I'm at the end of my rope...

KaelynF

I really need DD to sleep longer at night! She's 7 months old, we recently switched to formula but she didn't sleep great before that anyway. She goes to bed around 8. She will wake at 12am, 3am, and want to eat at 4:30am. Some nights it is so bad that if I put her down at one of these wakings after rocking her awhile, she will flail around and wake herself up. I really just feel like pulling out my hair every night! I've tried having her sleep in our bed, in her rock n play, on her side, on her stomach and one my chest. Nothing will keep her asleep.

This wouldn't frustrate me as much if she hadn't been sleeping through the night at 4 mos.

We are doing BLW if that might have anything to do with it. Sorry for being so unorganized. I just don't really know what the problem is.

Sprite2012

I could have written this post.  Almost to the word.

When LO was 4 weeks old, he started sleeping 9-10 hours/night.  He did consistently until he was about 4.5 months old.  It started with one wakeup and snowballed into 4-5 wakeups per night.  This went on for 6 weeks.  My husband and I were a big huge mess every single day.  It started effecting my work and our relationship, so I had to do something, not to mention, I NEEDED SLEEP.  Like you said, it wouldn't have been so frustrating if he had never STTN.  

I did lots and lots of reading and asking questions.  There are so many "explanations", it's not even funny.  And I was to the point where I didn't care why, I just wanted it to end.  I took the advice of a good friend, and VIOLA!  

1)  I took 3 days off of work to implement.

2)  We let him CIO the first night.  It was awful, and I am by no means anti-CIO.  I cried a lot along with him.  But I knew it had to be done.  And like magic, it worked.  The second night he cried for 20 minutes.  The third night and every night since, not a single wakeup.

3) I put him on a eat/sleep/play schedule.  Unbelievable, I should have done it 3 months ago.  He's on the Baby Wise 4-hour schedule.  I highly recommend.  

I'm not saying what I did was the "right" way (there is no such thing), or that it will work for you.  I'm just hoping to give you some hope.  I was exactly where you are a couple weeks ago, and I was a mess.  Do your research and hopefully you'll get some different perspectives on TB. I hope you find what works for you.  GL!

Sprite2012

meggo1611:

The first comment was just lovely I have to say!! As a stay at home mom, I know that this isn't always possibly.

 I had the same problem as well with my twin boys. I ended up getting them this turtle that shines wave lights on the ceiling and plays wave sounds. I'm not going to lie it is the most amazing thing I have ever had! The waves come on and the boys just stare at the lights. If they wake up before 6am we usually go press the button on the turtle and they are out. I would really recommend this. 

 I also notice when my boys have really bad allergies and teething their sleeping patterns go right out the window! Hang in there!!  

I heard about these wavey-light things.  Where did you buy yours? 

RussianMommy

uconnhuskie007:

forgive me for being an ahole....but if you're a SAHM why don't you just sleep when LO sleeps?nbsp; Not possible for working moms but for someone who is home anyway....

Whoa. I'm a SAHM too and it's not so easy to just sleep like that

JoNi2010

RussianMommy:

uconnhuskie007:

forgive me for being an ahole....but if you're a SAHM why don't you just sleep when LO sleeps?nbsp; Not possible for working moms but for someone who is home anyway....

Whoa. I'm a SAHM too and it's not so easy to just sleep like that

I SAHM 2 days out of the week and while I have to put in a couple hours of work during those 2 days and maybe attend a meeting, there are other things to do around the house.  And plus, my LO does NOT nap well at all so it's not really that easy.

KaelynF

I understand where you're coming from, but it's not as easy as it sounds. I have laundry, dishes, cleaning and dinner to be done before hubby gets home. Also, her naps only last maybe an hour on a good day...

KaelynF

Thanks! I'll try anything...

kateraid

I was in the same boat and resorted to ferber. Night one he cried for 50 minutes, no wake ups. Night two. 20 minutes no wake ups. Night 3 5 minutes no wake ups and now it's between 5-10 minutes every night and he puts himself to sleep. He still gets a MOtN feed but he doesn't just wake up for no reason anymore. 

NoelBird

Hugs! I know how hard it is to function night after night with constant wake ups. I was in a similar situation for my LO's first 4 months. What worked for us was Ferber. We had to get rid of the poor sleep associations and teach DS to sleep on his own. Rocking her to sleep may be the problem, if you are not willing to try CIO maybe try working on not rocking her at all and putting her to bed drowsy but not sleeping?

MississippiCatfish

uconnhuskie007:

forgive me for being an ahole....but if you're a SAHM why don't you just sleep when LO sleeps?nbsp; Not possible for working moms but for someone who is home anyway....

Woah. Aren't we charming.

