Hi all, first time posting on this site, first time mom, and am in desperate need of advice and feedback!
Background: my LO just turned 10 months old and has always been rocked/held to sleep. In the beginning, it was due to her acid reflux and as time went on, my husband and I kept rocking her to sleep and it turned into a bad habit. Even still, she slept through the night from 3-6 months, maybe waking up once per night for a feed. From 7-9 months, she began waking frequently (4-5 times) during the night and crying. Each time I rocked her back to sleep. On average it took 30 minutes-1 hour for her to get back to sleep each time because she'd cry once I would try putting her back in the crib. I attributed her night wakings to so many different things (teething, regression, etc.) that I kept holding off on sleep training. Finally, I had enough and decided to implement the PU/PD method 5 days ago. I read the book and the part on PU/PD for older babies beforehand and felt ready.
The first night: I did the PD 83 times and it took over an hour, but she eventually fell asleep crying. She woke up 4 times that night.
The second night: 14 PD, 30 minutes, and she fell asleep crying hysterically. She woke up 3 times that night.
The third night: she would not let me put her in the crib and was clinging on to me for dear life, knowing what I was trying to do. So I laid in the crib with her and she calmed down and eventually fell asleep. She woke up 2 times that night.
The fourth night: She would not let me put her in the crib. I climbed in the crib with her again. She fell asleep in 30 minutes after some crying. She woke up 4 times that night.
The fifth night: Again, she was crying hysterically so I climbed in the crib yet again. She kept crying and it took her 30 minutes to settle down in my arms, in the crib. She woke up 5 times.
For each night waking, I am doing the PD or nursing (1 time) since she is not a great eater during the day.
It seems like each night her reaction is getting worse. Her crying does not seem to be a mantra cry.. she sounds truly distressed and hysterical. She is crying much harder with each passing night and now she is afraid of being put in her crib. She is a sensitive baby and is definitely going through separation anxiety-- I feel that is a huge factor as to why this isn't working so far. She was already clingy, but is extra clingy now. It's been 5 days and I don't want to back out, but I don't know what to do.
To note, the reason I am climbing in the crib with her is because it was one of the tips that Tracy provided. I know she also recommends sleeping in the same room for a night, but that's not enough for my LO.
If there is anyone who has gone through something similar with an older baby going through separation anxiety, I would really appreciate your help. She is so used to being rocked to sleep, and the timing of starting this sleep training is not ideal, but I hope it's not impossible to teach her to sleep on her own at this point. I want to get to a point where she won't cry when being placed in her crib, and am willing to stay the entire time with her until she falls asleep and hope to gradually wean off of that. But because her reaction to this new method is not getting better, should I try and wait it out and try another time, or keep going? Will they eventually accept being placed in the crib? Do they always cry right before falling asleep?
Thank you!!
