Sleeping in the Crib

My daughter was the same way. She would NOT sleep in her bassinet. She also went to sleep in her crib, so what I did was I moved a cot in her room and slept right next to her crib. That way, when she woke up, I was right there on the other side of the bars and I could sing or say something to calm her down. and if she needed a feeding I was right there too. I also swaddled which helped. anyway, afte a few weeks I moved back into my room and she has been sleeping through the night since she was 2 months old.

Swaddling the baby may be helpful. (try Kiddopatamus swaddlers at www.babiesRus.com) I have twins who were preemies and my pediatrician suggested doing that for some time ( I did it for 3 months). Some little babies may be scared of their free-flowing arms and legs and too much space may make them a little anxcious.

You could put him in the crib and let him cry. This is a VERY hard thing to do, but it does work. However, I would not be too worried about him sleeping with you.

HI J.! Listen, you've gotta do what you gotta do to get some sleep! My daughter slept in her infant seat for the first 8 weeks of her life because she needed the constant "jiggle" of the vibrate setting. My friend slept her daughter in her swing for the first 5 months...I've also had friends who co-sleep with their kids (it just gets hard if you do it all the time and then try putting them on their own when they're older). There is no "right way" to do this. My doctor told me at 8 weeks she had to go to her crib. The first week was a rough transition, but by then end of the week she slept okay (never through the night mind you...that didn't happen until she was 11 months). I always nursed her to sleep and then put her down, but after a while I realized that it was better to put her down if she was still kind of awake, but sleepy so she would figure out how to fall asleep on her own. It may take a little time for her to get used to this. I would figure out a bedtime routine and stick with it. I always do bath at the same time every night, then maybe feed him, a little cuddle time and story, then put him down. Maybe try a fan for a little white noise...try having your husband put him to bed if he cries a lot in the beginning. I don't know about you, but my hubby always handled the crying better than I did. I needed to clean the kitchen or keep busy when she was really fussy because it broke my heart to hear those little cries...Good luck! Hope that helps!

Make sure the crib is away from windows and drafts. Try leaving a t-shirt you have worn near him because he will be comforted by your scent. Also, my first abby did this sometimes when he was overtired. Be very watchful, he may be getting sleepy and you don't realize it, and then, paradoxically, they don't sleep as well when they are OVER-tired.

Sounds like cosleeping isn't for you since you don't sleep well that way. But for the record, your child is less likely to suffer from SIDS while with you- they regulate their breething to yours and SIDS is like 20 times less common in countries where cosleeping is the norm. Breathing-wise they are actually safer in the same room as you (as long as you're not on drugs that make you drowsy or intoxicated- then its too dangerous to sleep with baby!). But I know it can be really nerve-wracking sleeping next to such a fragile bundle- I'm not trying to talk you into it. Just trying to relieve your worries for those times you choose to as a last resort (like when they are sick and miserable without you!).

Hi. I have 5 year old and 8 month old girls. The 5 yr old had reflux as an infant and was a terrible sleeper. I kept her in bed with me a lot because sometimes it was the only way for any of us to get sleep! I used to prop myself up with pillows, put a small pillow under my left arm (the arm that would be in the middle of the bed) and put the baby in the crook of my arm but leaning against me so she wouldn't slide down. I had it down to a science! I was also paranoid and slept with one eye open. But I did not know what else to do! With the 2nd baby, in the beginning we had a tough time also. She also refused the bassinet. Believe it or not, she slept in the car seat. That was her "crib" until about a month ago. I know that sounds ridiculous but that was the only place she slept, day or night. Like your situation, she refused the bassinet and cried after about 20 min in the crib. I knew she'd have to get out of the car seat phase and about a month ago we started putting her in her crib. I would do test runs during the day at nap time so she'd get used to it. And then one night it just happened.... she stayed in the crib and slept. The one thing I did discover is that she slept better without a nightlight. So we've stopped using one. Basically, 6 weeks old is so young, the passage of time may just sort out your problem. I know it is so tricky to get that sleep situtation sorted out. If you have to sleep with him in your bed, I guess just try tot do it as safely as possible. I did it and it all turned out fine. Good luck!

J.,

One of my biggest mistakes as a new parent was to listen to everyone else, including professionals, over my own motherly instincts. So, please, take what I and everyone else says as ideas, but do what you feel right about.

