[curlyqgyrl]

For those that it worked for, how long did it take, and what exactly did you do?

For those it didn't work for, how long did you work at it, and when did you know it was time to give up trying?

My angel has been home for 4.5 months, she is 8.5 months old. Since she has came home, we have mostly rocked her to sleep, took maybe 20 minutes and a bottle, or sometimes we would put her in her crib, and she would fuss a little and then sleep.
However, times are a changen!! Now Meeah does NOT want to sleep, but is SO tired she completly wears herself out and its a 2 hour process to get her to sleep. We are thinking of trying the Ferber method (let her cry 5 minutes, then go get her, the next time 10, then go get her) . However, my husband is completly against it. Its to sad for him, but I say its sad that Meeah has to flop around and cry for 2 hours before conking out. Any other input out there? And anything besides the ferber method?
Thanks in advance!!

[KellyMigoya]

It has worked for us for all three of our children. Now for "our" Mia we lay her in the crib, give her the dolls and the blankey ans she turns her head and goes to sleep.
Last time i posted this, however,I got a natsy message because I let my baby cry.
My sister has used it too for all three children and it has worked as well.
I also have a little nightlight in her room and put on a soothing CD when I walk out.

[BebitosMama]

Check out T Berry Brazelton's books. My husband and I pondered Ferberizing but ultimately just couldn't do it, it didn't feel right. Instead, we followed Brazelton's advice re: sleep for our 7 yo DD, and it worked out, and we felt good about it...

[Heidil87]

It worked for us! I have two great sleepers. Now when they wake up and can't get themselves back to sleep I know that something is wrong.

[KellyMigoya]

Buuilding on the last post, my pediatrician said that Ferber actually helps to give babies the skills to comfort themselves so when they do wake back up they can get themselves back to sleep alone. I also know if I put my daughter down and she cries, there is either something else wrong or she is really not tired at all.

[kelleymac]

Oh yeah...it totally worked for us. Jonah was a four-time-a-night awake baby when he came home at 7.5 months. He could not comfort himself back to sleep and had become reliant on us to do it for him. It was about 8-weeks after we came home and we used Ferber. The first night was terrible. He cried for two-hours from 2-4am with us comforting at the right intervals. I finally sat on the floor in the hallway and cried with him.

However, it took two nights. Total. And since that time (almost a year ago) I can count on one hand the number of times he has awakened in the night and couldn't get back to sleep. They are all when he wasn't feeling well.

I swear by Ferber. To get us through it we bought a video monitor so we could watch him and know he was okay. We could see he was fine, but so angry at not being picked up.

These days he sleeps straight from 8:15 to about 6:45am. It was a godsend for us.

That said, you must do what feels right for you and your family. Ferber did NOT work for Jonah on napping. We tried for days and finally realized that he just wasn't ready for it. He finally began napping well, but it took a long time, and we didn't use Ferber for the majority of it.

Best of luck and keep us posted,
Kelley

[brookeinmn]

I did this method and also read "becoming Baby Wise", and my 2 1/2 year old goes to bed at 8pm with no fight, and always has. Slept through the night at 6 weeks! My pedatrician also says it is a good skill for them to know how to comfort themselves back to sleep. I say, try it slow and see how it goes, it has to be better for her than to toss and turn.

[holliam]

I recommend the "No Cry Sleep Solution". It's wonderful.

I personally would never use Ferber, but I'll leave it at that.

Holli

[bumpkin]

Ferber worked for us - 3X including trying to get twins to sleep together that had never lived together since the womb (they were 6 months when we got them)

I did not like Babywise though

[Lilac girl]

You know, you bring up an excellend question, and I wonder what Dr. Ferber would have to say about the adopted child. Would he recommend a different approach? Timeline? Hmmmm...

Something to research as we begin our long process. I hope you get your answers soon!

[Sleepymom]

Another resource: "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child".

We ended up meshing Ferber and this method into something that felt right and worked for us.

Now all four kids go to sleep well and sleep through the night!

WAHOO!

[wannahave3]

We used Ferber and our DS was sleeping, well...like a baby after the third night. In no way would I recommend it for a baby that has just come home but since Meeah has been home 4.5 months, it's probably safe.

We didn't really need it with DD because we had learned to always put her down with eyes open, etc. I am very proud that both of my kids have healthy sleep habits. If we are at Nana's house or on vacation or wherever they can always get themselves to sleep with no problems. I feel like I owe a lot of that to the Ferber method. Just my 2 cents...

[allorton]

Ferber worked for our 8 month old, but it took 6 nights. Now he sleeps from 7:30-6:30. He is much happier during the day now because he is rested.

[shc65]

My sister in law has 5 children -- one set of triplets. She swears by baby wise. We actually talked about it today. She doesn't rock though and I am a rocker. I love to rock babies and loved to be rocked when I was a baby/toddler.

But she says that all 5 of her children are so well routined and she credits it all to Baby Wise. She did say it was very hard the first time with her first child. She did sit in the hall and cry but they got through it.

[luvubella]

I used Ferber on both of my kids. Neither one took longer than a day and both are GREAT sleepers now. I waited until they were a little older about six months (but i was exhausted by then) just because I knew they were eating enough to sleep through the night. Because of this method, they developed self soothing skills and can put themsleves back to sleep no problem. I agree with the other posters that when they cry at night i know they are sick or something is wrong. Most other parents I know that have used the Ferber method have great sleepers. I have one girlfriend that used it on her two older sons who are awesome sleepers and not on her daughter who is kind of her "baby" still and she still does not sleep through the night at three and a half.

This method was also recommended by my pediatrician.
All that being said, you still need to do what you feel is right as a parent.