Need Sleep Help!

[BallerinaMommy]

DS is almost 7 months, and is both BF and FF. He has yet to sleep through the night, although he was doing much better at 4 months than he is now. He naps 2 or three times a day, and goes to bed between 6:30 and 7. Lately, he has been waking up around 10 or 11, in complete hysterics...nothing calms him down except for a feeding. I mean, the child is acting like he hasn't eaten in days, when actually it's often been less time than when he eats during the day! He usually then wakes at 1, and usually around 4 at which point i bring him to our room in the pack n play, where he drifts in and out of sleep til maybe 6 or 7. Please help....is this normal? How can I get him to sleep longer stretches? I'm not opposed to night feedings, but feel like at this age, he should be at least sleeping a little longer. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Uno-Mom]

Phew, poor you.

Me, I'm a book person. So I always suggest books that helped me because that's how I learn well. There are many, many books out there on this subject. And an equal number of STRONG opinions. Most of those opinions are represented on this board.

Personally, I found "Solve your Child's Sleep Problems" by Ferber to be my best resource. Even if you decide that his techniques aren't right for your family, most of the book is actually about sleep cycles and how they work for a baby...child...and adult. That information will REALLY help you, even if you go with another technique.

Another thing that will help is this board and any book you read will give you a view beyond your baby and your exhaustion. SO many people are going through this. It's normal. It'll get better. It will - no matter what sleep help technique you decide to try.

Do a search on this board - there are lots of other threads and several people have posted about their progress. I bet that will encourage you. Good luck!!!!!!

[Uno-Mom]

Oh, I forgot to add - if you do read the Ferber book, he has sections that describe your situation exactly.

[BallerinaMommy]

thanks...I will definitely check it out. I am DESPERATE at this point! Last night was the worst of all! Did I mention that to go down, he must also be rocked no matter whether it's for a nap or bedtime...otherwise his arms and legs are so active he has no idea how to settle down himself. Looks like i better get reading. If i don't fall asleep first! haha

[wendibird22]

Both my girls were decent sleepers until about 6mos when rapid brain development and new milestones and teething just messed with their sleep. Once both mastered rolling over, sitting, and crawling their sleep improved and then continued to improve once they mastered walking. I'd say from 6-12mos was rough and then it got much better. Of course my 15mo was up hourly the other night so even when it improves there are always bumps in the road.

So I think what you describe is very normal, exhausting indeed, but normal. Find what works best for you as a solution. For me it was bringing DD into bed to night nurse and then returning her to her crib once she was back to sleep. For some it's Feber, for some it's sending in DH instead, etc. There's no one size fits all.

[PGTB]

Both my girls were decent sleepers until about 6mos when rapid brain development and new milestones and teething just messed with their sleep. Once both mastered rolling over, sitting, and crawling their sleep improved and then continued to improve once they mastered walking. I'd say from 6-12mos was rough and then it got much better. Of course my 15mo was up hourly the other night so even when it improves there are always bumps in the road.

So I think what you describe is very normal, exhausting indeed, but normal. Find what works best for you as a solution. For me it was bringing DD into bed to night nurse and then returning her to her crib once she was back to sleep. For some it's Feber, for some it's sending in DH instead, etc. There's no one size fits all.

I have to agree with that. It's just a difficult period and hopefully will pass for you sooner rather than later. :hugs: DS was a terrible sleeper since he was 3 months old and it was worse to control it after 6 months. That's when he also got stamina to stay up for 2 hours in the middle of the night, which is a killer. We have tried several sleep books (Ferber, Weissbluth and the one that summarizes other gentler methods). Nothing really worked for us long term, I am sorry to report. Ferber method was what we tried first at around 5 months and it was effective, but temporarily until we had to travel or DS, then his routine got disrupted with grandma in the picture and it all went to waste. Then we tried nightweaning, also with success at first. DH would stay with DS and soothe him when he would wake up looking for me. I was away sleeping in the living room. Then DS gets a cold and of course I am back to nursing him at night - he needed it at that point. Then teething, then another cold, then travel… you get the picture. It was never a perfect moment to sleep train and things just start getting more difficult with stronger and more willful older babies. So, we decided to co-sleep and this is really the only thing that gives us any sanity - I usually don't even remember sometimes when DS wakes up as I am sleepy myself when nursing him laying down. Unless he is teething or moaning in pain, it's really not too disruptive to my sleep at all, so it's ok for now. Besides, DS is underweight and the doctor is going to diagnose failure to thrive if he is not going to gain certain weight by his first b-day :( So, any time I can nurse him helps - this is really a first priority now. One day, I am hoping we will be able to transition him into his own bed. So far, we are not too concerned about family bed, it's just difficult to travel to places where we do not have a king size bed.

Good luck!