Is it ok to put my 3 month old in her crib and just let her cry some?

Question

For the past couple of days my 3 month old has been fussy often. I have nursed her when she's hungry, burped her, rocked with her, bounced her on my knee, played with her, gave her tummy time and pretty much all things possible to quell her crying and she is still fussy. I'm not aware of any teeth that she may be cutting but she has been drooling a lot and loves to chew on her fists and blankets lately. But this morning I have been doing all I can to help her to stop crying but she is still persistent. I have put her back in her room in her crib right now so both of us can calm down a little.

She also has slight plagiocephaly (flattening of one side of her head in the back) so the doctor wants her to not be on her back often so I hate to lay her down at any time unless it's nap time or bed time. But right now I need to gather myself some. Is it ok that I put her down for a couple of minutes?

My two year old is napping so I don't have to worry about him at the moment.

Answer 1

I think that 3 months is a little young. My daughter was colicy and so sometimes I had to let her cry so I could go to the bathroom or get something from the basement for supper, etc. But to put her down and let her cry for more than 5 mintues... I think that 3 months is too young. But you have to do what works for you. You could try a wrap or a sling and babywear? But you have to do what works for your situaiton.

Answer 2

sometimes they just need to cry

Answer 3

It is perfectly ok to give yourself a time out. Do, put her down and walk away. This allows you the time to regather yourself and give it another try. Don't think you  are bad for this. Everyone needs a minute. I've done it. We all have done it.  She may be gassy, They make the infant gas drops. She can take them. They are magic. If you have the abiltity. take her for a ride, or a stroller walk. I wish you luck.

Answer 4

i wouldnt let her cry for very long. i know how stressful it can be when you baby is being inconsolable. the best thing you can do right now is to call someone if available to come take over for maybe an hour so you can  have a moment to relax.

Answer 5

it is definately ok to put her down for a couple of minutes, especially if you need to gain your composure. my son is 4 1/2 months and, although he hasnt cut any teeth yet, he has had all the signs of teething since he was 2 months. i still give him teething tablets once in a while when i really cant get him to stop crying and he is just knawing away at his hands and it does work so i know thats got to be the problem. also, how well does she hold up her head? i asked because i introduced the walker to my son at 3 months and he loved it! i thought he would still be too small but he can reach the floor and he holds his head good. he loves to be in a 'standing' position rather than just lying on the floor all the time.  

Answer 6

I agree with MY3KIDS...you shouldnt leave the baby to cry herself to sleep...they cry for a reason..might be the start of teething...but my sister always advised me to walk away for 5 or 10 minutes if you felt yourlsef get to the end of your tether. MAke a drink and then go back and try soemthing else to sort the baby out..maybe a bath might help her?

Answer 7

her teeth are probably moving down into her jaw line which is just as uncomfortable as them cutting. get the gel teethers and freeze them. also try teething tablets you can get them at walmart for like 2-4 $. they are all natural and dissolve almost instantly. oragel tastes horrible and wears off pretty much right away. you can put her down and let her cry but at this age they dont recommend it for more than 10 minutes at a time. try a swing or vibrating chair. also massaging her head will help it reform. walmart carries a toy called a heartbeat bear which works great. it sounds like the heartbeat in the womb and calms them. it stays on for 40 minutes and shuts off by itself. it ties to the side of the crib so you dont have to worry about suffocation. i hope this helps you out.

Answer 8

Absolutely! Although I would not recommend putting her in there for too long to cry. Babies have a tendency to thing you left and are not coming back. But by all means if you have tried everything, do not feel bad to put her down and let her cry for a little while so you can regroup.

Do you have a swing for her? I know that worked for my daughter. I got the Ocean wonders aquarium swing since it goes side to side and back and forth. They also have a take along one. Here are some links to them

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp...

The take along one:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp...

I am sorry, but I don't know of any doctor that would recommend against comforting a child in that way. The sling would be great in that you can get one for your husband and he can use it with her as well. I used the baby bjorn carrier and LOVED it! Both my husband and I used it. I would put my now 2 year old in it while I vacuumed or did laundry and she did great in it. My hubby used it to go for walks or shopping.  

