Walk in/Walk out for a week but 18mo old still cries when dad leaves the room

[yujai]

After 6 weeks of sleep deprivation, we decided to sleep train our 18 months old again with walk in/walk out method.  We used to stay in the room until he fell asleep, but he had lots of NWs and eventually widely awake during the middle of the night (Some nights were even 1:30-5am!!).  Anyways, it only took 2 nights of WI/WO and he started to sleep thru the night for 10-11 hours straight most of the time.  However, each night he would still cry for good 15-20 minutes before falling asleep.

Is this normal?  What else can we do to help?

6:30/7 am wakeup
12:00/12:30-2:00 nap
8:00 bedtime

[HenaV]

Hi!

Sorry to hear you've have such a tough time. Before you did the Wi/wo was he an is?

What do you do when He cries for the 20mins?

Hena

[yujai]

Before wiwo, he sttn but dad will be sitting in the rocker wait for him to fall asleep. Now he goes in if he cried bloody murder.

After a quite successful first week, this week is a hit or a miss. There were two nights that he cried and cried for more than 30 minutes and dad ended up hold him in arms until he fell asleep. Those nights are again multiple wakings like before.  Last night he even threw up after crying for 15 minutes. Slept from 8:45-4:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. Nap got messed up and tonight is gonna be another rough night.....sigh.....

[HenaV]

Mmmm if he wasn't an IS before then I think  you'd have more success using gradual withdrawal. What do you think?

[yujai]

IS = independent sleeper?
He used to fell asleep on his own and sleep 10-11 hours straight with one of us sitting in the rocker (farest distance from his crib inside the room), does this count as IS?

[HenaV]

Yes IS= independent sleeper. In afraid that you sitting in the rocker doesn't count as IS as you LO relies on you sitting to go to sleep. An IS would be tucked up, day good night and leave and he would then fall alseep on his own ie, what you're hoping to achieve.

Given you've always sat with him and he is dependnt on that to go to sleep I think you will need to use GW not Wi/ WO. It can be quite a long process but it will help you teach you LO to be an IS. Have a look at the link below and see what you think;

Walk In/Walk Out vs. The Gradual Withdrawal Method (HOW TO CHOOSE)

Hena