Up until last week, we had been getting up to feed DD once or twice a night because she was hungry. She would eat and go right back to sleep. She is 5 months. The doctor said that after 4 months and they are on solid foods 3 times a day, they don't need the nighttime feedings and to let her cry it out. (She also suggested getting her to associate a CD with sleep so we could just turn on the CD player to put her back to sleep without having to pick her up, but we haven't done that because I think it is just one more "addiction" that we have to bring with us on vacation, etc.) DH let her cry the first night for an hour and she eventually fell back asleep without eating at night. In the past week, she's slept through the night twice and the rest of the time, we get up, give her the pacifier and she falls right back asleep. I don't have a problem with the pacifier and eventually, she will be able to grab it, put it back in her mouth and put herself back to sleep. We have significantly reduced the amount of time we spend up with her at night, but am I doing more harm by giving her the pacifier instead of letting her cry herself back to sleep? To me, it's the same thing as using a CD to get her to sleep (we still have to go in there and turn it on in the middle of the night if she wakes up), but it's something she can eventually find herself and do herself without our intervention. It seems to be doing the trick and we have stopped feeding her in the middle of the night, which was part of the goal, but she's still waking once or twice a night. Last night, she woke up twice but put herself back to sleep and I didn't even have to go in there. Is the point of cry it out to get them to sleep soundly through the night or just to go back to sleep instead of getting up to eat, cuddle, etc.? I like the pacifier a lot better since it puts her back to sleep and I don't have to listen to her cry for an hour. Am I missing the point of cry it out?

I did the pacifier thing too.Lets talk addicition!!! Not to scare you from it but he will still wake up at 22 months screeching our names until we go in just to find it fell on the floor or is twisted in the blankie. He was a very suckie baby. He had to have something all the time so instead of me or a bottle we gave him the nuk. I also had a chance to break him and I didn't take it. He just seemed to lose intrest temporarly. DD could go without as much she only takes it sometimes for a few min then spits it out. I hope I learned my lesson,lol.

Everyone wakes at night and then puts themselves back to sleep. The point is to get them to fall back to sleep on their own without you having to do it for them. You can do this by just patting their back but not picking them up. If you choose to let them CIO they will still wake they will just settle themselves.

In my opinion babies need comfort like a special blanket, a binkie, a stuffed toy. And some babies really need to suck. I play the binkie game with both of my kids. I chose cry it out to show them how to fall asleep without being held by mom for an hour. The binkie just seems to be the magic switch in the middle of the night because it comforts her. Some nights the baby sleeps straight through. Other times she wakes and wants the binkie. I don't mind getting up for 1 minute to stick a binkie back in her mouth if it means I get to go right back to sleep.

I agree with Kiera- I think that at this age, they need comfort from something, and if it's not going to be you, then you need something else. I have to put the binky in DS mouth alot at night, but it's okay with me, because I don't agree with CIO.

Sometimes I think that the doctors don't always have the best answers. I think that God gave mothers instincts for the good of the baby and the mother. No mother likes to hear her baby cry. I think you would feel better the baby would feel better and you would both get more sleep if you just feed the little one and put her back to bed. Chances are she will fall asleep soon after starting to nurse. As far as the solid foods, that is your choice, but most research has indicated that 6 months is an appropriate time to start since thier little tummies will be able to digest solids better at that point, but that it is best to also continue formula or nursing till 12 months. It is really all up to you though. Sometimes babies do have to start solids earlier if they are not getting enough, but as far as letting the baby cry it out, you don't have to let the doctor tell you to do that, you make that decision for yourself. Besides, babies need comfort like Kiera said, and that also helps them learn trust. The Le Leche League website has great answers to these questions even if you are not breastfeeding. But I think the most important thing for all mothers to do is to read up as much as they can and then remember their baby is their own, and ultimately the decision is your own. Good Luck!!!

Thanks for all of the advice. It helps to confirm that we're doing the right things. DD goes right back to sleep with the pacifier and I like that idea much better than letting her cry and giving her the impression that sometimes we'll be there for her and sometimes we won't. We're in there for 30 seconds now instead of 30 minutes, which is a big improvement. I don't have a problem with her being attached to the pacifier and agree that she needs that comfort. It's obviously working since she falls right back to sleep. I also like the idea of her comfort being something she can eventually find for herself and put herself back to sleep. It helps to know that other people think the same way. Last night, DD actually slept through for 10 1/2 hours - WOOHOO!!!! That's a new record!

This is such a personal issue. If Liam would take a pacifier and go to sleep, I would give it to him. He hates them all though.

For the past three nights, we have started to let him CIO. It was hard the first night and we thought we would have to go in every 5, 10, 15 minutes using the Ferber Method. My husband did go in at 5 minutes but then Liam started sucking his little hand at 8 minutes and was out like a light at 10. I guess he is just using his hand as a pacifier. Our problem had been that he had been falling asleep in my arms but then waking just as I put him in the crib. It has been more difficult for me to do the CIO thing after the middle of the night feeding but it really works FOR US. Liam, my DH and I are all getting more sleep.

Let's hope we all find a way.

-Jen

I think this is a fairly common issue. In fact I just posted on how to get a 7 month old to take a pacifier so I could stop being his pacifier. I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy several different kinds until I found one he likes. Finally he found one and nights are much better. I might have to get up a couple of times to find it for him but that is fine with me. I still feed him once too since he still wants that and I enjoy the one on one time in peace and quiet. My doctor actually told us that as a doctor she should tell us to do the cry it out thing but as a mother she couldn't do that either so there is no "right" answer. You just have to do what works. Good Luck!

I do think a pacifier has its pros and cons, but in the long run it can be difficult to break the little ones from the binky. I had a terrible time trying to wean my son and daughter from it, and eventually I had to throw it away.

But, they soon forgot they even had the pacifier and it was replaced with a favorite blanket. I was more than happy to let them drag a blanket around all day than have the binky in their mouths constantly.

At five months I think a pacifier would be a good soution rather than hear them cry for hours on end. Eventually, they will find other ways to entertain themselves, like batting their little fists at the mobile above their heads, or just kicking their legs for the fun of it.

The CD you use is also a great way to soothe their loneliness. I think you are doing fine, and no you aren't missing the point of the cry it out method, you have your own method that works for you and that is what counts.