Transitioning a spirited child from bed to crib--please help

[flickersmum]

Our son is 11 months and has slept with us from the beginning for many reasons.  But he's huge now and kicks us all night long and still wakes up 4-5 times a nite to suckle even though I weaned him at 9 months. It is time for him to be in his own bed.

The problem is, he's a very energetic kid (to put it mildly), so it is a battle to get him to sleep or nap at all no matter where he is.

I've tried the crib many times for naps, trying to follow the different things the books suggest: I let him play in and around the crib every day so he is used to it. The first few times I put him in the crib wide awake; that didn't work, so then I tried exhausting him first, to no avail.  I also tried putting him in dead asleep, which I know Tracy advises against, but I didn't know what else to do. No matter what, the second I put him in that crib he screams bloody murder.  I lie him back down each time he gets up, but it seems like he can do this forever, and I just don't have the stamina.  He screams and cries so hard he starts to sweat and choke, so I can't walk away, either.

Has anyone out there succeeded in transitioning a "spirited" child from bed to crib without going the Ferber route? Please help. Thank you!

[Jaime]

hi - think this post got lost in the Thanksgiving shuffle 

i think what will help you best is to create a plan, and then stick to it.  i would imagine your lo would fight you when you want him to sleep in his crib - for 11 months, he hasn't been anywhere near it.  therefore, you need to be the stronger one stay consistent, and teach him that there is going to be a new way to go to sleep.

i think you were on the right track when you said you wanted to acquaint him with his crib.  however, you may have better luck if you try to do this during playtime instead of sleeptime.  distract him, talk to him, throw a couple of toys in there, and be sure to take him out before he cries.  this may be as short as 2 minutes at first. 

in the meantime, you can be working on a new winddown routine before he goes down for a nap.  include anything you want - new diaper, dim room, story - whatever, so he starts to get the idea that when X happens, it's time to go to sleep.

gradually, you will be able to extend the time he will happily stay in the crib.  when you get to around 15 minutes, you will be in a better positoin to help him sleep in there. 

i think pu/pd will help you the best for getting him to sleep in the crib.  there are details both in tracy's sleep interview (at the top of this forum) and in the pu/pd forum.

good luck & HTH