Sleep Training Help

starzck82

My DD is 7.5 months old and sleep is a battle.  We are to the point now that she will only nap while we hold her.  As soon as we lay her down she wakes up and won't go back to sleep.  At night we have to rock her and hold her for at least an hour, sometimes a lot longer, until she is really out then we lay her in her RNP.  Most times she wakes up when she touches the RNP and we have to pick her up and start all over again. 

 In her defense, I know we did this to ourselves.  She has acid reflux and for a long time we just did what we had to do to get a little sleep. She is getting too big for the RNP and we need to get her to learn to sleep better.  I am planning on taking off a few extra days from work over Memorial Day to get started on sleep training.  So basically I am asking for some suggestions on sleep training-what worked and what didn't.  Thanks!!!!

mittyleigh23

I don't have any tips for you, but we are starting the Ferber method ASAP, I have heard a lot of good things and success stories from it, maybe look into that.  Or "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" if you don't want her crying much, however that method takes quite a bit of time, depending on your child it could take a month or more, so if you want quick results, like I do, I think Ferber would be a good place to start.  Good luck with it all, I'm in the same boat as you right now!

cedenton

I posted my experience in this thread:

https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/73844198.aspx

Good luck! 

steff13914

So sorry you are having a hard time. My daughter is a reflux baby too, and I know the feeling of just doing whatever she wants so everyone is happy! She started sleep training pretty early, so I don't know if my tips will work, but it's worth a shot.

I've found that a bedtime routine is very important. A simple one. Story, song, prayer, kisses and good night. We put our twins down sleepy with their eyes closing, but not completely asleep or awake. If they wake up when we put them in their cribs, we wait 5 minutes before responding. At age 7 months, your daughter should be able to self-soothe.Most of the time, they work it out on their own. But if they are still upset, we will pat them and shush them, but not pick them up unless they are screaming. We do the same routine for naps.

At first it will seem like you are spending more time trying to put them to sleep than they actually sleep, but you have to stick with it. An early bedtime is important too. Ours go down no later than 7pm. You could begin transitioning her from the RNP to her crib for naps first before you try overnight. HTH. Good luck!

mrsbhk22

Good luck. Lack of sleep is painful for everyone. I saw a big difference with a white noise machine up louder than you'd think.

JoNi2010

See the thread below on Ferber method.  Worked wonders for us and my LO needed me to nurse/rock him to sleep and hold him for the whole 2 hours for naps.  Additionally he was waking up 2-4x/night.  Ferber has really freed up my days and given me better sleep at night.  Highly recommend reading the book and going this route.

pmduggan01

Our DS slept in the RNP for the same reason. When we had to move him to the crib since he was rolling in the RNP, disaster ensued -- sleepless nights, lots of tears from both baby and me.

I wrote on one of these boards for suggestions, and one of the responses was, "I have one word for you: Ferberize." I checked out the book at the library, read it, and we started it last week.

DS is now very easy to put into the crib to sleep. He sometimes cries a little, but not long. He sleeps much longer and wakes happy.

starzck82

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I am considering the Ferber method, but my main concern is that DD has a very quick temper. She gets upset very fast and can have herself gagging and throwing up within minutes. I just don't think that she will calm down at all during the process. Does anyone have any experience with this? We were also considering the pick up and put down method, or a combination of both.

JoNi2010

starzck82:

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I am considering the Ferber method, but my main concern is that DD has a very quick temper. She gets upset very fast and can have herself gagging and throwing up within minutes. I just don't think that she will calm down at all during the process. Does anyone have any experience with this? We were also considering the pick up and put down method, or a combination of both.

Ferber addresses this in his book.

Sarah10612

We did the same exact thing. DS doesn't have reflux issues but he had breathing issues (Respiratory Distress Syndrome) until he learned to breathe out of his mouth as well as his nose. With that being said, when we went to the pediatrician for his 6 month check up, he asked us how everybody was sleeping. I told him Cameron sleeps in bed with us. His exact response, "Last night was the last night for that." He told me to put him in his crib with a toy after bath, bottle and book. Let him cry for no more than 45 minutes and then go and soothe him. Do not pick him up. We put a radio in his room and a night light. When we put him in his crib, he cried for about 15 minutes (I found that if I went back in to check on him, it was like a reset button and the crying started all over again) and asleep until 5a. The next night he cried for 6 minutes and slept until 5a. The third night, he didn't cry and fell asleep within 5 minutes and woke up at 630a. That has been his routine for well over a month now. We put him in there at 730 and he's out within 5 minutes. Radio and light on the whole night. I give him his wooby (stuffed animal with a little satin cloth on it) and he rubs his face with it. As per the pediatrician, he will find the one thing that is soothing to him whether it be a spot on his sheet or a doll to rub his ear with and soothe himself to sleep. Good luck and be strong. It's worse for us when they cry than it is for them.