So I started a 4 month old girl today and it has been a nightmare!! She is SO tired but won't sleep unless I hold her or if she's in a swing. However, because of licensing, I can't let her sleep in a swing.. she must sleep in a crib or pack n play. Every time I put her in her crib she will scream. I also tried rocking her to sleep first in my arms and then laying her in the crib… she wakes up screaming immediately.

How do you train a 4 month old to sleep in a crib?? Please help!!

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I do not take infants so I hope others have some good advice for you! I am actually losing the sweetest DCB/family in a couple of weeks because I made the decision to not care for infants! From what you have said and also the feeding problems it doesn't sound like this family prepared this baby for daycare!!! Do you have a 2 week trial?

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I answered on the she wont eat thread..

She's not ready for daycare. Call for pick up and tell them that. She needs to sleep in a bed and she needs to drink from a bottle. THEN you can take care of her.

Poor baby and poor you!

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Usually when I get infants, they have either been on a wait list or the parents interviewed before the child is born or when the child is a newborn and at that time I make it VERY clear that the baby must be put to sleep in a crib.

I explain the rules and regulations of safe sleep and what I am and am not allowed to do and then leave it up to the parents to make sure their child is experienced with crib sleeping before attending.

If the child screams and cries, I WILL call for pick up because I think it is unfair to the other kids to listen to a screaming kid, NOT something I want to listen to and NOT fair to the baby to be thrust into an environment that expects something from them they are completely unfamiliar with.

I wish I had some advice for you, but at this point I don't know what to say.

What do the parents say about how the child is put to bed at home?

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4 mos old is right around the age I start seep training. I try and lay them down when there tired but still awake. I may even rock them a little in the crib. If they wake up but still seem sleepy enough to get back to sleep I will wait a little to see if they drift off again or I will rock the crib a bit usuallly after 1-3 weeks there pretty trained. I try and keep a consistent routine with them which helps. At 4 mos they are still young enough to get used to crib. Good luck!
Debbie

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If you aren't convinced, read the thread about the 11 month old that wont sleep in a bed, either.. In fact, print it and show it to your dc parents!

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I have a 2 month old - same thing. NEVER slept in a crib or anywhere without being held or strapped into something that moves. I can't do that here due to licensing - and the risks! But I can use a sleep sack. I got one and that has been a miracle worker. I can basically safely swaddle the baby so she feels as though she's being held. After the first week, she's sleeping on her back and I'm slowly loosening the "swaddle" and I think by the end of this week, she will no longer need it.

There are several sizes available for the sleep sacks, so I'm sure you could find one to fit a 4mo.

I would also stress the importance of back sleeping and how dangerous it is to have the child sleeping in a swing. Once I mentioned the deaths that have occurred with swing sleeping, the dcp freaked and put the child to bed in her crib that very night.

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I love sleep sacs! I swaddle our 12week old dck and she loves it. Even if parents say they don't like to be swaddled try it!

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