Sleep issue help (RP)

MontyMrs

My boys are wonderful at going down to bed, they go to sleep with no fuss.  On a good night they will all sleep from 8am, up once around 3 or 4 for a bottle and then sleep from 7-8am.  I'll get a good string of nights and then I'll get a few night of multiple wakes, sometimes its one baby sometimes it's a combo of babies.  I don't do much in terms of getting them back to sleep, if someone is very upset I'll rock them but mostly reposition if needed, pat on the back and let them work it out themselves.I think I'm doing everything I can in terms of letting them self soothe but is there anything I can do regarding the multiple wakings?  I keep thinking of reading sleep training books but I'm not sure there's even a solution to this issue.  WDYT? 

ladychicago

I think you are doing everything right. I will say that we did Ferber at 4 months at pedi's strong suggestion when Anna's sleep regressed consistently into waking every 90 minutes overnight. She went from feedings at 2 and 6 to every 90 minutes every night. So that is why we did it. If the frequent wakings are only occasional for you, though, I don't think sleep training is as critical. If you are at the point or get to the point that the nights with multiple wakings are too much or too often, then maybe it is time for sleep training. But even so, it sounds like you are really encouraging self soothing anyhow, so it may just be a matter of time. I think Ferber is a good read, regardless of if you ever use his approach, though, just for the insights and thoughts on infant and toddler sleep. Good luck and hang in there!

MontyMrs

Thanks LC, I'll check out the book.  I'd like to have as much info as possible on helping them develop good sleep habits - for their benefit and mine!

Mouseygail

I hate to say it, but I think it sounds like things are going pretty well!!  Unfortunately, the normal bad night here or there is multiplied by three for you   I hope that someone else has some better advice for you! 

(and just in case you aren't utilizing it, loud white noise is huge in our house for keeping him asleep/lulling him back to sleep faster...we have been running a fan on high while he's sleeping to drown out any outside interruptions.)  

njdcgirl

It sounds like you are doing everything right in helping them learn to self soothe back to sleep!

The only thing you may want to do in the coming months is try to get rid of the overnight feed.  (I think I read that they really shouldn't need it by 6 months or so...although my LO happily ate every night) You can either slowly reduce the amt they get so they are not so hungry and eventually stop it, or just go cold turkey.  Ferber's book talks about both of these options.  In any case, the Triplet probably won't be happy about it, but hopefully it will only take a few nights for them to get over it!

MontyMrs

njdcgirl:

It sounds like you are doing everything right in helping them learn to self soothe back to sleep!

The only thing you may want to do in the coming months is try to get rid of the overnight feed.  (I think I read that they really shouldn't need it by 6 months or so...although my LO happily ate every night) You can either slowly reduce the amt they get so they are not so hungry and eventually stop it, or just go cold turkey.  Ferber's book talks about both of these options.  In any case, the Triplet probably won't be happy about it, but hopefully it will only take a few nights for them to get over it!

 

I've been looking to start doing exactly this - off to buy the book!