing Ferber tells you to do is to make sure you are not nursing/giving them a bottle when they wake up in the middle of the night--which I would do to get them back to sleep. So with both of my kids (15 mos with DS and 8 mos for DD--can you tell I learned something from the first time??) I decreased the amount of nursing by one minute each night until it was like 1 minute on each side and then the next night they slept through the night by themselves. I didn't even have to do CIO!!! I did still nurse DD at bet time and upon waking. But she stopped waking up to eat. Took a week, max, with each kid. No problem at all.

With DD--the first time I put her in the crib after she had been sleeping in the swing for 6 mos, she cried for 2 hours. I kept going in every 15 minutes and patting her back and then leaving. By the next night, she went right to sleep!! So only 1 night of CIO and only 2 hours of it.

I do think you have to wait until they are old enough but once you hit 6 mos or so, then it works great and is so much easier than you think it is going to be!

[mackmama]

Do you think 9mo is too late to do it? DC has been sleeping through the night but has lately been waking and crying. When you pat and then leave the room, do you leave the room even if DC is still crying?

[luckytwenty]

I did Ferber with my boys (DD slept through on her own) at 5 months and 4 months. It was very easy and took two "bad" nights and then they were pretty much trained.

I don't think 9 months is too old, but I think it might take more than 2-3 nights to pull it off, from friends' experiences trying it with older babies.

Yes, you do leave the room after a certain number of minutes of patting. FWIW, I did Ferber with a pacifier. I think that made it easier. Broke the paci addiction much later on.

[arivecchi]

I don't think 9 months is too old, but I think it might take more than 2-3 nights to pull it off, from friends' experiences trying it with older babies.

Yes, you do leave the room after a certain number of minutes of patting. FWIW, I did Ferber with a pacifier. I think that made it easier. Broke the paci addiction much later on.
:yeahthat:

[kerridean]

I am prepared for flames:

We used Marc Weissbluth.

DD1 age 2 1/2 months. Put child in crib, shut door. Do not go in until the morning. She cried 1 hour first night and 45 minutes the second. She slept through the night for the rest of her life with the exception of sickness from that night on. By the time she was one, she slept 7-7 with NO wake-ups.

DD2 age 4 months. It took quite a bit longer. She still needed a feeding once a night until she was 13 months. I was fine with one feeding as long as she went right back to sleep. There was more crying, more working with her. I would say it took a few weeks of CIO training if I remember correctly.

I DO NOT REGRET IT AT ALL!. Best thing we ever did as parents. Both girls had SEVERE colic. I had severe PPD/anxiety with insomnia and chronic plugged ducts with both girls. I was exhausted and at my wits end.

Both girls have been wonderful, independent sleepers ever since we completed CIO. It changed our lived as parents.

[JoyNChrist]

9 months is definitely not too old. We did Ferber with DS1 after he turned 2 (and still had never slept a full night through). It took longer, but it was still relatively painless andbtotally worth it.

[designermv]

I did Ferber with DD1 when she was 9 months old and it worked like a charm. It was harder on me than it was on her. ;) OMG. After 9 months of NO sleep and working full-time, I seriously wanted to walk around singing Zip-a-dee-doo-dah.