HELP...I Need Sleep!! - Clinton Township,MI

Updated on August 17, 2010
A.H. asks from Clinton Township, MI
12 answers

My 7.5 month old baby boy is such a good boy, so happy and easy going...

except at night, when he transforms into a wild cihld!

If I'm lucky he will sleep for 2 hours during the day, whether it be all at once, or an hour morning nap around 10 am and an hour afternoon nap at 2 pm. He is ready to go to bed around 8 pm. Each night he usually wakes up AT LEAST twice, around 1 am and 4 am, and typically at 4 am he is ready to start his day. (I'm definitely not!) I've tried letting him cry it out but he can now stand up in his crib and his legs get stuck in the rails. I'd feel awful if I let him cry it out for two hours and it turns out his poor little leg was stuck!

After a difficult pregnancy (I didn't sleep very well when I was pregnant for the whole 9 months), it's been a LONG time since I've gotten a good night's sleep. My two daughters were sleeping through the night at 6 and 7 weeks. I'm running out of steam, ladies! Please share any hints or even some good books that you've read about this topic. I'm desperate!

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G.G.

answers from Lewiston on

A bath with lavender wash and lotion!! I use it every night after my lil ones bath and he sleeps all night!! I have told a couple ppl to use it also and ever sense they used it they noticed they sleep longer!! Good Luck!!

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

It's hard to say...he could be going through a grow, he could just want his mom for whatever reason, could there be a noise that might wake him? One thing to try would be one of those white noise makers. Put him to bed with it on and leave it on all night.
I have never been a fan of the "cry it out club". You never know when your little one could be in trouble and you think he is just crying to cry. When mine were little, I just brought them in bed with me. A bit old fashioned, yes...but I got my sleep and so did the rest of the family....and I knew they were safe with me.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.V.

answers from Detroit on

Wow, you do need some sleep mama! I don't know if anyone has recommended this yet or not, but I swear by the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. It's objective, practical advice and talks about what to expect at each stage of childhood and strategies for dealing with specific problems. I'm a testimony that his advice works as my 1-year-old sleeps 12 hours a night and has since she was 6 months old (from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.) plus she has a morning and early afternoon nap. My 2-year-old sleeps 10-11 hours a night and a 2-3 nap in the afternoon.

I highly advise you to check out the book at the store or library. Each chapter has an outline for parents that don't have time to read the whole chapter and also specific Q&A sections for problem solving.

I think you're going to find that you need to put your baby down earlier than 8 p.m. Or, at least try it out and see what happens. Dr. Weissbluth usually suggests moving it 15 minutes earlier every few days, giving it a couple of days to see what happens, and then moving it earlier again until you get to a point where night wakings aren't occuring anymore.

Anyway, take a look at the book and good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Raleigh on

I would say start an earlier bedtime. It sounds like he is just overtired. I would try doing a bedtime of around 7 pm and see if things improve in a few days.
I liked the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. Hope this helps!

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S.H.

answers from Detroit on

Okay, this is going to sounds crazy, but it worked for us (our daughter was older, more preschool age, so keep that in mind). If he is waking around the same time every night, wake him up a half hour before--not all the way awake necessarily, just awake enough to interrupt the sleep pattern that has formed. After a few days, stop waking him earlier, and hopefully he will sleep right through his old wake-up times. My daughter would wake up at 5:30-6, so I would wake her up to use the potty at 5. She'd then sleep until 7 or 7:30 instead of wanting to get up for the day at 5:30. Good luck! Hope you get some sleep!

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

Try earlier bedtime, Dr. Sears Baby Sleep Book, The Baby Whisperer and the No-Cry Sleep Solution. I didn't use any one method but plucked really good tips, tricks and learned a lot about infant sleep from each of them. You have to understand infant sleep to help teach babies to sleep but even then some just aren't good sleepers that first year or so. My son was a champ. he learned fairly quickly how to sleep but my daughter didn't sleep consistently thru the night till she was over a year old.

You don't say but do you try giving him a feeding at 4 am while keeping everything quiet and see if that will get him back to sleep?

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A.G.

answers from Detroit on

I was worried about my daughter getting stuck in the crib slats too, then my sister suggested having her sleep in the pack n play -- no slats to get stuck in, so I could let her cry and know that she was okay. It'll only take a couple of nights (mornings) and the payoff will be sleep!!! Good luck! :)

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A.C.

answers from Detroit on

It sounds like he may just be overtired. I would try an earlier bedtime like 6:30. Also when he gets up at 4am try giving him a bottle and then putting him back to bed.

Good luck!

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G.B.

answers from Detroit on

There's a reason he wakes up and he can't explain it so you'll have to meet his needs when he does this. If it were me, I'd keep him up later at night to see if that helps. It may not but is worth a try. Babies aren't good with schedules. It's not kind to let him cry it out as you've learned. Every baby is different. Your son sounds wonderful! Some day he'll sleep better at night. Just wait till he's 15 and you're begging him to get up for school!

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M.B.

answers from Saginaw on

I was also thinking earlier bedtime. Also, I think it is pretty normal for an infant to wake a couple of times through the night so it may be a while before your little one sleeps through the night. You must have gotten lucky with your girls, because it is not the norm for a 6 week old baby to sleep through the night. Is there anyone who can get up with him instead of you so you can get a break? Maybe your mother can come over for the night so you can get a good night sleep?

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D.T.

answers from Modesto on

hello, i have twins so night time could be a challenge. what i do is i leave a nightlight on in the bedroom. i keep bottled water and those playtex drop in bottles with the liners in and premeasured powder formula in the bottle, so it is ready at all times. so when your baby awakens don't turn on the room light go by the night light leave the room as calm as possible and make him a bottle. this usually works for me, they usually go right to sleep after. if not try one of those v tech toys that has a little picture projector and soothing music this helps also. good luck. if all else fails there is always coffee and powdered expresso.

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M.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

The cry it out method is not about letting them scream for hours. You check on them periodically, and reassure them that you hear them, but they're ok. I'd definitely recommend researching crying it out, and then implement. He's old enough to sleep through the night and needs to learn to do that. Some kids will wake multiple times in the night for years because parents are afraid to let them cry at all. This is not helpful to anyone.

Best wishes!

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