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My daughter just turned 6 months (today) and only recently, within the last month, has she begin to sleep through the night (5 nights straight now). I found that establishing the bedtime routine definitely helps; warm bath, warm bottle, & bedtime books/activity.
I found a few things work; keep in mind each day's different -his/her naps will not always be at the exact time everyday so, this could affect when he goes to asleep. So, perhaps keeping a journal/log of his daily feeding/activities could help -at least until he begins sleeping through the night. If his late nap is late than he may go down a bit later. It helps to definitely feed your baby a full bottle early before bedtime -so he's less likely to be hungry in the evening. I also found that if you're baby doesn't' appear tired than a bit of activity (tummy time, baby massage, etc.) before bedtime helps tire him/her a bit more. I am still breastfeeding and it was tiring to get up and nurse her back to sleep, but I only did that on the nights that I know she didn't finish her bottle before bedtime. Eventually though, I also did leave her be and waited to see if she fell back asleep on her own. When I say leave her be, she was not left to cry -I'm not one to let her cry it out. Because I always found that the baby always cry for a reason, she was cold (BTW-don't under dress your baby), or she was still really hungry or she just had a bad dream or something. Eventually, though I found that she simply woke up and played awhile by her self and then she eventually did fall back to sleep on her own. We do have one of those musical night lights that hangs over the crib; it automatically turns on when the baby cries/stirs. This really works. A couple of times, our daughter would be awake for at least 15 minutes (that's a long time to do nothing) and she did fall asleep without a feeding. Be patient ---I say though work on the bedtime routine and don't attend to him at the drop of a hat (wait to see what happens), have a watch/clock and literally wait a few minutes if he's not crying. Good luck! (Even though our baby sleeps through the night, I still can't help but check on her when I'm up in the a.m. to pump.) |
| posted by Loan on 10/18/2008 10:01 PM
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My son's doctor said the same thing. It has been incredibly hard for me to do. Additionally, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" allows for two night time feedings up to 12 months. I'm sticking with the book and allowing two night time feedings. However, it's important to not rush everytime they make a peep, sometimes they're just getting more comfortable and go right back to sleep.
I'm not sure if you son has teeth yet - but in my case, that adds an another complication! |
| posted by Dessa on 10/18/2008 10:02 PM
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Ok, I'm on baby #2 who is 6 1/2 mos and I've never heard anything of that sort!
First, sleep through the night to some is 5 to 6 hrs. My daughter will wake up once if I feed her enough solids and keep her naps short during the day, but I was advised that I know if I over feed the baby cause they will spit a lot up. When my son was young and now with my daughter I have not had to have them cry it out. Theyre babies, they know when their hungry. I don't agree with your doctor on that one, that sounds crazy to me to ignore a babies wants and needs. You have plenty of time down the road to ignore tantrums!!! Save it up for that! ;) Trained feeding?!? That's ridiculous! From my experience if you go with your babies' natural needs you'll have a calm tamed baby/toddler down the road. Good luck!
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| posted by Candice on 10/18/2008 10:30 PM
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| at my sons 6mo appt his dr told me to do the same thing BUT he was only having 1 bottle in the middle of the night and I was already trying to break him of that. I first started just getting up with him when he woke up and not giving him a bottle and after that I just started to let him cry it out and by 6 1/2 months he was sleeping all night long. |
| posted by Amers on 10/18/2008 11:02 PM
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| I think I agree with the doc. I have a 4.5 month old who was feeding twice a night but then she wouldn't eat enough during the day so it became an endless vcious cycle. I reduced her second feeding to just one ounce and she is still waking up for it (after 3wks) and goes right back to sleep. I am on the verge of letting her cry it out for that second feeding. Babies are creatures of habit and they will get addicted to a certain pattern of waking. It is so stressful for moms to go w/o solid sleep for so long.Your baby knows you love him and he needs your guidance. I think a lot of this "if you don't meet every need' i.e breastfeed, co-sleep, wear baby around in a sling all day or else they will turn out problem children is a bunch of nonsense and way too demanding on moms. I tried to live up to all of this in the beginning and I was miserable, not good for baby either. |
| posted by Suzanne on 10/19/2008 11:28 AM
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| This is a question for "Loan", where did you get the musical night light that goes on when baby cries? That sounds like a great thing to have. Thanks |
| posted by Suzanne on 10/19/2008 11:39 AM
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| Thanks everyone for your replies. Wow, being parents is such a wonderful experience, and I appreciate the various replies to my situation. I will have to keep you posted and Little Nolan's progress. |
| posted by RobinB on 10/19/2008 12:02 PM
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Suzanne, I bought 'The First Years Gentle Vibrations 3-in-1 Crib Soother' at babiesrus and you can set it to either vibrate and or play music or sound when it hears the baby cry and it worked for us for a little while....BUT it uses batteries like crazy.
And mothers need to remember that the baby goes off his/her mothers vibes so if mommy is stressed out cause she doesn't get any sleep then baby will be also. |
| posted by Amers on 10/19/2008 05:00 PM
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| I don't have a particular opinion on this subject, but I do want to pass on some info I read on the internet not too long ago (unfortunately I cannot remember where I read it, so no siting this time). A nurse practictioner was commenting on how a lot of doctors tell their patients to let their babies to just sleep through the night. Her rebuttle was that this is almost the exact time that babies become more mobile and active and are growing, so they may honestly be more hungry. Just something to think about. |
| posted by Allison on 10/19/2008 05:33 PM
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Well I would have never let my little man cry for longer than 30 or 45 minutes, if he kept on or if it was a heart crushing cry then yea I would go in there and give him a bottle but most of the time he'd cry for about 10 or 15 mintues and then give up and go back to sleep. Or lay there and talk or play with a toy I put in there.
We've been having him put himself to sleep since then also, because around then he stopped going to sleep with a bottle so we just used that cue to have him learn how to fall a sleep without it on his own. |
| posted by Amers on 10/19/2008 05:43 PM
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I never did that. I would get up with our daughter but she only woke up a couple of times. After a while I would just go tuck her back in and she would go right back to sleep. I think the biggest thing in our house was that we moved both times she would start to sleep through the night. She just stoped waking up one night and I was surprised that I got to sleep with out interuption. I wouldn't change a thing with the next one.
Good luck. |
| posted by Anne on 10/20/2008 03:56 PM
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Suzanne, the light for over the crib was a hand-me-down from my sister. It is very similar to the Fisher-Price Rainforest Waterfall Peek-a-Boo Soother.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2455073
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| posted by Loan on 10/20/2008 04:24 PM
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| Just in case you wanted some more advice, but there looks like there is a lot here. Ilike the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby." I have used it since our son was 8 weeks (6 weeks from due date) and he is a great sleeper most of the time. Although he is a very regular napper and bedtime baby it was not until his last checkup (9 months) that my doctor suggested a bottle of water at his first waking to teach him to sleep through the night. At about 6 months he was waking every 2-3 hours and we tried letting him cry for 10 mintues before going in. Sometimes he would go back to sleep other times we was just hungry. Slowly he got closer to sleeping 4-5 hours. However it was not until after his 9 mo checkup that he technically slept through the night (6-8 hours) and was not until this past week that he went through the night without a feeding (although he woke once to be rocked back to sleep since he is teething right now,) So i agree with a previous poster to take the advice as it comes but you know your baby and you know when you are breaking the rules and when you beaby really needs you. Go with your gut and I think as long as you and your baby are happy and growing - Mother knows best! |
| posted by Nichole on 10/22/2008 10:06 PM
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