In Need of Help w/ Sleep (long)

A-Team 9/29

I know this is a daily post on several Bump boards.  But I am in need of some encouragement and/or further advice.

My DS is one week shy of 6 months.  He has never slept more than a 6 hour stretch, and those are VERY rare.  The last two weeks have gotten significantly worse, with the longest stretch being 2 hours.  

I nurse him to sleep.  I tried breaking this habit with the NCSS break-away method, but that was a total fail.  We are currently bedsharing because he has outgrown the RnP.  We tried the crib (in our room) a few weeks back and we were up every 30 minutes trying to get him back to sleep.  Even with bedsharing, he is still waking consistently at 1.5 - 1.75 hours.  Sometimes it takes him just 5 minutes (of being held/rocked) to fall back asleep, other times 45 mins, and other times I just nurse him (even though he isn't showing signs of hunger) just to get him back to sleep.

His naps are not any better and will wake 30 minutes on the dot.  I have started wearing him in a carrier for the length of the nap just so he can get some sleep.  He still wakes at each 30 min mark, but I can fairly easily rock him to get him back to sleep.  With a struggle, I can usually get two 1.5 hr naps each day.  

He does not suck his thumb, nor will he take a paci.  He is EBF.  We start the bedtime routine at 630, he is usually asleep by 715, and then up every 1.5 - 1.75 hour after that, until btwn 730-830a.

We have tried putting him down drowsy but awake, he wasn't having it.  We've also tried white noise and stars on the ceiling, but those have not made any difference. 

My biggest concern is that he is not getting the necessary, nor appropriate, sleep for  proper development.  I think he is waking at each sleep cycle and I don't know how to get him over that hump.  Additionally, we are all exhausted and frustrated.  My DH is very supportive, but wants to do CIO if we cannot find a solution soon.  I am not looking to get my DS to sleep 10+ hours w/o waking; I just would like him to be able to get at least a 4-5 hour stretch.

 Any help or thoughts?  Thank you! 

jandy09

Have you tried putting him in his own room at night? A few months ago my LO got to the point where my presence from bedsharing woke her up too much and she sleeps much better in her room where she can't see anyone and think its playtime.

Have you tried introducing a lovey? Use white noise? Changing the room temp or pj's? I know sleep associations are a big help for us.

GL!

urbanflowerpot

Oh my goodness - I could have written this myself We're at a loss, too! DS has a bronchial virus right now so it's wayyy worse than it was - which, as you seem to know, is already bad. I've started hating seeing the letters STTN - yeah, I'd be happy for a three hour stretch We aren't looking for 10 - just something that's healthier for all of us.

PP has some suggestions but I'm betting you already do those things. We have a bedtime routine down pat - with flexibility of course - but he knows what's coming. Naps are a little better - yes, they are 'normal' (whatever that means!) but nighttime is a fright.

I'm starting to wonder if he's afraid of the dark or shadows or something that I'm missing...

We are EBF and did bedshare - now co-sleep - his crib is a few feet from ours. No other option because we're in a one bedroom apt.

I'm at a loss.

and tired

urbanflowerpot

BTW - our LO's are close to the "same" age. DS was 10 weeks early so he really just turned 7 mo if that makes sense.