If your LO doesn't STTN....

kristin2t

what do you do during the night? We get about 4 hours out of LO when he first goes down, and then about 1.5 more hours after he nurses, and then he's pretty much up the rest of the night with little cat naps here and there.

 We're not sleep training yet (obviously) and have no intentions of CIO now, or later, so one of us is with him essentially from 1am until we get up for the day at 6ish. 

I'm quickly running out of steam, and don't really know what to do for those 6 hours or so we're just trying unsuccessfully to get him back to sleep (he's never too upset, just wants to be held usually, he doesn't have reflux or anything, sleeps swaddled, has a white noise machine, dark room, etc...) should we get up and play with him (even though we certainly don't want that to be a habit) or what?? I just want something to change, but I have a feeling we're just going to need to wait for it to "click" for him, but I'd love any and all suggestions you may have. 

Kellina

Is he fussing? Maybe try letting him chill in his crib? I don't see anything wrong with letting them hang out alone in the crib awake if they aren't upset- kind of tells them "this isn't playtime/ hang out with Mom & Dad time".

You could give him something that plays music too for bedtime, like the FP seahorse? That's about all I can think of!

Tsurrel

Dh takes the 11pm-5am shift & I take 5am- 11pm. That way we are both getting uninterrupted sleep

SarahMcC103

You and I are in the same position.  The only difrerence is I am FF not nursing anymore.  We just stopped that so I can go back to work and not pump, that and supply issues.  Any advice would be helpful to us as well!

kristin2t

Kellina:

Is he fussing? Maybe try letting him chill in his crib? I don't see anything wrong with letting them hang out alone in the crib awake if they aren't upset- kind of tells them "this isn't playtime/ hang out with Mom & Dad time".

You could give him something that plays music too for bedtime, like the FP seahorse? That's about all I can think of!

Yeah, we have the seahorse, and have started trying it recently. He seems interested in it, but no success in helping him sleep. He just gets mad when it turns off I think you're right about trying to let him fuss a little longer before we head in there, I guess I just assume in my mid-night stupor it's going to escalate. Thanks 

ValentineBB

Tsurrel:

Dh takes the 11pm-5am shift & I take 5am- 11pm. That way we are both getting uninterrupted sleep

DH and I do shifts also, it really helps. Also, we swaddle the sh*t out of her and got a Sleep Sheep.  It's helping so far.

Tsurrel - super cute baby BTW.

wac0419

Have you tried the swing?  DS will usually fall asleep in it, then I'll sleep on the couch beside him.

january41979

Ditto the swing.  My daughter has been restless from 1 AM-7 AM too lately, and will not stay asleep in her bassinet, but she will stay asleep in the swing.