Sleeping problems !

S

scr

Registered User
How do I handle this ? Been reading up on this subject and everyone seems to advocate the "let them cry it out" routine. It just doesn't work for me..I can't do that..tried twice and failed. The other option is learn to live with it....trying that but am so sleep deprived. Is there something else I can do ?

My son has come to depend on nursing to go to sleep. Rocking him helps but having to get up and nurse or rock too many times is just too much. He doesn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a stretch. But a few days ago he slept for 6 hours and I was amazed. He's teething right now and could that be the reason he's waking up so frequently ? I'm sleeping right beside him so he's definitely not waking up because he wants me by his side !

Any suggestions ? Thanks
 
Try the "Baby Whisperer" Method

Hello,
I think you should read the book called "The Baby Whisperer" (I think it is available here at the Geobaby.com), it is a great hit in the U.S.. It is written by a well known British mid wife (but she moved to the U.S. somehow). She suggested to put your baby in bed when he is still awake. You baby must learn how to fall asleep by himself. This skill is very important and can be trained at any age. She doesn't agree on the "cry it out" method. She suggests to put him in bed when he is awake, and if he stands up or protests, refusing to sleep in his own bed / cot, pick him up for a minute to calm him down and put him back down in his cot. Repeat until he falls asleep. She said she tried it on a stubborn toddler...the first nite she had to picked him up 140 times, the second nite 40 times, the third nite 7 times and the forth nite he went to sleep by himself. I tried this method on my daughter when she was 2 months old and it worked like wonders! I taught this method to my domestic helper to prevent "spoiling" my daughter by holding or rocking her to sleep. Now my daughter is an independent sleeper and I strongly recommand this book...it is just a life saver! Remember, be consistant and do not give up!
 
Scr,

I couldn't let D cry-it out either, so don't worry you're not alone. You didn't mention how old your baby is? If he is teething, not to worry this phase will just pass naturally.

If you are interested in reading up on sleeping, another highly rated book is by Elizabeth Pantley's and is called the The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

http://shop.geobaby.com/product_info.php?products_id=605
 
Another good book is ?Nighttime Parenting? by Dr. William Sears.

Nighttime Parenting is the book that will help you really help your baby to sleep better, not "train" her. It is for parents who are willing to have patience with their babies, and not try to force them into rigid patterns before they are ready. It was a book that really helped me when my eldest child was about a year old and constantly waking at night. I knew that I couldn't let my baby cry herself to sleep as so many other books and people recommend. When it comes down to really helping your baby takes time, and effort. It's not easy, but did we really choose to become parents because we thought it would be easy? After using the suggestions in this book, my baby did start to sleep for longer stretches than she was and not at the expense of her trust and our relationship.

Dr. Sears also has a great web site, http://www.askdrsears.com/, with a special section just about sleep problems, http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp

The titles in this section are:
8 Infant Sleep Facts Every Parent Should Know
31 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep and Stay Asleep
Bedwetting
Hidden Medical Causes of Nightwaking
Sleep Trainers: Buyer Beware!
Night Weaning: 12 Alternatives for the All-Night Nurser
Night Terrors
5 Reasons Why High-Need Infants Sleep Differently
Sleep Safety
SIDS: The Latest Research on How Sleeping With Your Baby is Safe.
Co-Sleeping: Yes, No, Sometimes?
Frequently Asked Questions About Sleep Problems
"Questions of the Day" about sleep

Hope this helps,
Barb
 
Thanks everyone. My son is cutting 6 teeth all together and that is definitely the root of all the sleeping problems. I think I will wait until they are out before I go and buy all the books recommended. For now askdr.sears.com is helping.

Rani, my son is 17 months old now.

Thanks again
 
Sleepless

Hi scr,

Don't worry, you are not alone there. My little girl is just the same as your boy. She wakes up a few times a night and needs to fed til she falls asleep. I don't want to try 'controled crying' as I just can't let a little baby cry for so long. She's already 17 months old and still doesn't sleep through the night. I guess we just have to wait til they are older and I am sure things will get much better.
 
Sleepless mama

How are you scr? Did you get any sleep last night? My girl got up like every 2 hours! Is your boy active like my girl? She can spend hours and hours running around in the playgroup and still doesn't need much sleep, super baby eh!!
 
I?ve found that making sure my little one has the chance of a long afternoon nap actually helps her sleep better at night. This seems wrong to me but if she is awake and active all day she wakes a lot at night. Whereas if she has an activity in the morning and the chance to sleep during the afternoon she sleeps much better during the night. And also seems to go to bed at the same time!

It doesn?t matter what time she takes the nap. Sometimes it is as early as 1:00 pm and other times as late as 5:00 pm the important thing is that she has it.

I think it is because when she gets over stimulated and misses her afternoon nap she gets overtired. This means that during the night her mind is still active instead of ready for sleep ? with the result that there is more waking through the night.

Barb
 
Thanks for asking hkmummy...friday night was horrible...he woke up every hour till 4 in the morning. Hope he sleeps well tonight.

Thanks for the input Barb. My son sleeps in the afternoon without any trouble and wakes up after an hour and half happy and refreshed. It's night time that's causing all the problems. Hope it's because he's teething as there doesn't seem to be anything else wrong. I wonder if he's overtired by his bedtime though !

Cheers everyone, feels good to share it with you all.
 
Hi scr.

In general, I would agree that a nap in the afternoon makes a world of difference. When she is overtired by bedtime, she has a lot of trouble falling asleep, and tends to wake up. Maybe nightfrights?

We didn't let her cry it out, but I did start putting her in bed and just sitting in her room. I wouldn't pick her up, but she would see me there, stand up and try to play, and then get tired and lay back down. She learned that it was bedtime, but that I was still there so she wasn't afraid or lonely.

You're probably right about the teething. During this time, there's not much you can do. You may want to try some lavender bath to calm him down. They really helped when our baby was teething. There are lots of brands you can try, but the best by far that I have tried is Ickle Baby Baff by Lush.

Good luck
 
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