Sleeping Through the Night

skylily

First and foremost I apologize if this is yet ANOTHER thread on this topic. I feel my situation is different and I would like some serious HELP.

DS is 8 months old. Two weeks ago we thought we hit the jackpot. He started STTN till 5 (pretty good in my book). Then last week he went right back to his routine of being up 2-3 times/night. As last week progressed, DS got worse. Now we are starting a new week and last night was the absolute WORST. Up every hour. Last night was the 3rd night in a row that I had to bring him to bed with me just so I could get SOME sleep. I was still up a lot as I sleep lightly and feel his every movement. I swear - I'm dying. I'm pregnant with #2 and AT MY WITS END because I feel so screwed with DS and now another one on the way. DH thinks we have months before the little one gets here so we have time to fix this.  He gets up just as much as I do with DS. But I"m exhausted and I think maybe its because I'm pregnant and tired a lot as it is

We have no idea what we did two weeks ago to get him to STTN. We have tried the Cry-It-Out method but it was brutal on me (and DS). Lasted 1 night. There was a website I found from the bump that spoke of putting him down drowsy, shush patting him etc. We tried that and maybe that's how it was working 2 weeks ago but its not working anymore.

Here's why my situation is so unique and TERRIBLE. My parents live with me due to some financial issues they came across. Dad just went back to work after a winter's layoff. He sleeps from approx. 8pm-2/3am. He is a truck driver and needs his rest. 8pm is when we are trying to get DS down for the night. We CANNOT do the cry it out method because then my dad would not get any sleep. You know the story - no sleep for him means he's drowsy behind the wheel = potential to wreck and kill himself or someone else. DS does cry but we try to keep it to a minimum. We THINK DS is learning that after 5 minutes of crying we will pick him up so he doesn't wake grandpa. Can an 8 month old learn that if he just cries longer we'll give in?

Aside from the Cry It Out method can anyone give me solid help that will get DS to STTN or at least go back to 2 or 3 wake ups????
What's driving me a little batty too is that there are 2 "people" we ask for help from. My parents - whose only suggestion is putting things in the crib with him which I absolutely do not want to do. First it was blankets and now they suggest toys to play with. Nothing is supposed to be in that crib.
The other "people" we talk to is DH's side of the family and they all swear by the CIO method. When we say we can't do that they shrug their shoulders and say well you'll never get him to STTN then. (Visualize me pulling me hair out at this point).

My parents swear they never did the CIO method with my brother and I. We just did it. Well that doesn't help either. MIL said DH STTN with no fuss but he was "a really laid back baby" and that doens't help either. Can anyone help ???

skylily

It is possible LO is growing through a growth spurt. I honestly have no clue. One night we tried feeding him. He refused the bottle. Next we tried teething tablets. He likes us putting new things in his mouth but that didn't seem to help him sleep, so I ruled out teething. I left it at he's being a brat to mommy.

Last night - after complaining and begging for help - we tried to start a routine. Just start. I know its not a routine yet but it will be. DS got his PJ's on, I put mine on. Daddy and I took DS to the bathroom and while I bushed my teeth DH "tried" to get DS to play with his toothbrush. That didn't work but when DH switched and brushed his teeth, I played with DS and his toothbrush and was able to "brush" his two teeth. Then we said goodnight to everyone in the house including the dogs. Went to the bedroom with the TV off and read 2 books. Then he took his bottle and went out like a light.  - - - I KNOW it's not routine but that little booger slept till 1, ate his bottle, was out 5 minutes later then slept till 5:30! I have NO CLUE what's going on.

mrsnorthernbell

My dd is turning 3 this month and has only slept through the night a handful of times. She is a much worse sleeper than ds who is 7 months old.
The only advice I have is to find a routine and be extremely consistent. I am with ds and he has adjusted well to normal naps and a 7;00 bedtime.
I'm not a fan of CIO and will never choose to do it but I have found that it is ok to let lo fuss for a bit before you go pick him up.

bino63

What is happening is he is a baby and he is crying because he needs you. Follow your instincts and trust them. Parent how you want to parent. Some people are fine with CIO methods and that is great. If you are not then go your own route. 

My first one was up every hour for a three week period around this age. She was getting teeth and getting used to new foods. Then she slept again. Then she was up every hour at one year old. I am not comfortable with CIO methods so I didn't do them. It was hard but slowly over her second year of life she got better and better. Also as she got older I could talk to her or go in a sing to her and lay next to the bed and pass out.

I learned to stop wondering why she was waking up and I just went with it. Now with my second he is very different. he sleeps a little better. Good luck!

cynthia2007

Teething could be an issue. We just went through the same thing. LO was STTN and then all of a sudden was waking up almost every hour. 4 days later, we can see the tooth now. Baby oragel helped.

A routine is definitely needed. We do playtime, read a book, bath, pjs, bottle and then LO falls asleep in my arms. I've been trying to get her to her crib right as she starts to fall asleep so she associates going to bed in her crib so she doesn't wake up crying not realizing where she is. This has helped to. Also, when she does wake up, I wait a few minutes before going in and when i do go in, I rub her belly first and try not to pick her up. She'll usually go back to sleep. I used to immediately pick her up and bring her to our bed but then she got used to doing that and I didn't want to make that a normal for us of her sleeping in our bed. Whatever you decide for your routine is good, just stick to it. Good luck

skylily

Thanks everyone. We went through a solid week of our new routine and his nights have been better. We have run into a pattern that his bedtime is 8 and he is wide away between 430 and 5. Last night we allowed him to take a later nap from 530-630 so we stayed up until 9 and then he slept till 6. Not straight through, though. He wakes every other hour or so for about 5 minutes and he's back down.

Now my only problem is that I'm not sleeping when he's sleeping and of course right when I do fall asleep he wakes up. DH has been a trooper and has been taking him so much more lately for those 5 minute feedings. God I hope its this pregnancy that's making this so difficult.