Answer 9

A human baby is like any other animal species. Before they learn how to communicate, they will get your attention the same way a pet will. They will cry, swing their arms, scream etc. While they may sometimes cry for a legit reason, more often then not, they are crying simply for attention and to test how you will react. If you come running everytime she cries, then she will remember that for the rest of her life leading her to be a very needy child. While it may be your first reaction to want to baby and spoil her, its not what is best for her. Just keep an eye on her and help her when she needs it, and ocasionally just to let her know your there, but dont let her be the one that tells you what to do.

Just like if you had a dog, you should not feed it when HE wants to eat. You should make him conform to your schedule, While a baby is not as simple, the general logic still applies.

Answer 10

Crying alone for a little baby like that is hard.  BUT it's REALLY important for you to do that when you can't take it anymore.  All of us mothers of fussy babies have done that:)  It's ok.  Just take some time and then go sweep her up and hug her!!

Answer 11

Sounds like she's teething.

Give your child something to chew on, such as a firm rubber teething ring or a cold washcloth. If your baby is old enough to eat solids, he may also get some relief from cold foods such as applesauce or yogurt. Giving him a hard, unsweetened teething cracker such as zwieback to gnaw on is another time-honored trick. (Avoid carrots, as they can be a choking hazard.) Simply rubbing a clean finger gently but firmly over your baby's sore gums can ease the pain temporarily, too.

If these methods aren't working, some doctors recommend giving a teething baby a small dose of children's pain reliever such as infants' acetaminophen — but check with your doctor before giving your baby any medication. (Never give your baby aspirin or even rub it on his gums to ease the pain. The use of aspirin in children is associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition.)

Rubbing the gums with topical pain relief gel is also an option, but you may want to ask your baby's doctor before trying it. If you use too much, it can numb the back of your baby's throat and weaken his gag reflex (which helps prevent him from choking on his saliva). The gels are generally safe to use, but in rare cases can cause an allergic reaction.

If drool causes a rash on your baby's face, wipe, but don't rub, the drool away with a soft cotton cloth. You can also smooth petroleum jelly on his chin before a nap or bedtime to protect the skin from further irritation.  

Answer 12

Please get a new doctor!  A doctor who recommends against slings becuase they get baby 'too attached' to mom is a doctor who  knows nothing. Babies are SUPPOSED TO BE attached to their mothers!

But, to answer your question, if you feel you can no longer meet baby's needs for holding and comfort, yes put her in her crib until you regain your equillibrium.  (Or have someone else care for her.) But please don't do it because you think she 'needs' to learn to self-soothe, or too much holding is bad for her.

EDIT: If you  like your doctor, that's great.  By all means stick with him.  But do learn to distinguish between MEDICAL advice ("Baby has diarrhea and needs the following medications") and life-style/parenting advice ("Baby should be sleeping through the night by X number of months.")  Life style advice is purely his opinion ... and such  opinions often have no medical backing.  If you think a sling might help, do try one, regardless of your doctor's personal opinions on the matter.

Answer 13

it's ok to put your child in a safe place to get your composure back . i think every mother has dont this at some point and time .

you did say she is drooling adn chewing alot . whether you see teeth or not those are signs of teething . mabye try some oragel just to see if she calms down any . good luck

Answer 14

look at it from your baby's PoV:

option one:  a mommy who is supposed to love me and care for me but now when i don't feel good, something's wrong with her:  she's talking too loudly, she sounds mean, she's holding me too tight.  she isn't my familiar comfortable mommy and now i'm scared on top of what was wrong to start.

option two:  a mommy who went away for a few minutes but now she's back and she's talking nicely to me and holding me softly.

the one thing nobody ever tells new parents (cause it would send you screaming off into the night) is that just like adults just feel like whining, sometimes babies just feel like crying.  the one thing she needs most of all is to know that you are still you and that you're not going to lose control and add fuel to the fire.

hold her, rock her, soothe her, sing to her, pat her back, rub her tummy (ONLY in a clockwise direction), take her outside for a stroll around the back yard (sometimes a change of scenery does the trick), but every hour or so, put her down (but for no more than five minutes) and take a break.

btw:  you so TOTALLY need a new doctor - yours has been smoking crack.  forcing your child to go to other ppl before she's ready will create an anxious, whiney child - the stereotypical sucky brat.  she needs reassurance at this stage and your husband isn't going to wither away and die if she doesn't bond with him RIGHT THIS SECOND.

