My baby girl has never been a good sleeper. From birth, she would have long periods of wakefulness during the day ( we NEVER had that blessed post-partum 20 hour a day sleeping baby) and she's always woken up several times at night. We decided that we would let her cry it out (CIO) at 4 months, which we did. The first few days were rough, but day 3 was amazing...and then things spiraled out of control and we could NOT handle her 2 hours of screaming and 2 vomits anymore, so we stopped.

We tried again at 5 months, but to no avail. She is not sleep trainable! We were strict with letting her CIO for over three weeks! Every nap and every bedtime, we'd let her cry and cry until she calmed herself and went to sleep. But she NEVER got used to it. She just continued!

Then, she got quite sick for a while and spent a LOT of time in my arms, all day and night. I felt that I was 'spoiling' her, but she was so sick (even in the hospital for a bit), that I couldn't leave her alone. She wanted mommy, and I understood! Once she got a bit better, we started letting her CIO for bedtime and naps again. We were pretty hard hearted and refused to go in unless it was to straighten her out, fix her blanket or give her her paci again. We were determined to do it right, once and for all. But we had a really scary incident, where she flipped herself onto her back, vomited and did NOT turn her head to the side. She was TOTALLY choking and thank heavens we happened to be watching her at that very moment on the video monitor. Ever since then, I've been incredibly afraid of letter her cry hysterically.

Anyway, now she's nearly 7 months and sleep is not getting any better at all. Some nights, she's awake and full of energy from 2 until 4am!!...and that's only ONE of her night wakings! Last night was more or less typical. Three wakings, and only one of them was lengthy (about an hour).

My husband and I are exhausted. We're falling apart. We're really not adverse to letting her cry...we're just not willing to have her crying every night and ever nap for more than 3 weeks (which is what happened last time we tried the CIO method). Everyone tells us that kids are sleep trained with CIO in 3-5 nights. So how could she not be trained after 3 weeks!?!?!

Please help us!!

I've tried so many things. I've tried the Ferber method, I've tried Weissbleuth. I've tried the ultra-early bedtime, I've tried nap deprivation, I've tried feeding her tons of solids and milk, I've tried putting her to sleep on a non-full tummy. Nothing seems to work. What am I missing???

maybe she actually has a sleep disorder? have you ever consulted a sleep behavioral specialist?

To be honest you probably should never be allowing your child to cry to the limits that you have, I don't believe in CIO but even if I did, i think after the first vomit that should have been an indicator to stop. I would do some research or go to a pediatrician that can advice somewhere you can go in regards to the sleep specialists.

i also forgot to ask is she formula or breastfed? my boyfriend never slept when he was little and it turns out he was lactose intolerant, the same day they took him off formula he slept all night.

Aw hon, you have my sincere sympathies. I can understand your reluctance to let her cry it out now as it must have been really scary. I'm not sure what to advise, i used the sleep sense method with my little girl but essentially its CIO. Maybe its time to see dr or a specialist?
Have to admit i didn't let Ellis CIO until she was over 7 months and thats when it worked-maybe now your little one is older it might work better, I honestly don't know but i really feel for you xx

I feel for you too hon. I've just had a really rough 2 months with Lindsey, her sleeping was ALL OVER THE PLACE and its only just getting a bit better. First she was teething, then she's got sick twice in the past month so up all night for awhile again.
I surely don't want to rag on you when you're so exhausted, but I agree that CIO shouldn't really be taken that far as to where LO gets into hysterics. It might be making the prob worse rather than better... I think you're meant to let her cry 5 mins, go in, sooth her WITHOUT taking her out of her crib, leave, if she starts to cry again, do it all over again, etc...
Also, I'm sure its not what you want to hear, but 3 wakings isn't really that abnormal for a 6 month old. I know we all hv this vision of blissful 12hr sleeping beauties but a LOT of babies just dont do that (mine included!)... Hv you seen how many threads on here are about 6 month olds up every TWO HOURS!?!

You seem at wits end though, so I'd talk to your pediatrician or mw and see if they have any suggestions sweetheart. And tell yourself she WILL grow out of it. I KNOW how hard it is at the time, but a few months is so so little in the course of a life, you know?

good luck hon...

My cousin's little baby was very similar and it turned out that she was lactose intolerant and was active all the time because she was probably in pain with her stomach. Perhaps all the crying and the vomitting is more to do with something like that than using the CIO method? It might be worth checking into. Good luck hun x

sorry as well if sound unsympathetic because i'm not. my lo wakes up 3-4 times between 8-6am and i have to feed or rock him to sleep. He also wakes up crying every time but I know CIO isnt for us and that it is the norm for kids to wake up this much. Hugs to you all.

omg I totally sympathize with you, firstly let me say tell yourself its okay , you have done your very best, if it was me i would lose the crying it out, its not working for you right now. they are really only meant to get it from 6 months onwards anyway.
look at a lot of different things
start with food and diet, does she eat enough solids? does she drink enough milk?
then look at her day, does she has enough active time, does she take good naps and none too close to bedtime?
accept that for now your child will wake up during the night and your aim is to go from 3 wakings to 2 wakings and then 1 and eventually none. keep everything dark when she wakes no playing outside the room, let her cry in your arms, dont let her get all hysterical with the vomiting i dont think that helps at all, rather have you tried giving her water or milk to calm her even if she already had a feed or her pacci?
i would look into the sleep disorder but let me tell you some babies are not good sleepers, and she is still young. my son honestly did not freaking sleep til 6 months not in my hands and from then it took ages to get him to even take naps ill admit he is still in my bed but i have not ever seriously done CIO with him. now he sleeps through the night and even naps on a mattress at daycare but its far from perfect.
sounds like you feel in a rut so take a step back and just forget about sleep plans and methods think about all the factors in her day diet etc and then even speak to a pediatrician if need be. the formulate a very small step plan not letting her cry out for 3 weeks but small steps. is she in her own room or yours?

Im having the same problem, mines 4 months and has never slept propley, wakes up all night 5 times plus!
I have decided to to CIO but i will go in every few mins so she knows i havent left her.
now after reading your post im thinking twice about it! OH NO!
mines never slept in the day either really!

Have you tried co-sleeping? I know people are against it but it has worked wonders for us