Babies: 3 - 6 Months

Melatonin for babies?

Has anyone here tried it to help their LO get to sleep? DH and I are desperate and DD is becoming over tired and cranky during the day because she's not able to get to sleep at night. We do the 5 S's, and have tried holding her, patting her, noise, no noise, pretty much everything we can think of and she fights going to sleep so hard at night. During the day however she'll normally nap with out a problem, but as soon as she sees the bed (or gets layed down on it if she's already fallen asleep) she immediately wakes her self up... we've had no sleep for the last few days and all three of us are cranky because of it. TIA.

Re: Melatonin for babies?

  • I really don't think I'd recommend this for babies.  It might change how much melatonin the brain produces.  I know it can do that for adults that take it too often, so there's no telling how it will affect a growing brain. But, that's just my unprofessional opinion.  Have you looked into trying some of the NCSS methods?
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  • Have you tried co-sleeping?
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  • please don't.  melatonin is only supposed to be used in adults for jet lag or adjusting to shift changes.  its not meant to be used long term.  its so easy to become dependant on sleep aids, why would you want to do that to your child at such a young age??  I know it seems like a good option because it's "natural" but please remember that natural does not necessarily equal safe or good.  She needs to develop her own melatonin cycle to regulate her sleep, giving her extra melatonin will just mess with that.  My husband and I are both pharmacists and we see 3-4 year olds dependent on melatonin because their parents were so desperate to get some sleep (for themselves and their child).

    All I can say is keep trying, your baby will eventually sleep, and it's only for now.  This problem will not last forever. 

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  • I would talk to your pediatrician, I wouldn't use melatonin.
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  • i tried melatonin a few years back and had HORRIBLE nightmares, like ones where i woke up in cold sweats and actually felt pain in the dreams.  i didn't put two and two together until i read an article where it says this happens to something like 10 or 20% of the people who take it.  don't take the chance of this happening to your child.
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  • Melatonin is a big no-no for babies & young children (I work in the alternative health industry).
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  • I was friends with a girl in high school who had a younger sister (who was 5 or 6 at the time) Her parents gave her melatonin to sleep when she was a baby, and it became a cycle. If she didn't have the tablets, she wouldn't sleep, for days, and was completely out of control, so they kept giving it to her. I wouldn't.
  • Have you tried a frying pan? It's probably a lot safer for her than the melatonin.

    In all seriousness, no. Don't do the melatonin. I've been there. Sleep deprivation is awful. Call your pedi and talk to them. They may have some suggestions. Good luck!!

  • Have you ever tried taking Melatonin yourself?  I have, and its crazy.  You get so dopey.  I wouldn't reccomend giving it to your LO.  Definitely talk to your doctor before trying something like this....

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  • have you tried a woombie? google it. it saved our lives.

     

  • First off thank you everyone for the feedback! and just so everyone knows, I wasn't for sure going to try the melatonin, it's just something that was mentioned to me and like I said DH and I are desperate. We both work more than full time and my job requires me mentally aware able to focus- which I can't do if I only get 2 hours of sleep a night.

    imageAnanke:
    ....  Have you looked into trying some of the NCSS methods?
    -We are  working our way through NCSS, so far just lots of crying :/

    imagekmeek19:
    Have you tried co-sleeping?

    - Yes that's what we are doing now and nothing seems calm her down enough to go to sleep, even if I hold her all night it doesn't seem to make any difference. She fights and fights to stay awake.

    imageMegMD:
    have you tried a woombie? google it. it saved our lives.
     
    -Yes, we've tried the woombie & swaddle me but they stopped working at about 2 months.
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