My son won't go to bed on his own

AHHH! my son will not go to bed on his own he is 5 months old and I was told to lay him in his crib and leave the room and let him cry himself to sleep and check up on in 5 min then 10 then 15 well I'm on the 15 right now and it's the hardest f'in...

thing I've ever had to do! he is screaming...I feel like a horable mother! HELP ME!

I agree, the cry it out method is horrible! I would never be able to do it, it would hurt me too badly! Mandyloo has get suggestions...full bellies can definitely make a baby tired.

You can also try this...First off, make a routine that you do with him at the same time every night...say you give him a bath at 7/8pm, Give him a baby massage afterwards with lavender lotion to help him relax. Next, before his bottle mix him some rice cereal with a little bit of formula. After that, take him to his room and hold him for a little bit while you read him a story, then give him a bottle. After his bottle, lay him down in his crib and put your hand on his little chest/belly and rub it in small gentle circles. If he's crying when you lay him down, just whisper to him, or hum and tell him it's ok and keep rubbing his little belly. Keep your hand on his chest until he falls asleep. After a week or two you can try just laying him down and humming/whispering to him to calm him. But stay by his crib. After about a week or so, move to sitting in a chair while whispering/humming until he's sleeping, then to just sitting there quietly...and so on. Eventually, he'll see the routine and understand that it's bedtime and he will learn to fall asleep without you being right there in the room.

It may take a while, but be patient. He'll learn eventually, it just takes time for him to understand and get in to the routine!

Good Luck
Jess

If it's been 15 mintues - go in there and get him - that's too long for the cry it out method. Also, most people don't start the cry it out method until the baby is close to a year old.

Have you tried giving him a pacifier, a comfort toy (my son has a blanket with a bunny head that he sleeps with, are you making sure he isn't napping too long during the day, did you make sure to feed him right before bed time, is he eating solids or cereal yet, if yes - give them to him right before bed time.

Have you tried reading him a story - he won't understand it yet, but they love to hear your voice and it could make him sleepy.

I would try to explain to him why he needs sleep. Like mandyloo says. He won't yet understand the words you say to him but explain to him that everybody needs sleep, even little babies. .Especially little babies actually because they need to grow up to be strong boys later. Tell him that you will come get him in the morning. And that you will watch over him.

I am going through the same thing as you are except my baby is ten months. I have know been able to habe him in the crib for about six hours before he stands up on crib and cries. I have been trying to give him a good dinner and a small bottle before he is to go to sleep as well as night baths and it had worked pretty good for my child. Good luck!

Thanks for the advise everyone! And yeah I learned that 5 months is just to young for that crap! and he usually sleeps till 5:30 6 o clock and yesterday when I let him cry during the day he was up every hr of the night. It was almost as if he was paying me back for making him scream

My advice is to put the bed at a slant. Doctors recomend this. My parents did this to me and is worked. Also maybe you should put honey nut cherrios in his bottle it always works. If nothing works consult a doctor and aqsk them about him sleeping on his tummy. I know they arent supposed to do that but my brother did it and hes fine.

don't let him cry if you try to baby him you will regret it later in life