I say there is no need to feel guilt about having your baby sleep in bed with you. Do you know what it was called before SIDS? CRIB death. 50% of SIDS cases occur in a crib. It may help to do some reading about bed sharing in a safe way. Check out: http://www.naturalchild.org/james_mckenna/

If you think about how he feels, it may help. 9 months in utero, hearing your voice, your breathing, your heartbeat, and feeling your body warmth. That crib is too still, too quiet and too cold! He just needs time to transition to this new world.

I can't say I've read it, but I have a friend who swears by this book: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley .

Good luck!

Billie

Keep up with your routine with putting him in his crib...comfort him when he needs it...try soft music, try a comfortable chair, ((rocker, club, sm.love seat))) next to his crib to sit..read to him for a bit to let him know you are there until he does make the adjustment.
Have patience...these changes take time. If you can, when he's down for a nap during the day...try to nap as well.

Congrats on being a new mom! Making that step into the crib for my daughter was tough too. It was a very slow process - but what worked for us was putting her a swaddle blanket and a sleep positioner. When we used both together it seems to make her feel secure being all wrapped up and unable to move much. The other thing is to work on getting him to sleep in his crib during the daytime for naps - this way he gets use to being in the big space. Good luck!

We had the same exact problem, and she ended up in our bed too, so don't feel bad about it. But I hated it too, for the same reasons, and we made a 3am desperate purchase of an amby baby (a hammock type thing) - www.ambybaby.com , and she slept in that happily up until the past week at 5 months of age, when we finally got her to sleep in the crib. We knew the money was a gamble, but it was well worth it, she slept really well right away, and I think it was because of her reflux, and because the ambybaby kind of hugs them. Good luck!

My son's issue was that the crib was cold, so I would warm up his sheets with a heating pad, then remove the heating pad, check to make sure it was not too hot and then put him down. He also did not like the first mattress so we had to get a more comfortable one. Good luck!

Have Play time in his crib. Put the side down as far as it will go and put him in when he is not tired and play! Show him toys, books, if he is bottle fed give him one there and stay the whole time. Do 2-3 minutes a few times a day and let his sheets get his smell. If you don't have bumpers try that. Some babies don't like the space they now have in a big crib. My kids loved their crib once they got use to it. Also when you do get him in the crib don't wash his sheets and blankets on the same day. Wash sheets one day and blankets a couple days later. I know it makes more wash but having something smell familiar works for me. Even now the girls are 2 yo and 7 yo and their "lovie" and "blanket" get washed about 2-3 days before we go and not again until we get home (unless big messes occure). The familiar smell helps them sleep in a "strange" bed, place, etc. A.

How about swaddling your son? He may feel more content wrapped up tight and may sleep more sound...good luck! :)

There is a really wonderful thing called "attachment parenting" which actually promotes co-sleeping or having your child sleep in your bed with you! it can be a very safe and rewarding experience (and if you're nursing it makes night time so easy!) - try to do some research on it and see if it is something you are interested in pursuing - then around 4 months or so you will have an easier time getting baby to sleep in his crib when he is a little older and bigger. i have a 7 month old who slept with us exclusively until about 5 months - now he easily sleep in his crib for all naps and part of the night (he would go back to sleep in the crib too if i put him there but have found the co-sleeping to be a wonderful thing for our family. you can find info on this on askdrsears.com
Of course it is a personal decision - but there are actually people out there who think sleeping with your baby is a good andbeneficial thing so don't be so h*** o* yourself. every baby is different!!

good luck!

Do you swaddle him by any chance? Sometimes they sleep better if they're swaddled....just a thought! We put our son in the crib from day 1 and he loved it, but was always swaddled.