Answer 15

Yes it is perfectly ok if you need a 5 minute break to compose yourself.  It doesn't help the baby if you are frustrated.  It doesn't hurt them to cry a little and it actually might cause her to fall asleep and take a little nap.  

Answer 16

Yes that's fine to put the baby down.

1. If she's crying but not screaming, go about and do what you need to (or until your heart can't take it anymore)

2. If she's screaming, try a pacifier or a rock until she gets into a deep sleep then put her back down and see if she sleeps at least for one sleep cycle (about 45mins - bonus any longer).

3. Try also just cuddling her saying sssh in her ear and then put her down. See point 1 depending if her cry continues.

It's OK anywhere between 10-15 minutes (infact it's even OK to do the cry it out to sleep if you have to - it's better than some other options - I had to do it three times when she was only a few weeks old as I hadn't slept in days and was constantly carrying her - I understand - those that say don't let them cry it out don't know how bad it can be to be sleep deprived to a state of hallucination).

Answer 17

yes, it's ok.  sometimes they just cry and sometimes you need a break.

Answer 18

Why don't you try giving her some baby oragel or infants tylenol to help her teething. It's not uncommon for babies her age to start teething. She seems to have the signs (fussiness, chewing) or maybe give her a cold teething ring.

Yes it is OKAY to put her down and let her cry a bit. It's not going to hurt her in any way.  

Answer 19

If your getting really frustrated and you need to regain your composure, then by all means, put her down for a few minutes!!

But I wouldn't put her down to "cry it out."  She's too young to soothe herself at this point....

My 5 month old has plagio too...  Do you best to reposition your baby often, but if you need to put her down, you need to put her down!!

She'll get through this phase!!

Do you have a sling or front carrier?  She may enjoy being carried close to you...

Good Luck~

EDIT ~  What does your doc recommend you do for her plagio then?  Since you aren't supposed to be holding her a lot...  You do know a sling and holding her in your arms are no different, right?  Except that you have another hand free to make lunch for your 2 yo, or read him a book...    It's not possible for a 3 month old to be TOO attached....

Answer 20

just hold her and rock back and forth. If she still doesn't stop after that, then i think it would he ok.

Answer 21

You did the right thing giving time out for the 2 of you.  We moms are not robots and can get frustrated too especially when we dont know whats wrong.  I would get her checked out by her doctor just incase she has a viral/ear infection as that would cause her some discomfort.

I hope shes ok

Answer 22

If you need a moment to regroup and take a breath then I think it's safer to have her in her crib, even if she's crying, then to allow yourself to become incredibly stressed out.

I had to take more than a few breaks when my twins were that age.  It's not easy.

That's crazy about your pediatrician... my pediatrician recommends slings and says that a little baby can never be too attached but hey, whatever.  If you're happy with your pediatrician then you're happy.  Certainly if you need a break, take a break.  It's safer than getting so stressed that you eventually snap!

Answer 23

If you need a couple minutes to regroup then that's fine. I'm not a fan of the "cry it out" method and wouldn't recommend using it, though. But I understand needing to walk away for a few minutes, I have to do it sometimes too.

Have you tried gas drops? She may just be really gassy.

Answer 24

me and my bf do that with our son all the time.......at first it was hard to let him cry, cuz i wanted to help, it was my instincts, but i fought through it, and now it gets easier........and i have laid him down before to calm both of us down.

and he also had a little bit of that problem with his head, but since hes more active its going away.and on his stomach more.