Several people who have heard me preach about the "cry it out" ( CIO) method of sleep training have emailed me to share that they have one glitch: their tots cry so hard they vomit. Not so nice eh?
Remember that the sphincter muscles at the top of the stomach are weak initially and only grow strong in tone with age. It is very easy for a good wail to cause the stomach to contract sufficiently to push its contents passed the sphincter muscle and that means "vomit", but its really a glorified large volume spit up. Its not like when we feel green, dizzy and spinning from the flu or food poisoning or too many drinks during "frosh week".
The stomach contents are acidic and it can cause tissue burning if it happens a lot so please consult your physician. However, for the majority, these crying up-chucks do not pose a medical concern.
My advice for what to do when your child vomits from crying during the CIO ( cry it out ) training is this:
I suggest you deal with the vomit in the most minimal way you feel comfortable with. If there is not much spit up and it has not landed on their sleeper and if only in a small portion of the crib sheet is wet - leave it be for the morning.
If the sleepers are soaked or the bed sheets are wet everywhere , then swiftly make the smallest and fastest motion to get the sleepers and bedding in acceptable order for continuing sleep.
Do NOT turn this time into social time with lots of cooing and chatting. We are trying to show them that evening is NOT when people are social. We do that in the day! So don't turn on lights and burst into conversation and start singing songs.
Don't been cold and distant either, as that will feel harsh and rejecting. Just go about your job in a neutral way and then leave the room without a big elaborate second tuck in. A quick kiss and outcha go!
If you have comments on or a favorite puke story ( and I know that you do!!!) - please use the comment area to share your story with others.
You leave your baby alone in their room to cry so hard they VOMIT, and then force them to cry MORE? Then, I'm assuming, when they're crying because they're hungry (since they vomited up their bedtime meal) you probably STILL ignore them, right?
How disgusting.
Of COURSE you don't "turn on lights and sing songs" in the middle of the night. But you don't have to force your child to cry until they vomit, and then leave them to cry some more to teach them this.
And then... "if it's just some on THEM or a little bit on the sheets, leave it there." Bye-bye crying, sad, ignored, vomit-covered and hungry baby! See you in the morning!
How sad.
Posted by: Christine Haskell | June 21, 2008 at 05:49 PM