My suggestion is to just keep at it. And of course they're will be nights he ends up in bed with you--that's perfectly ok! He will eventually get used to it. It's better to train him now, than a year from now when he really knows the difference!
Good luck!
Lynsey

Hi J..
I've actually had my daughter in the bed with me quite a few times and although my husband worries about me rolling over her, I wake up if she even sighs heavy! I never move at all. Although, I did use the co-sleeper for a while and it worked well. I think they can hear you close to them and that's why it works well. You can try that when they are little.
I would also try putting him into his crib when he is awake (just sleepy) and try to get him used to that a little at a time. Let him cry a little, go over and reassure him that you are there, give him his pacifier if you are using one, and rub his head and then walk away again. Do that a few times before you pick him up.
My daughter now can be put into her bassinet and she will go to sleep on her own. She usually falls asleep eating and stays asleep when I put her in, but, she has gone in when she's still awake and fallen asleep on her own.
Good luck! :)

I had the same problem. My son just wasn't ready to sleep on his own at that stage! So he slept with me. (And why should anyone give you a hard time about this? It's completely fine, as long as you are comfortable and careful!) We co-slept happily, despite my mother telling me that he would be in my bed for years. Around his 12 week birthday, we weren't sleeping as well. He got wiggly, and I woke up constantly! So then we actually used a pack-n-play by our bed, and slowly inched it toward the far wall. By 14 weeks, he was easily going down across the room, so we switched him to his real crib. It only took a couple of days to get him adjusted, and he's an amazing sleeper now!

I really believe that co-sleeping with my son for the first few months was a great decision! It was h*** o* my husband, but I got more sleep than most moms and my baby was really happy and well rested. We also got him a sleep positioner, which let him rest on his side instead of his back. (My doc approved it!) I found it to be very helpful, because he just never wanted to sleep on his back. But be ready to wean him off that later, when he starts to roll.

Good luck, and keep listening to your baby! He'll tell you what he needs. You're doing great!

J.,

Try a sleep positioner. They're a bit pricey, but it will give you peace of mind and your son a safe place to sleep.

For the future: if you want to go back to the crib (and IMHO, there is nothing wrong with baby in bed as long as everyone is careful) try sleeping with the crib sheet on your pillow for a night. Your baby may smell you on the sheet and feel safe(r). Just a suggestion, I hear it may or may not work.

Good Luck, and congratulations!
M.

Hi J.
Have you thought about whether the mattress is not comfortable.
Why are you concerned about SIDS? Do you have the head of the bed elevated? If you put the foot of the bed on the next lower adjustment, the bed is in an easy elevation. What makes you concerned?
Have you looked into dividers for crib? They are available for twins so they can be in one crib. Perhaps the space is too big. Usually babies are OK in bassinettes til they can roll over, unless of course he was a big baby. Maybe he would not have been comfortable any where and you just thought it was the bassinette.
When I had twins I was surprised by all the things that were available.
Relax and enjoy your son, talk to MD about your fear of SIDS.
When our younger son was born, he was considered near miss crib death baby. OK when the twins were born I talked to the MD about SIDS. We were told any future baby would be on monitors, not so. The twins didn't need to be. Our younger son, didn't have the mechanism to gasp. The girls did. I checked them often, but was able to get some sleep after I understood.
God bless you and your new little one.
Since I am old enough to be your mom, I always say, talk to your mom. She may have some great stories to share. Share with her.

K. SAHM married 38 years, with kids 37, 32, and twins 18. Oldest is a volleyball coach, and entrepreneur. Younger son is a lawyer and he and his wife made us grandparents in July. Our grandson is great!!! Our twin girls are in college this year, after years of homeschooling.

J. -

My son is 6 weeks old as well and I've found that putting him in the crib on a wedge/sleep positioner has helped. They sell them at babies r us and are not that expensive. I think it makes him feel like someone's holding him as it keeps him in place. I've also swaddled him tightly which has helped as well. Good luck!

- K. :)

Hello J.. My suggestion would be to try to see if you could put him in his crib BEFORE he has actually fallen asleep. I used to sit with my baby in a rocking chair right next to her crib (Sophia is now 2! and doesn't always want me to do this), and I would sing to her with the same lullaby CD every evening. Certain songs really did the trick and I also nursed her during this time as well. The combination really relaxed her. I also massaged or gently stroked her body or feet (be careful of the "tickle" spots), and this helped also. Then, right before she was completely asleep, I put her in the crib and she settled in nicely and went to bed on her own. I kept the music on and left the room. They say if they wake up in a different place than where they actually fell asleep, this is what scares them and they become disoriented. So whatever your routine is to get the baby to sleep, try to be right by the crib and put him in just before he zonks out. Good luck and god bless you and your baby and your husband. Congratulations!!

