Sleep, sleep, the elusive sleep

[C99]

won't sleep. Gahhhhh!

Tell me it gets better!

[Karenn]

It WILL get better! I know what you mean about those goofy scenarios in the books though. Colin never behaved like the books said he should as far as sleep is concerned! Hang in there. I wish I had advice, but what works for one baby never seems to work for another.

[Jeanmick]

Oh boy...do I feel your pain. I have the same EXACT type of baby boy! He's four months old. Prefers to fall asleep at the breast (sleeps at night for up to three hours, then hit and miss the rest of the night/early morning); daytime sleep also hit and miss...can be anywhere from 5 minutes to one hour (once in a blue moon). He can also "marathon" scream w/ the best of them and like your baby, still won't sleep. I haven't had a good 3-4 hour stretch of sleep in I don't know how long! He wants to be carried ALL the time, or wants me to be within his sight or he'll cry. I can't accomodate him all the time because I've got a fiesty, active 2 1/2 year old daughter to take care of at the same time (my saving grace is that she's a GREAT night sleeper). We're in the middle of potty training w/ her AND she has chosen this period of time to really test her independence! I'm mentally and physically tired. Those of you out there w/ two or more kids: How do you do it?

[22tango]

At 5 months, Karenna was quite a bit like that...with teething and new skills like rolling helping to disturb her sleep. We tried various things, but she didn't really settle into better sleep until about 7-8 months. By 9 months she was waking only once per night, but her bedtime kept getting pushed back, she was waking earlier and earlier and her naps were getting really short. So that's when we implemented Weissbluth. And like someone stereotypically writing to Playboy, "I never though the stories I read about a baby crying for 10 minutes and then sleeping the rest of the night thru were true..." That's really what happened! Over the past 8 days, she has slept thru the night entire the last 5, and averages 10-11 hours uninterrupted sleep.

I'm not sure what to tell you, except your baby may be too young and/or busy dealing with those developmental issues like rolling over/crawling/teething to sleep better right now. According to Weissbluth, he may still need to wake 1-2 times per night until 9 months (In our case, at 5 months, Karenna would sleep 3-4 hours and then wake every 1-2 after that thru the night....and she would CRY for a long time had we tried CIO back then!) Give it time, and keep trying...it'll happen!

[ginalc]

MY 2nd DD has always given us trouble sleeping. I often times repeat,

"Oh Megan, you are such a sweetheart, Mommy Loves you SOOOOOOOO MUCH!"

and my oldest DD asks "Why do you always say that, Mom? She screams all the time!"

My response? "Just to remind myself dear, just gotta keep reminding myself! :)

gina, mom to 3

[Melanie]

LOL!!

[Mayan]

It will get better.
My son was similar - not a great sleeper.
He would not go to sleep unless rocked. During the day he'd take about 5-6 30 minute naps, and I MEAN 30 minutes (on the clock!!!).
It would take 10 minutes of rocking, then when he is asleep, we waited another 10 so he wouldn't wake up when we put him to bed, then he'd wake up 10 minutes later.
It was hard to get anything done.
Then at 5.5 months, he suddenly became more easy about sleeping at night and we were able to put him in bed alone with no rocking (in fact, these days he wont fall asleep in our arms and only wants the bed). He also started taking 1.5-2 hours naps twice a day.
On the other hand, he is waking during the night again at 2 AM (before he would sleep until at least 5AM).
So, what's my point?
Nothing is constant with a baby!!! Nothing lasts forever...
Everythings changes (both the good and the bad...:) )
Hang in there.
When they are teenagers they do not want to get out of bed in the morning!!!
Mayan
mom to Adi (12/04/02)

[mamahill]

Hang in there - it DOES get better. Just keep with your plan and he'll adjust. We didn't do any one plan (we entitled ours "Everyone Deserves Sleep"), but consistency is key. Early on, if she cried more than half an hour (with me going in every 2-5 minutes) I would pick her up and rock her. Over time she didn't cry as much. And those bedtimes were when I folded laundry (have to do SOMETHING to distract myself!) - my laundry was never so promptly put away!

Best wishes - it DOES get better!!!!