white noise machine, 4 mo old sleep and transition to crib help!

[drako]

We are ready to transfer DD2 to the crib but she has other plans! She has been sleeping in her swing since we brought her home since that is the only way we were able to get some sleep. We have tried her in the bassinet in our room without success. I have been able to get her to nap in there on a few occassions but right now I am trying and all she is doing is crying. DD1 was the same way but we transfered her to the crib at 3 months. The complexitiy we have now is the nursery is right across DD1's room so I am afraid the crying will keep her up or wake her up at night. Yesterday I tried the crib at nap time and she cried for over an hour. I did try going in a few times to reassure her but that seemed to just get her more upset. Last night, she fell asleep in the bassinet for a half hour and than cried and there was no consoling her so I brought her to our bed and nursed her. This is something I don't want to start. DD1 would start off in her crib and then when she woke I brought her to bed to nurse. She eventually would sleep longer and longer at night until she was no longer coming to our bed. I am seriously at my wits end and don't know what to do. DD2 didn't take any naps yesterday and didn't sleep much last night. I feel like I have a newborn in the house again with the sleep deprivation. Since she was in our bed, I didn't sleep well since I was worried the blankets would cover her etc. DD2 was getting on a daily routine with naps in the swing but now that I am trying to transfer her over to crib or bassinet her schedule is disrupted. Anyone, BTDT and can offer this tired mommy some advice? Also, any recommendations on white noise machines to drown out the crying in DD1s room?

[marymoo86]

If the swing works for sleep, then why not continue? She's only 4months old. I wouldn't be comfortable with her crying.

ETA: We had a period that we had to revert back to the swing for sleep. Do whatever you have to do to ensure baby sleeps. At some point, that won't work and something else will. Four months is a huge sleep regression period time.

[Snow mom]

Is your DD1 a light sleeper? Do noises tend to wake her? I was surprised that DS could cry at the top of his lungs within 10 feet of DD and she wouldn't even move. That being said, I like the white noise available here: http://cantonbecker.com/music/white-noise-sleep-sounds/mp3s.php
I just stream it through my ipad but apparently you can download it and burn a CD.

[TxCat]

For white noise machine, we were very happy with this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001GQ2P78/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1366644686&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

As for transitioning to the crib, like another PP said, I remember 4 months also being a time of sleep regression. Can you nurse her or cuddle her to sleep, and the put her down sleeping, and will she stay asleep? If not, I'd consider keeping her in the swing a little bit longer. The other thing we did was to essentially make a homemade sleep positioner for the crib with rolled up blankets to make DD feel safe and secure and snuggled. We also propped the mattress up with a phone book, since DD seemed to do better with an incline. Keep in mind the homemade sleep positioner could potentially be a health hazard (extra material in the crib) so you have to figure out if that could be a safe option with your DD or not. Good luck!

[amom526]

Does She only sleep if the swing is actually moving? If that is the case, the first thing I would do is work on sleeping in the swing without it actually swinging. But a lot of the swings are also very cuddly and hug the babies, so maybe it is that feeling she is missing.

4 months is a huge sleep regression time as others have said, so even waiting a few weeks might help. We are transitioning DS2 (5 months) from sleeping in the swing/rock n play to his crib. I like the baby whisperer methods, but its not a quick fix.

[amatahrain]

We have a Marpac Dual white noise machine. We liked it well enough but realized that our Ipad has a white noise app that has dozens of noise options and volume options. The Marpac Dual would be a good option for a baby/kid b/c it is soft and doesn't "loop". We prefer a much louder noise so the ipad works better for us.

[Still-in-Shock]

We don't need it for a baby yet, but I have an app on my phone for white noise that I use to de-stress. There are several available; you might want to see what is available on your phone and which one your baby likes.

[StantonHyde]

DD slept in the swing till she was 6 mos old. She liked classical music, so I played a CD on repeat for her all night long. At 6 mos, the swing motor started dying (because she was big) so I had to transition her.

I did Ferber--go in every 15 minutes and pat her. She cried for 2 hours and then she went to sleep. She woke up at her usual times to nurse and went back to sleep, no problem. So really, it was no big deal--just had to go through one 2 hour crying spell.

[echoesofspring]

No BTDT, but am in a similar position and feel you pain, DD is almost 4 months and currently sleeping in her rock -n play, before I discovered it she was a terrible sleeper, and I'm not enthusiastic about the transition we need to make to the crib. She rolled herself over in our bed this morning and then refused to sleep so I think we're also entering into a bit of sleep regression.

We have Marpac Dual machines in everyone's bedroom. I know my mom probably thought we were crazy when she visited last week...

[kaharris83]

DS2 just turned 5 months. I feel your pain. He sleeps in his crib, right next to our bed but only sleeps a few hours before waking to eat. After that wake up he refuses to sleep without being held in my arms. I can't sleep that way so we are all exhausted. My DS2 like the Homedics sound machine. We tried the Marpac and while I prefer it since I can't hear the loop, he screams like he's being tortured every time we turn it on. Oddly he has slept awesome in his travel crib while we have been on vacation this week. I'm hoping he will continue sleeping well at home, otherwise I may set up the travel crib at home too.

[drako]

Thanks everyone! I will check out the white noise apps. I didn't know they exist! As far as DD2 is concerned, I have tried putting her in crib or bassinet when asleep. She will wake a few mins after that. She will sleep flat on her back in my bed so I know that's not really the issue. And yes, she needs the swing to be moving! The batteries just died and she is now waking up :-( I will give her a few more weeks. I thought she was getting uncomfortable since she was only doing a 2-3 hour stretch and then up every 1.5 - 2 hours after that! A month ago or so she was doing a 4-5 hr stretch and then getting up every 2-3 hours after that. After she would wake, nurse and when I would put her back in the swing she would arch her back like she was trying to stretch. That's what was getting me to think she was uncomfortable. She is also in one of the summer swaddle blankets. I've tried not using them and she doesn't sleep. As soon as I put it on her and after her first complaints about being put in it, she will fall right asleep.