Couple things... try to put something with your scent near him. Make sure he's warm and bundled up tight (the crib might feel like to big an expanse for him to feel safe) and start a routine that you can stick to. I reccomend something musical that can switch off like the heartbeat bear or a CD with natural sounds.. as close to womb like sounds as possible. If you had put on Mozart CDs while he was in utero than try that. And mostly, stay with him. Don't put him in the crib and jet out. You say 20-30 mins max? so stick it out and see what happens. The most important thing you can do is observe. You'll be able to notice any subtle change you might not have before and that will be the indicator for you as to how to respond. Also, put him down when he's half groggy (not all the way asleep). Several reasons. One is that if he is fully asleep, he might wake up upon the impact of hitting the mattress. Secondly, even if he cries and starts to wake back up when you put him down and he's only halfway there, it's a good opportunity to teach him alternate soothing (not just hanging on to mommy soothing). So this would be the time to caress him lovingly, sing to him and just keep touching him and otherwise calming him. It would really help if you introduce/re-introduce the pacifier until he takes it. This will teach him to self soothe AND it will reduce the chances of SIDS. You can definitely un-train him from it later and the payoff is worth it.

Doing this thing of you standing by the crib comforting him is a lot more work/draining for you, more time consuming too. But it WILL work. and it WILL pay off. If there is one thing we all learn and re-learn as moms is that it is not about us. And even though this will eventually work out much better for you, it's really about how it will help him. His character and sense of self will be a lot more secure and happier if he learns early on that this is a safe world (he'll unlearn that when he's older) and that he can make it in it without an unhealthy attachment to you. It doesn't mean he won't be attached to you, on the contrary he will be very much so but in a healthier way the more you teach him to self soothe.

This putting him to bed thing may also mean you have to pick him up to calm him down (from hysterics) and put him back down- even if it's 10 times in a row. Again, more work for you now but better for you both later. And rest assured that being that you are aware of this now and addressing it now at 6 weeks vs 6 months, halleluyah.

Best wishes. N..

J.,
Personally I do not have a problem with co-sleeping. They make devices that you can use if you are afraid of rolling over on baby. If you really want him to sleep in his crib try putting in your shirt. Sometimes just the sense that you are near is good enough.

Good Luck
L.

hi J.;

many babies sleep safely and successfully IN THE BED WITH PARENTS. don't feel bad about this! it's perfectly fine and normal. you will feel safer and over time your anxiety about SIDS will go away. for accurate information about safe co-sleeping, look at these resources;

Dr. Jay Gordon for 'family bed' ; just google his name and his site will come up

AskMoxie.com

Kellymom.com

La Leche League Int. also just google the organization and go to 'resources' for your local chapter; feel free to call the chapter leader to discuss this issue.

don't be fooled or frightened by the overbearing insistence about "safe" sleeping that you are likely to recieve. the only babies that are not safe in the family bed are situations where the parents use alcohol or cigarettes or are obese.

certainly there are sleeping tragedies of all kind that have been documentd; but this is also true of crib sleeping and bassinette sleeping. i know over a dozen moms who have been co sleeping with thier children and they get the most sleep and the best peace of mind. i would have done it with my kids but they were both easy about the crib.

also, don't buy into this foolishness about "you will never get them out of the bed." it's just like the silliness about "you will never get them off the bottle, off the thumb, off the breast" etc. as your child matures and you get to know him and his abilities and needs you will figure out when he is ready to change his sleep, eating, nursing, feeding, etc. habits at the appropriate times.

good luck and lotsa love
J. mother of 3 yr old boy and 18 mo old girl

Hi J.,

When I transitioned my son from his bassinet to his crib, he got colder much faster since he was in his room alone rather than in a shared space with his mom and dad. I started putting him in sleep sacks, as well as putting on an extra onesie under his jammies. That did the trick! He started sleeping soundly and giving us longer stretches between feedings. I also started putting a "lovie" into his crib - not on him or near his face, but close enough for him to sense its presence - and this "lovie" is now a permanent fixture in his bed.

Oh, and don't worry about anyone making comments about co-sleeping. I didn't (and still don't) agree with it, but there are times and places when co-sleeping is a necessity for a happy, and tired, household! I co-slept with my son every now and then just so I could get a few uninterrupted hours of sleep, but I didn't make it a habit.

