How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I truly cannot bear to do it but my DH is talking about giving it a try. We've been struggling with our 4 month old DS spitting out his paci and waking between midnight and 5am every half hour to an hour at a time. He takes the paci and settled down pretty quickly but it's only a matter of time before he's up again. I also feel like he's too young, so I wanted to see what the average age was.

If we do try this, I'm going to have to sleep aty moms. I cry at the thought of even doing this... other suggestions very much welcome as well

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I think CIO only really works if you, the parents, are truly ready to follow through with it. I definitely wasn't ready at 4 months. I would have given up in the middle of it, and it all would have been for nothing. It's definitely not easy at all. I finally committed to it at 9 months. In hindsight, I wish I did it at 6/7 months, but like I said- I really was the one who needed to be ready for it in order for it to work. My DD wasn't interested in the paci, so I don't have advice there. Good luck!

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

Honestly I think you need to be really ready to do it. I wasn't, it took me awhile. I had a couple of false starts where I would try and let him cry a bit but then I would cave and go pick him up. Finally at 8 months old I was able to have him CIO. I think he would have been ready earlier, but I wasn't. I think when it's time, you know. I had tried everything else and the sleep deprivation was awful (for all of us, DS included). I got to the point where enough was enough and I was willing to let him CIO to stop the cycle. I won't lie, it's not easy. But it really does work if you can stick with it. Good luck!

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

According to my Dr. this shouldn't be done until 6 months. I'm right there with you and I just can't do it just yet. The sleep shuffle is what we are working with right now and it's a bit more modified then leaving them in their room crying by themselves.

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

i attempted cio at close to 5 months and dd was not ready - she cried so much she was coughing after only a few minutes. so we continued the night feedings, rocking etc...until closer to 6 months when we successfully completed cio after 3 nights.

have you tried a blankie? or the wub-a-nub pacifier? both of these things helped dd bc she was able to find them on her own in the crib and put herself back to sleep.
around 8 months she dropped the pacifier on her own but at 13 months she still likes her a&a blankie for bedtime/naptime

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

Ds went through the spitting out the binky waking up phase and it was terrible. I actually tried to take the binky away, then realized I couldn't do that to him. I also could not do CIO. I started reading books about getting baby to sleep (shuffle, etc.) and before I could do much it worked itself out. I only tried to comfort him after I gave him the binky by rubbing his back until he was out cold again. I still do this if he is sick, or wakes up in pain from his teething.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!!

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I did full CIO at 7 months. First day was horrible, 2nd was ok and by the 3rd day it was life changing for everyone.....It's tough!!

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

CIO is the hardest thing ive ever done -- but in hindsight it was worth it for me, and the baby. He sleeps like a champ now and is no longer confused on how to get back to sleep. I did it at 5 months. I was told by my doc that he had to be 12lbs and eating at least 24oz's per day. He was probably 15lbs and eating 30+ so I felt confident he was OK. He also had not been eating at night for 2 months prior...so I knew when he was crying it was only bc he didnt know how to get back to sleep w/o his paci.

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I couldn't do it when DD was an infant. I half heartedly tried but I just couldn't. We did it successfully at 16 months and since I was ready it went well. I'm not sure if I'd be able to do it sooner the next time around now that I've been through it successfully but I don't think I could do it before 6 or 7 months at least.

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

We did it at 4 months. I wasn't ready...hell at 2yo I still am not. But my DH made me stick it out.

My sister did it at 3 months so 4 is not too young.

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

Started at 8 months for naps. I will only let her cry 15 minutes the most and by then she passes out for a great nap. It depends on her cry though. If I know she is fed, clean and just tired I will do it. I could tell when it's a cry of pain though and will go in (teething pain).

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

3.5 months. SO HARD, but worked like a charm, DS is 10m now and an AWESOME sleeper. It was 38 minutes of torture on the first night and then smooth sailing...

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I think 4 months is way too young. I agree with introducing a lovie or something that may be easier to find. Maybe try to comfort without the paci, so if he loses it again it may not be too big of a deal

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I personally think 4 months is too young. My peds recommended 6 months as did most of my friends peds.

Have you tried the paci with the lovey attahed? I hear the weight of the lovey keeps the paci in the mouhh

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I think 4m is a little bit young for CIO too, but to each his own. We did it with DS at 6.5m and after 3 days we were home free.

Re: How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I'm so glad I posted about this I know it's too early. I think we are just going to keep seeing everything through, take each night as it comes and see how the next month or two goes. we'll reassess at 6 months. I'm DEF not ready so I don't think it would be worth it to put all of us through it. I'll be reading every sleep post that everyone puts up in the meantime!!! thank you so much for the support, it helps to know we're all in it together

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

I didn't do full on CIO where I just put him in the crib and said good night and let him cry. I did the rocking until sleepy to put him down and he would go right out. When he woke in the middle of the night I would go in after 2 minutes, put my hand on his belly, tell him it was ok and mommy is here but it's night night time and leave. If he still cried I waited 4 minutes to go in and did the same thing adding 2 minutes to the time as needed. The first night was bad, second night not terrible, slept through the night by the third night. However, DS was a chubba, was going long stretches (waking at 4 or 5am only), satiated with 1 oz of formula, and was taking a boat load in during the day to begin with. He slept like a champ through out infancy. Once in a while he would go through his "I cant find my binky" wake ups. Going to a night time binky as he got older (handle glowed in the dark) helped. I think you both need to be on board to do something like this though and I would see if maybe it's something else bugging DC? DC may want the binky, but is it possible that they could be cutting teeth, getting a milestone, have allergies, etc? Then I definitely wouldn't do it yet.

How old was your LO if you tried CIO?

Mine is 3mo, 4 on 4/10 and i didnt plan on trying until he is closer to 5 mo. I hope i wont have to but it ds work for many hopefully if he needs it he will be one of those who benefits from it. I plan on using the Ferber method of CIO.

Message edited 3/19/2014 3:37:13 AM.