15 month old sleep woes

[sophie80]

I would love some advice. Our 15 month old has, for a ton of reasons, become a full time cosleeper, and never really got savvy with her crib. My DH is a SAHD, and he naps her in her carrier. Neither of us can stand the thought of doing Ferber or even a modified CIO with her, because she is the type of baby who will cry until she actually makes herself sick (we have seen it many times, she hates the car, and would cry until she'd vomit).

I really need to get her sleeping better, because the exhaustion of nighttime duty is about to do me in. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions for how to regulate things? I don't even mind so much where she sleeps, as long as she sleeps a bigger stretch, rather than waking 3-5 times a night.

[sntm]

No good advice other than what is in no cry sleep solution for toddlers but she will outgrow it. Ds1 was a terrible sleeper, we needed to cosleep and by 2 he was no longer waking though he still needed someone to lay down with him at night. Ds2 is the same way.

[amom526]

Yeah, I would try no cry sleep solution, or the baby whisperer. Both of these may require even less sleep on your part in the short run, but they will hopefully help in the long run.

[123LuckyMom]

I know you don't want to try Ferber, but I just wanted to relate that my DD (almost 13 months) is a crier like you describe. She could and would cry all night if you just left her to CIO. I had Ferberized my formerly co-sleeping son at 8 months, but I was afraid to try it with DD. She was waking every 45 minutes, though, and co-sleeping actually reduced her asleep time to only 20 minutes. After 10 months, I was at the end of my tether. I decided to try a modified Ferber. I nursed her to sleep, then put her in her crib whereupon she would immediately awake screaming and scramble to her feet. I would pick her up, give her a kiss, tell her, "It's time to sleep, little girl," lay her back down on her back, and leave the room. Then I would follow Ferber's methods of checking at increasing intervals. My DD never cried for more than 12 minutes!!! I was totally shocked! Not only that, but she started getting better right away at getting herself under control during the day. Her long, ramping up crying jags stopped almost immediately, and she became able to calm down (with a little bit of help from Mama.) It took three nights before she was able to put herself back to sleep after waking. I wouldn't rule Ferber out.

[Melaine]

I know you don't want to try Ferber, but I just wanted to relate that my DD (almost 13 months) is a crier like you describe. She could and would cry all night if you just left her to CIO. I had Ferberized my formerly co-sleeping son at 8 months, but I was afraid to try it with DD. She was waking every 45 minutes, though, and co-sleeping actually reduced her asleep time to only 20 minutes. After 10 months, I was at the end of my tether. I decided to try a modified Ferber. I nursed her to sleep, then put her in her crib whereupon she would immediately awake screaming and scramble to her feet. I would pick her up, give her a kiss, tell her, "It's time to sleep, little girl," lay her back down on her back, and leave the room. Then I would follow Ferber's methods of checking at increasing intervals. My DD never cried for more than 12 minutes!!! I was totally shocked! Not only that, but she started getting better right away at getting herself under control during the day. Her long, ramping up crying jags stopped almost immediately, and she became able to calm down (with a little bit of help from Mama.) It took three nights before she was able to put herself back to sleep after waking. I wouldn't rule Ferber out.

Similar situation here...I just posted a thread about my success with Ferber. DS seems very strong willed and when he gets going can scream endlessly in the car. When he is upset, NOTHING seems to calm him down. However, desperate times call for desperate measures and we did Ferber starting a week ago Sunday. It has been such a HUGE relief and was nothing close to as bad as I expected. At the worst he cried 25 minutes and even then it was never like a heartbroken scream, it was more like, "I'm so mad at you mom...how dare you?" which is much more tolerable to me. I knew he was ok because I checked on him according to the schedule. I had been sleeping in his room on a mattress to co-sleep and he was pretty much nursing all night. Now I am back in my bed with my husband and happy to get up once a night to nurse. Also DS has gone from 20 minute naps to 45-1 hr. 15 which has made a big difference. I do know where you are coming from with reluctance but it was great for us.