Sleep Training HELP

[BZ94]

If you are anti-sleep training, a cosleeper, or think CIO is cruel, please don't respond!!!

I've never had kids that magically just started sleeping thru the night on their own at two, three, or four months. With DS1 and DS2, at six months (per the pediatrician's approval), I let them cry it out (CIO) one or two nights in the middle of the night and then BOOM, they were doing 12 hour stretches 7 pm - 7 am consistently ever after (unless they were sick or teething, of course). At least that's how I remember it.

So, now with DS3, we got to the 6 month mark, he's eating a lot during the day, and the pediatrician said there's no need for him to eat at night. He was also getting up several times a night to "play" -- look around, smile at me, try to crawl, etc. So, DH and I let him cry one or two nights in a row, and it seemed like it worked -- most nights he sleeps 11-12 hours. If he wakes up at 5 am, I'll feed him and put him back down because it seems like he's gone long enough, if he's up at 6 am I let him stay up even if it's earlier than I'd like. I thought we were getting somewhere.

But the last three nights have not been good -- he's been up multiple times screaming, we will go in and hold him and rock him and then put him back down and he usually starts crying again and we either have to let him cry, or last night after this had gone on from 3:30-4:30 (Both DH and I had been in rocking him) I broke down and fed him and then he went back to sleep. I tried giving him a little tylenol in case it's teething, but that didn't seem to help.

My only thoughts are that he's overtired -- he's not a good napper and yesterday his afternoon nap was a measly 20 minutes from 2-2:30 -- or a growth spurt?

Please give me some advice to get him to sttn!?! I don't want to be cruel, but I really think he's capable or it and for the sanity of the rest of the family we NEED him to sleep!

[nuthinbutpink]

I'm so sorry. My pediatrician also said 2 nights of trying but he also allowed a little benadryl to help DS out. I think he was a year old though and not 6 months.

I do think routine is key for a child that doesn't do well at night. I know that my kids went through a phase where they did sleep through the night and then all of the sudden did not. It may be a growth spurt and the fact that he ate and went right back down may simply mean that he really is hungry.

Do you do the same routine at night- bath, bed, whatever? I think the bad day can affect the night and if that happens you probably should feed him at night unless you want to be up listening to him cry. I think 6 months is just at the point where you can start to pray/hope/expect that a baby will sleep through the night so he just may need some extra time.

Routine, routine! Good luck. It's so hard but he will get there and you WILL sleep again!!

[o18e]

I don't know your situation exactly but I have never heard of a doctor not wanting a child to eat in the night especially at only 6 months old. I know that I have big boys and they have always been in the 90 percentile for everything and they needed to eat in the night. One was 10 months and other was 13 months before they slept through the night consistently.
And a half hour cat nap is all he is getting I bet he is exhausted. Sticking to the schedule was a huge thing with us especially the DS1. He would cry and sob because he was too tired to go to sleep and stay asleep. We finally had to let him cry it out. I ended up having to dream feed them and that would usually gain me an hour or two of extra sleep. And when they hit those growth spurts that is so tough. You sound frustrated and tired yourself. I remember thinking I was going to be tired for the rest of my life. As hard as it is right now it will get better I promise. I hope it gets better and you both get some sleep.

[MindyGunton]

My sister-in-law is having the same experience now, will suggest her these tips.Much oblige for information.

[Mumof3girls]

I think 6 months is too young to stop night feeds. I let my kids cry it out too but I didn't stop the night feeds until around 10 to 12 months. The day nap is a problem & my first was the same & I could never re settle her during the day.