I'm sorry, it's frustrating. We have some bad nights too. I'm trying to decrease his feeding times a little at a time, hoping he adjusts to less at night and won't wake for it. I've heard some say to decrease the formula amount every few days for the same effect.

JulesDiane

uconnhuskie007:

forgive me for being an ahole....but if you're a SAHM why don't you just sleep when LO sleeps?nbsp; Not possible for working moms but for someone who is home anyway....

When are we supposed to eat our Bon Bons and watch "Real Housewives of New Jersey"? Yeesh!

BabyMakes 3

RussianMommy:

uconnhuskie007:

forgive me for being an ahole....but if you're a SAHM why don't you just sleep when LO sleeps?nbsp; Not possible for working moms but for someone who is home anyway....

Whoa. I'm a SAHM too and it's not so easy to just sleep like that

This. SAH for me means getting a ton of stuff done, aka my job, while LO is asleep. Meal prep, cooking, laundry, ironing, cleaning floors, bathrooms, and the entire house, dishes, making baby food, grocery shopping, managing finances, taking care of the dogs, cleaning and sanitizing toys and surfaces, not to mention taking the time to maintain my own hygiene, planning and attending activities for baby, dr appts, taking the cars for maintenance, etc, etc, etc. Seemed a bit naive and misinformed to make a comment like that. 

Anyways, to address OP...I'm sorry! I'm sure you're exhausted! Try what PP said about the turtle, but I think it's pretty pricey. Also we have a sea horse that someone got us from Target and it's belly glows and it plays music. This has worked wonders for us. If he is up and not hungry or wet I can usually turn this on and get a little bit more sleep myself. My LO is up once a night and with teething, 2 or 3. It is exhausting. Benjamin also started sleeping on his belly and that seems to help. But that is his own change because I still put him on his back.  

novmomtobe

Sorry you are going through this.  It may help to know what your schedule feeding and naps is during the day.  I only ask this because I have found that for my LO following a routine during the day helped the nighttime tremendously.  Is it possible that 8 is too late for "bedtime".  There are days that my LO has had enough and is ready to wind down by 7 or 7:30.  Maybe try a white noise machine or if the flailing arms are what are waking LO would you do a modified swaddle (arms only).  When we were transitioning LO out of the full swaddle I used the swaddle strap it worked well.  Maybe worth a try?

LimaD

gwapes:

uconnhuskie007:

I dont think what I said is nearly as offensive as any of you took it.  My point is, if you're a SAHM to an infant, and dealing with the developmental/sleeping/eating/living challenges that it presents, then it would only make sense as one option to sleep when the child sleeps.

I knew it would come off that way at first glance, but if you actually digest what I said it's not offensive in nature at all.  In fact, I think it makes perfect sense, depending on your situation (other children in the home, committments, etc.)

I've read, and digested what you said. And it's still offensive, and insensitive, and plenty other inappropriate words. You assume any child of a SAHM naps, and naps well. My son naps twice a day, maybe 30 minutes each. He also does not STTN which -I- get up with him because DH has to work and needs to be rested for work. So, Ms. Expert of things she isn't, what is your recommendation? 

And if you knew it would come off that way, why in the world would you continue on to hit that post button? I think it makes sense that if you know your'e doing something that will come off not how you're intending it, that you would do something about that. And if you just digest what i've said, you'll see my view too.  

Sorry OP, I don't have an advice for you, my son doesn't STTN or nap very well. And (obviously) I too am quite tired. Hang in there. :-/ 

 

 

LimaD

I can sympathize with where you're coming from.  I'm having a rough time w/my DD as well...if she isn't waking up often, she's waking up and STAYING up which is just as bad! I'm going to look into that turtle thing that a previous poster mentioned...Although I'm kind of afraid that shining lights on the ceiling will just wake her up more

EDL06

Agreed with whoever mentioned Ferber method--this was successful in getting DD#2 to fall asleep on her own, and now we are working on eliminating night wakings (down from 2 to 1, eventually to none). You MUST be consistent, but the method itself is quite simple (and flexible)

(Although, I do like the sound of those light projector toy thingies)

christinasullie37

Sprite2012:

meggo1611:

The first comment was just lovely I have to say!! As a stay at home mom, I know that this isn't always possibly.

 I had the same problem as well with my twin boys. I ended up getting them this turtle that shines wave lights on the ceiling and plays wave sounds. I'm not going to lie it is the most amazing thing I have ever had! The waves come on and the boys just stare at the lights. If they wake up before 6am we usually go press the button on the turtle and they are out. I would really recommend this. 

 I also notice when my boys have really bad allergies and teething their sleeping patterns go right out the window! Hang in there!!  

I heard about these wavey-light things.  Where did you buy yours? 

Where did u find this? I need one of these too.