My son gets like that too if he is even 15-20 minutes past his normal bed time. He is usually in bed by 9 but if we are running a little behind he will cry like that while I hold him almost like he has to let it all out before he can relax. I agree with that theory to a point. Babies are programmed to cry. It's the only way they know how to communicate and often cry for no reason at all. It's not bad for them and not traumatic in most circumstances. That's why I make a point not to rush to him whenever he cries and often times he will stop within a minute. Babies will especially cry at night if they fall asleep in one environment (being rocked, held, fed) and wake in another. Everyone wakes naturally throughout the night, the key is to get your baby to where they don't need you to fall back to sleep.

I'll probably get judged for this but I have to let him cio. I hold him and rock him, make sure all his needs are taken care of, play music, talk to him and he still cries. It's the only thing that works for him.

I was actually just reading an article about allowing your babies to cry, BUT while holding them. It was saying that with everything they go through life can be pretty stressful for them and crying is a way for them to let it all out (much like it is for us!). So the lady clarifies that it ISNT using the CIO method and just walking away, but holding your baby and allowing them to cry (SO LONG as all of their needs have been met). Things build up (like the frustrations they experience as they are learning new things and what not) and being able to cry lets them kind of "deal with it" while you hold them and love on them. She said we've been so conditioned to make sure our babies are never crying that we actually do them a disservice. As they are babies and even into getting older sometimes they just need to have a good cry, but we constantly try to prevent our kids from crying. She compared it to when we are upset and sometimes just need a shoulder to cry it on it makes us feel so much better! So like at night they may need to cry for a bit, then they relax and then they end up going to sleep. Especially for babies who may have had a traumatic birth, they tend to "need" to cry more. So it was actually a really interesting article to read!

My son HATES going to sleep. So no matter what I do he just cries and cries and cries. I used to nurse him to sleep, but now he's not even satisfied with that all the time. So I usually have to just hold him and rock him while he cries and finally goes to sleep. (That's how I found the article because I was looking for anything about getting babies to sleep when that's all they do is cry to sleep :/ ) so after reading that I stopped trying to make my son stop crying and just loved on him, rubbed his back, and talked to him, (sometimes I sing), and he actually seemed to cry for less time and then he just stopped crying and was completely relaxed and then finally fell asleep. Normally he'll just cry and cry and cry till he falls asleep and I would try to distract him or put on white noise that would make him stop for a few seconds here and there, but even if he stopped for a minute or two he'd still always start right back up. So it "seemed" to actually make him relax more after he just cried for a bit without me trying to stop him.

*I paraphrased the article so there's more info and what not, but I just thought it was interesting. I DONT like to let my son cry himself to sleep, (which is why I was looking for an answer to that), but it seems like nothing I do ever helps. Nap time and bed time are always tough! So I tried it to see if it really did make a difference and nap time and bed time the last few days have been a little easier. He cries a bit, then he stops and just cuddles with me before drifting off to sleep. (Obviously it's hard to know how "true" things like this are because we can't just ask our babies lol but my son had a bit of a traumatic birth, gets frustrated really easily when he's trying to do something, and is very impatient when it comes to eating lol so it totally would make sense if he just needed some time to get out his frustrations).

To any mom that is able to put baby down inn crib, awake but sleepy, I commend you. I know that this too, is my goal eventually. And parents that I speak to tell me that I am crazy for not pushing it yet. They say its a wonderful thing when baby learns that her crib means sleep time. I tried to lay her down awake a few times,but she starts to whimper and I give in immediately. ... this is a very interesting topic.
I dont think anyone here does the cio method, just other solutions to help baby get to sleep. I like hearing how other moms are teaching their children. (If anyone did do cio, and it works for them, I will not judge, its just not for me). FTM.

I don't mind opinions based on facts but passing judgement with a negative attitude is uncalled for and something I don't take kindly to. I have been on here for 3+ years and have never got into a spitting match with anyone and I definitely don't need you explaining this forum to me.

And yes it is a schedule and that is a form of sleep training. Also Ferber says you can start his method as early as 3 months. Anyway to the OP I highly recommend Ferber Method. It made is so simple for us and something I was comfortable with. I hope things have gotten easier for you!

It's a public forum, so I'll give my opinion just like you will, Cslashe. However, that's just a schedule that you're talking about. I was picturing crying it out since birth, but that was my own fault for assuming. Expect to hear opinions on a public forum though, whether you want to or not.

She's crying because she knows yours about to leave her she's terrified she was in your belly for 9 ish months and she doesn't understand why she's not with you 24/7 she's doesn't understand why your leaving her and letting her cry

Yes sleep training since birth. That does not mean i let him CIO. He has a loose wake/eat/play/sleep schedule that we follow, we put him to bed awake but sleepy, we make sure he falls asleep in the same environment that he will wake up in. All of which are things that Ferber teaches. We have never done any progressive waiting while he cries and thankfully because of us working with him we may never have to. You can shake your little head all you want but my baby is perfectly healthy and happy. He sleeps all night and self soothes so I'm very happy with my decision to start him young and frankly I don't need your opinion nor did I ask for it.

Sleep training since birth? Smh. The Ferber Method definitely does not advise that.

I may be weird by I love rocking her to sleep. I could never let her cry :( she may be our only one so I'll enjoy rocking her while she still lets me

I have been sleep training my little one since birth honestly and I started with the Ferber method. It worked wonders for my first when she was 9 months so I have been following that method with this one. I highly recommend the book. My son has been falling asleep on his own and sleeping 13+hours since 4weeks. I never have to rock him or put any real work into getting him to sleep. Trust me I know what you ladies are going through. My daughter was up 3 times a night for 9 months. Bedtime took hours and after she would wake up about an hour later and we would mostly cosleep after that. I was miserable by that point and ordered Ferber's book off amazon for 5 bucks and after the first night I felt like an idoit for all those unused hours of sleep. She got it in one night. The best advice I can give you is pick a method and stick with it.

I'm not a scream it out type. It would seriously damage me..lol I'm sure baby would survive but mommy would be too anxious. We have been co sleeping at night and like you said he would be latched and have one hand on me too, sometimes I would pull the ninja move and roll away.. Since being on vacation I have tried to not hold him or let him fall asleep with breast in his mouth. I'll nurse him till hes almost asleep then move up to shoulder, pat, then take to pack and play..and time it.. Then lay him on his tummy. (I know I know) first time though. He is a swaddled baby but too hot here so the only way he will sleep is if his arms aren't able to smack himself and rub his eyes. I am close by, and annoyingly check on him, but it's working so far. Plan on trying him in his crib when we get home for naps then make the move to bed time. I know it's tough.. I neeeeed sleep, and when I don't get it is when I get overwhelmed!

Definitely don't have the heart to let mine cry it out She falls asleep in my arms and after about a half hour to make sure she's really out I'll lay her in her crib Only wakes up 2-3 times at most during the night but give her a bottle and she's back to sleep

I don't have the heart to make her cry it out...4 months old to me is still too young for that.

Like the previous posters I also have to bounce my lo to sleep and they lay her down in her rock and play. Sometimes I have to do this a couple times. She usually sleeps through the night though. At best I'll put her down around 8 and she will sleep till 4:30-5.... My problem is she sometimes want to sleep at 7 and then will get up at 2:30 ish and then she's up for an hour, down for an hour on repeat til 6 or so.