Best to you!

i really feel the need to address this. cosleeping is safe when done with certain safeguards. the AAP acknowledgeds the benefits cosleeping have to breastfeeding and bonding but also feel it may increase the risk of SIDS. yet, no detailed information is given in regards to studies and percentages. in the past, they had clumped babies who slept in an adult bed all together.

from jan 1990 to dec 1997, 515 deaths of children under 2(fyi sids usually is only considering under one so this number is actually higher than would be considered for sids) sleeping in an adult bed. out of these, only 121 deaths were attributed to someone rolling on the baby. that is 121 deaths in 8 years time. the problem with this information is it makes no differentiation between what type of bed(such as a waterbed, sofa, or heavy pillowtop), of who else was in the bed(including other children esp toddlers, noninterested adult), or the state of the parent(drug or alchohol use, overtired, ). these are high risk details which would contribute to the danger.

now a sober, nonsmoking adult in bed is thought to be consciously aware, and not roll over their baby. aside from rolling, the suffocation risk can be eliminated with following cautions in regards to thick bedding, sharing blankets, overheating, proximity to areas that a baby could get wedged, overweight parent, smoking parent, and laying the baby anything but on the back.

also regarding these numbers, keep in mind, the back to sleep campaign didnt start until 1992, so any numbers in the beginning are actually higher than the last 5 years since each year deaths lowered after the campaign.

also, most other countries cosleep and have lower sids deaths than the us. that is even more reason to consider the simple fact of bedding and mattress choices being a major cause, not sharing the bed. in-bed cosleepers eliminate any concern for any of these issues.

the original cause of media release came came from statistics of about 60 babies each year for 3 years that die in an adult bed(again, this is an adult bed, not cosleeping). the problem is they fail to mention that every year 2500 children die of sids, so obviously the overwhelming majority says sids deaths occur primarily in cribs.

and finally, we must not be too naive. the fact is if you tell a medical examiner you cosleep, he will then do an autopsy, and when he finds no cause of death(which is the case with sids), then he will assume overlay by the parent unjustly. those poor mothers being told it was their fault. we have to think logically. if a certain number of babies die each year of sids, and a certain number of babies cosleep, then of course, some babies would die of sids while cosleeping.

googling "cosleeping sids" , you will find tons of articles. i know your thread wasnt specifically regarding this, but i dont want someone else considering cosleeping to be made fearful. there are many parents who choose to cosleep as a parenting idea. they really enjoy it and all the benefits it gives both the parents and the child. there are other parents that do so to get their baby too sleep, and it works so you would theorize it is what nature intended. those parents then become very happy with thier situation. im not by any means saying everyone should cosleep, but i am saying there are absolutely no documented negative effects, only positive benefits. it is not giving in or a bad habit, it is a parenting decision, no different than when to start solids.
thank you and sorry to hijack your post.

Hello J.. Congrats on your little angel. I had the same issue with my daughter. I found that giving her a lovie, my father gave her this fabulous lovie from Kaloo. I also give her an extra soft blanket. She is 16 months now & it still works. Once in a while I will put her in the bed with me. Mostly when she's sick. Also, I would lt her cry it out. If the crying went on to long I would go in & let her know that I was still there but I wouldn't pick her up. I'd tuck her in & rub her hair & tell her that I love her. Hopefully some of this will work for you. It gets easier. Best of luck!

Run out and buy "Happiest Baby on the Block". It tells of some great tips on getting the baby to sleep on his own. Basically, it says to recreate the womb with "the 5 s's": swaddle, suck, side, swing, shhh. At 6 weeks old we put our baby in the hospital's swaddling blanket, and double wrapped him with a velro one (they're tight and it didn't seem like he could suffocate if he had the velcro one holding everything in place). We gave him a pacifier and put him in a sleep positioner on his side (we put the sleep positioner toward the bottom of his body so there wouldn't be risk of suffocation).
He slept in a Pak N Play in our room for the first 4 months or so. You seem to be very concerned about SIDS so I wonder if you may want to try this so that he's not in a different room?
Also, I co-slept with my baby sometimes and you shouldn't be so h*** o* yourself. I actually would fall asleep on the couch while nursing and the two of us would sleep sitting up until his next feeding and then we would do it all over again (it was an endless cycle during those first 3 months or so).
Good luck to you.

