I am a first time mom, and my 9-1/2 month old baby girl has been a relatively good sleeper in her crib until this week. We just got back from a family cruise vacation where she slept in bed with me and my husband all week. She is going through a lot of changes this week, with a new nanny who started 3 days ago (previously my mom watched her since birth) and she has now refused to sleep in her crib at night, screaming and crying until she is in a "big-person" bed with me or my husband. The three times we've put her in the crib and shut the door has resulted in projectile vomiting all over the crib and surrounding furniture each time because she is so worked up from crying and screaming. This results in the next hour of baths and scrubbing the carpet and changing the crib mattress cover. The nanny also has not had any luck with the crib--which limits time the nanny has for her other duties, since she needs to sit next to the bed as the baby takes her naps throughout the day. Any advice, PLEASE???
With so many changes, you may want to take your time re-acquainting her to her crib. I know it's not what you wanted to hear, and I don't think you need to co-sleep forever, but the combo of the cruise, plus new nanny, and she may even be teething on top of that - she might be on overload and need some extra lovin.
Too much going on at once. Take a step back and start again. If you don't want her in your bed, stop bringing her into the bed. Instead, comfort her by sitting next to the crib, as the nanny is doing, and then, gradually, move closer towards the door. Yes, it will take time, but when you let her CIO before, it really upset her, so doing that again, until there is trust, is a bad idea. It will just make the situation worse.
You are going to have to get into a routine and having a naptime routine that resembles the bedtime routine is very helpful....here are some more ideas that may help you get into that routine, good luck:
http://www.theskinnyscoop.com/search/sleep?utm_campaign=t...
Get "The Baby Whisper Answers Your Questions" or something like that. The original book "The Sleep Whisperer" is really just through 5 or 6 months, the next bigger book deals with later infancy and toddlers who were sleeping well and then have have an interruption.
In general, it's always better to respond compassionately and not ignore your child's needs just because you think you know better what they need.
I agree with Julie, dont put her in your bed, sit next to the crib, let the nanny sit next to the crib. It is a temporary stage you won't do it forever. Make sure she's not sick. another method I've heard of is leaving child in crib for a few minutes (if she wont start vomiting immediately) then going in after a few minutes to say we're still here love you good night, each time lengthen the minutes between checking on her. I'm sure its a reaction to the big changes and will get better
