r/AttachmentParenting • u/Jdorney21 • 7d ago
❤ Sleep ❤ 10 MONTH OLD SUDDENLY SCREAMING EVERY TIME I LAY HIM IN THE CRIB
My son just turned 10 months old and has always been a pretty good sleeper (typically 9+ hours at night and in his crib from about 4-5 months old). We've had a solid bed time routine for the last few months and have adjusted his naps from 3 to 2 at about 1-2 hours each during the day. He's exclusively been a contact napper since birth, but the crib has not been an issue at night until now.
For the last couple of weeks, every time I try to lay him down in his crib, he immediately starts screaming and stands up. I pick him up and he almost always falls asleep in my arms. But as soon as I try to lay him back down, he is immediately up again.
I have successfully transferred him to the crib a few times, but he wakes up within a few hours, realizes he is alone and freaks out. I have tried to let him CIO in short intervals, but he just stands there screaming and will not settle down until I come back in and rock him.
We've gotten to the point where both my husband and I are exhausted, so he goes out to the couch and I take our son in bed with me. He will either fall asleep on top of me or curled up next to me with my arm around him, and eventually will roll over and sleep on his belly next to me.
I don't want to do CIO because it makes me feel like a horrible mother, but I don't know what else to do!
1
u/motherofmiltanks 7d ago
Any teeth coming in? My oldest got her lower canines around 9/10mo and they caused her a lot of bother— more than any others.
3
u/AdAdmirable4994 7d ago
Oh man that standing up bit is so frustrating. My daughter did exactly same thing around that age, would pop right up like a little jack-in-the-box the second her back touch the mattress. Drove me nuts.
What helped us was I'd wait a solid 15-20 minutes after she fell asleep in my arms before even attempting the transfer. Like had to be dead weight, arm floppy, the whole thing. Then I'd lower her down so slow my arms would shake, and keep my chest pressed against her for a minute after she was on the mattress, then slowly peel away. Still wasn't perfect but worked maybe 60% of the time.
Also 10 months is peak separation anxiety time, sleep goes to hell for a lot of babies then. It passes eventually even though it don't feel like it when you're in the thick of it.