She Still Won't Sleep In Her Crib!

[Melissa_Angerer]

I am a first time mom, and from the get-go we made the decision to co-sleep. Now I think I am as much dependent on it as my 10 month old daughter is! Anyway, that isn't my issue, I know I can overcome my problem, it's hers that I am worried about. She ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT sleep in her crib. I've tried over and over to get her used to it, tried putting her down for naps in there, but she screams bloody murder until I pick her up. I can even be directly over her, comforting her and she'll just continue to scream. So obviously the stay-in-the-room method is not working with her. It absolutely breaks my heart to listen to her cry for longer than 30 minutes. You'd think by that time, she'd just tire herself out and eventually fall asleep... NOPE! She will not give in. Even getting her to fall asleep every night is a pain. It consists of feeding her a bottle, rocking her until she's almost asleep and then laying her in our bed with me next to her until she finally falls asleep on her own. There has to be something I can do to get her used to her own room. The good news is that once she does fall asleep at night, she'll sleep 12 hours straight without waking, and she's done this since she was a month old! I just need some advice on how to get her to sleep in her crib. It's really starting to affect the relationship I have with my husband.

[Kathygreen8888]

Do not despair. It is hard being a first time mom. However, if you are interested, I recently came across this website called nogginpower2. What I learned from this website was that they have this excellent reading on Getting a Good Quality Sleep. I read the article on nogginpower2, and I was impressed with it being straightforward, yet very informative. SO to improve your situation, you might want to consider reading the Sleep Article when you get the chance. I think it might help you and your child get some better quality sleep.

[Misfit]

Have you tried putting her in her crib after she falls asleep? That way, when she wakes up, she's in her crib.

Only suggestion I got for ya

[lovin3]

I'd be spending as much time in her room with her as you can to start. Play in her room. Do her bedtime routine there. Put her in her crib with a couple of toys if you need to do something. Anything to get her a little more familiar with her room and crib. Could you put a mattress on the floor to fall asleep with her in her room before she gets moved to the crib. That way she'll get used to falling asleep in that environment- different sounds, lighting, etc that she has to get used to. Maybe that would make a good transition between co-sleeping and working your way out of the room.

[crazy'bout my baby]

Also, After she's used to her room and the bedtime routine in there, you could put an article of clothing or something of yours next to her instead of yourself... thats what did it for me, she felt like i was still there because she could smell me while I was actually in the other bedroom cuddling with daddy!