Almost 10 months and refuses to sleep in crib, will sleep in playpen for short period - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

tangerinedream8 · 07-30-2007, 03:26 AM

We started a bad habit that we are unsure of how to stop. We started letting him sleep with us a few months back because he was teething and waking up a lot. Now when we try to put him in his crib, he kicks the matress and the hollow sound wakes him. He will cry until we pick him up. We started laying him down in his playpen during naps and he was sleeping fine in there. We tried putting him to sleep in there for the night last night and he slept for so many hours and than woke up and screamed until he was picked up. I tried to put him back down in there but he wouldn't. He went right to sleep in our bed.

We also would like to get him off of his pacifier.

Any tips on these things?

Titchou · 07-30-2007, 07:01 AM

Well, I wouldn't try to ditch both habits at one time! Since he'll eventually ditch the pacifier on his own, I'd leave that alone. It will take you several sleepless nights but you just have to be firm that he sleeps in his crib - alone.
Put him down and just keep going back to check on him when he cries. Soothe him there in his crib but don't take him to bed with you. As I said, it's going to be some long nights but he will eventually give it up. You just have to be loving and firm. There's a book but it's been a while since I was worrying with this so I don't recall the title!

Cookiem26 · 07-30-2007, 05:59 PM

I agree, don't try to break him of the pacifier just yet if you are trying to tackle the sleep issue. Do you have a consistent bedtime routine? If not, you definitely need to make sure you have one because that will help. I also agree you are going to have to put up with some crying but the best thing to do is to not pick him up but go in there and comfort him, patting him on the head. Wait just a few minutes before going in the first time and then a little longer if he continues to cry. Just comfort him and let him know you are there. You can even try sitting in a chair beside his crib but don't play with him or talk to him, just sit there quietly where he can see that you're there. We didn't have to do much of this with my DD but from everything I read this is the best way to handle. It may take about a week but eventually he'll get the picture that he needs to sleep in his crib. The earlier you can break him of the habit of sleeping in your bed the better. Good luck.

sobannon · 07-31-2007, 01:52 PM

Let me make a suggestion.

When my little boy wanted to sleep in our bed, we tried to figure out why. Was it the smell, or the feel, or what?

We bought him some 600tc sheets on an unnamed website and also bought an eggcrate mattress and cut it to fit his crib. Since he turned over both ways, we had no issues. The difference is amazing. He is a hot natured child anyway and the silky sheets and the feel of the eggcrate was just what he wanted. He sleeps from 9pm-7am. It is wonderful.

I know when he was in the hospital on the ventilator and couldn't be turned or held, they put an eggcrate under him to help keep him comfortable.

Just a thought.

Amy