My son started turning on his tummy consistently -all by himself!- when he was 10 days old. Those first 10 days were a nightmare because he didn’t seem to be able to sleep unless he was in somebody’s arms or during those minutes that he was sleeping on his tummy before I turned him over again. I tried co-sleeping but then I was the one that couldn’t sleep for fear of crushing him.
On the 11th day I made up my mind and put him down for a nap in his crib, ON HIS TUMMY. Well, that really taught me a lesson. He slept for 3 hours in a row for the first time ever! –with me watching like a hawk for fear of SIDS, of course.
He definitely was a tummy sleeper and since he was low risk for SIDS –according to statistics- we decided to let him sleep that way afterwards. Very few people dare to confess that they let their babies sleep in their tummies but they are many more out there that you might think.Some kids just won't sleep any other way.
We dealt with the fear of SIDS for many months, though, and watched him like hawks every time he was down.

Making him warmer with extra clothing and padding his mattress a bit with a blanket under the sheet also helped my son.

Good luck,

L.

Hey J.,
I have to say, I actually had the same problem with my son who is now 7 months old. what I did was just have him fall asleep on me every night in the living room, then once he was really out I would lay him in his crib. And like you about 20 minutes later he would wake up crying. So I would repeat the process all night and often we would just both sleep in the la z boy in our living room. (I didn't even have the energy to consider the whole "it's not right idea". So my solution for you.... No don't do what I did, I was miserable for the first 2 months because I was soo sleep deprived and sore from not sleeping in a regular bed. I do have a husband who would take turns but he had to go into work in the mornings and I wasn't going to let him sleep horribly then have to work all day. So I finally was talking with a few friends of mine and they all suggested reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby" by Dr. Marc Weisbluth. It was my life saver!!! If I remember correctly he mentions that at 6 weeks of age there is a physiological change in the baby. I don't qite remember what exactly he said it was a while ago that I read that chapter. The book really worked for as well as for a lot of my friends. I am still using the book as a guidleine today and am very pleased with the results I am getting.
I hope that this helps you, I remember the "good old days" of being absolutly tired all day!!
Just remember every baby goes through this and you are not alone.
Good luck
A.

Both my girls spent time in my bed when they hit the 6 month age, I was soooooo tired all the time. But I feel nothing wrong with this and I have 2 wonderful girls who have acomplished so much. My older had night terrors and the younger was a sleep walker, better in my bed, I didn't have to go to their room and sit there for hours. Good luck.

I had a friend who slept with her baby and she rolled right on top of him smothering him to death. She's never been the same since..

Try wrapping the baby in a blanket to make him feel secure and throw a fan on him to keep him from over heating?? How's that sound??

Hi J., congrats on your baby. At that age they rarely sleep much at night. I suggest having him get familiar with the crib for naps and even some playtime tummytime during the day just to learn his environment. Let it be a relaxing place where you play soft music and read to him. This way he will learn to be calm when he is in the crib. Besides that, I used a sleep positioner, swaddle, white noise, heartbeat cd, things like that work for some babies well. Good luck!

I was the same way as you. I was overly worried about SIDS with both my girls. Now 13 and 4. My 4 yr old was a BIG baby and slept in her bassinet until I realized the bottom started sagging!(Approx. 3 months) Obviously she went to the crib at that point. My daughter liked and had to be tucked in tight. She slept on an inclined memory foam pad (babies.r.us) and I would swaddle her and tuck an additional blanket over her ,under the pad. Some babies need that security and some do not. You have to figure out what your little one needs. Be careful with bringing baby into bed! The only way I would sleep with my children when they were infants (on rare occasion) was to actually hold them in one arm all night. This way I was aware of where they were in the bed. I work in law enforcement and have seen too many accidents which result in an infants death. The stores also sell a "safety bed" for infants to sleep in parents bed. I'm not sure what the real name of it is and I never used it. Maybe someone else can make that recommendation. Best of luck to you. This too shall pass. Raising children is an adventure and a lot of common sense. :)

Hi. We also had a very difficult time getting our baby in the crib. She has reflux and hated being in a lying position. We brought her to our bed for about a month, right before I had to go back to work. But at 4 1/2 months, we decided it was time to let her cry it out in her crib. We were prepared for a rough weekend......and the first night we tried it, she had no problem and went right to sleep....totally different than her previous behaviors. In fact, she liked her crib because it gave her space to roll around. I think she was just ready.....she was bigger so the crib did not feel so big to her anymore. So....my advice.....wait a bit.....try again later.

