When can i start useing the cry it out method with my baby?

You can start it now.

I started my daughter on the cry it out method at about that age. At first, my husband thought I was being heartless, but it allowed her to learn how to put herself to sleep without having to have us around, which allowed us more freedom and her the ability to put herself back to sleep if she woke in the middle of the night. Just start by lying him down in his crib and leaving the room for a while minutes. If he’s in still crying after about fifteen minutes later, come back and calm him by rubbing his back or even holding him. Once he’s calm again, lie him back down and try again. Repeat as necessary. Exhaustion will eventually put him to sleep. A few nights of this should help him learn how to sleep without you coming in. He may still cry himself to sleep, but he will learn to put himself to sleep.

Honestly, you aren’t hurting the child by letting him cry for a little while. You are actually giving him a gift by teaching him to calm himself. I’ve learned that this tends to also make kids more independent. My own daughter gets upset when people try to hold her when she sleeps as she sleeps better when she puts herself to sleep. I’ve actually fussed over her all night because I was worried about her crying, just to learn that she just wanted to able to cry before she fell asleep. After I let her cry and left her alone, she fell asleep within minutes. She’s also the type of person that kisses her own little boo-boos, saving the big ones for me.

Since you have mentioned, though, that your son has struggled with sleep apnea, I would stay by the door while practicing this technique so that you can be there if any problems do arise.

Good luck.

At 6 months, should have been started a lil while ago. With mine, I started about 2 months old. Now I did not go and let them scream for hours. Start off slow, let him cry about 5-10 minutes at first, go in, reasure him that you are still there, walk back out. Now some will say, no eye contact, no talking, lay them back down, but thats for about 2 to 3 years old. After the 10 minutes, go to 15-20 minutes and so on. Sooner or later he will go to sleep on his own. Make sure he is in his own bed also.

Try rocking him right before bedtime. It’s cruel to let a baby cry without responding.

Have a firm bedtime routine- bath, book, bed.
Do not allow your baby to cry it out- especially with any sort of a medical condition. You can teach your baby to go to sleep by putting them down drowsy, playing classical music, and then leaving. If he cries, I rock them standing beside the crib and then back in the crib.

Cry it out is not fair to the baby.
They must be taught to sleep independant of you and on their own, not subjected to forcing them into their crib alone.

Continue to be firm. If he plays- walk away. If he cries, wait a few minutes and then go rub his back.
Each of our babies have a boom box which plays classical music- beethovan is our son’s preferance. Bach for the baby. Our son has the same boom box we got him when he was 4 months old- he is 10 now.

We did this with our oldest and it worked to teach him to go to sleep on his own without crying. It took 2 weeks. As a parent, I think 2 weeks is time well-invested. No matter where we were for the night- he could put himself to sleep and felt safe doing so.

Teething is a huge issue with sleeping and the 6 month old. Any change really- but teething is painful.

Give Infant Motrin before bedtime- see your doctor for dosage. It lasts 6-8 hours and works wonders.

Hang in there–he doesn’t mean to drive you crazy. He just doesn’t understand why he hurts and why it’s not OK to play at night. He likes to observe cause (hair pulling) and effect (mama moves his hand and says no). It’s funny because he knows what will happen and he needs to make sure it will go down that way every time.

You need lots of bedtime help, and I know where to find it. The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley is God’s gift to parents who have been told that it’s OK to leave your baby alone to cry at night. Primitive cultures think this practice is barbaric. Personally, I did it with my first daughter and she still won’t sleep at night. WIth my seconf daughter, I used the Pantley book and she sleeps like a champ. Even if you choose to make your child cry, Pantley can teach you some gentle techniques for bedtime.

For right now, just get him to sleep any way you can. If that means that you have to sleep with him, fine. Stroller rides, sling rides, car rides, rocking, Metallica, whatever it takes to make him sleep. Make sure he gets his daytime naps too. He needs a nap in the morning (an hour or so) and an afternoon nap (about three hours). If he doesn’t get enough daytime sleep, he’ll give you trouble at bedtime.

An hour is about right for putting a six-month old to bed. If you think this is hard, add another baby and send your husband to the other side of the world! You can do this. You can get through this. Hell, if I can do it, anyone can.