Keep trying the crib. I don't frown upon co sleeping but I know for me I get a lot less sleep that way even when the baby is sleeping because I afraid to move and wake him or her up. Also my babies also seemed the shimmy their way closer to me and crowd my space. My son, who is now 20 months, slept in our bed a lot. I kept trying the crib which was torture because if he did actually fall asleep he would wake up in an hour or maybe an hour and a half. Sometimes I would give up and go to the living room and put him in the swing. He loved the swing, at least that way I could get like five straight hours of sleep. To get him to fall asleep in his crib I would have to pin his arms and legs down with my hand while leaning into the crib with the crib rail digging into my ribs. This is because he wouldn't stop moving his arms and legs. Once he fell alseep I would very, very slowly remove my hands and creep out of the room stepping only in very particular places where I knew the floor boards wouldn't creek. The only way I finally got a full nights sleep was when he was five months old and it was June so we had our air conditioning unit on in our room and I forgot to turn on the baby monitor. When I went in to get him in the morning his eyes were all puffy from crying all night. But things pretty much looked up from that point.
My daughter, who is 3 and half months right now, sleeps in here bassinet every night for at least 8 sometimes 11 hours straight. From about 1 week old to 4 weeks old I let her sleep on her stomach. I KNOW, big No No, but I have a hard time believing in SIDS. Anyway, it was the absolute only way she would sleep at that point and I think it got her into a good sleep pattern early on. After 4 weeks she didn't want to sleep on her belly anymore and it was pretty much smooth sailing from there. And she doesn't even take a pacifier, she just usually goes to sleep by herself.

OH, and I don't agree with letting your son have play time in his crib. He should know that the crib is for sleeping not playing. That way there will be no confusion over what he is supposed to be doing when you put him in there.

One more thing, you might consider a white noise machine. Once the summer ended and we took the AC out of my son's room he started waking up again. So I bought one and it seemed to help a little. It will at least block out noise from you if you have to walk past his room a lot or something. You can find them on Amazon.com

we all feel your pain for sleepless nights... i would suggest that mabey when he is in his crib he feels lonely because it is hugh to him... try the snuggle thing even if it is up against the side, remeber he is up against you in bed. what else you could to to ease your mind about sids is to invest in the angle care monitor it is great it will detect if your child stops beathing so it is peice of mind,,, my children both used it from the time they were born actually my 3 year old son used it until he had to give his crib to his sister(22 months old)..... this way when you do put your tshirt, something for the baby to snuggle up against you will know he is safe...

Ummm, I know you said no comments but it's more normal to sleep with your baby than not. This was done throughout history until affluence changed things and people built bigger houses with more rooms. Why should small babies and toddlers be isolated from their parents for so many hours at a time? No wonder he's screaming. He needs you! If you're paranoid about SIDS check out the dangers of vaccination. Many so called SIDS deaths mysteriously happen shortly after vaccines are given.

I had the same experience! Have you tried having your son sleep in a pack and play next to you? I tried the bedsharing out of desperation in the beginning and I never got a good night sleep either. I was just too nervous! The only place my son would sleep for 3 months was his carseat. The doctor said it was fine and when he was 3 months old he stopped wanting to sleep in it and moved to the pack and play. Then just recently, he stopped wanting to be in there and now wants his crib. We tried forcing the crib on him earlier than this and it was a disaster. Put him to sleep wherever you and he like and is safe, obviously. Don't worry about him getting too used to it. As he gets older he will want a more appropriate place to sleep. Don't stress about it.

Cosleeping is actually not a bad idea. you won't roll on him (any incident i've heard of like this involved a LOT of alcohol), and since he can't roll yet, as long as you put him on his back you'll be taking the same SIDS precautions as you would in a bassinet/crib.
My advice: relax - if he can sleep in your bed, then great! babies love to be super-close to their parents when they're this little. get some sleep yourself, and try to switch him to her crib/bassinet again in a couple of weeks. and don't believe the hype about "once they're in your bed you'll never get them out". nobody likes sudden unexplained change, but babies are very adaptable. though he will probably cry the first couple of nights, he'll figure out soon enough that it's ok.
a little about me: my son coslept with us until he was 3 months old. his crib was in our bedroom until he was 9 months old. both transitions resulted in a couple of nights of crying (that needed some extra soothing on my part), but it works itself out quickly.