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Babies: 6 - 9 Months
Night weaning, sleep training, or both? HELP!!!
We've done 3 nights of sleep training and it is not going well. In fact, it's a disaster. I am so confused and I need help, please, any advice is needed!
DS is almost 8 months old. He's been waking up twice a night for the past 2 months or so, at 2 and at 5. Since he's up at those times like clockwork we figured he's not actually hungry, he's just gotten used to this and we need to break the habit. Plus, we're exhausted!
We're trying the Ferber method which, at first, seemed like it was working. But now DS is fighting us even harder and with no progress, I need to back up and try something else.
My main question is, should I focus on night weaning first, then sleep training, or is the sleep training supposed to take care of the night feeding by itself? DS is an eating machine and a big boy -- 20 lbs. at 6 mos. -- so I have no idea if feeding him at night is good or bad. Does he really need it? How do I know?
The other complication is, he still needs to be swaddled. He's such an active kid he will literally not stop moving unless he's wrapped tight. We've been trying to wean him off that too, only wrapping one arm, but even that is hit-and-miss.
So... is there a logical order to do this in? What are some good ways to night wean? Anyone else have trouble with swaddle weaning?
PLEASE HELP!!
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Re: Night weaning, sleep training, or both? HELP!!!
Maybe you should get rid of the swaddle completely before sleep training. Try a sleep sack. Aren't babies this age supposed to start being mobile? They are going to move around at night, it's not a bad thing. Do you have a bedtime routine? Focus on one thing at a time, and things might start falling in to place. Give it time, it's not going to happen overnight, GL.
Some books say some babies need to be swaddled till 9 months.
Have you actually read Ferber's book? I wouldn't do anything till you read it.
Nightweaning might solve the problem so I would start there and then see if you need to do progressive waiting.
However, it is normal for babies to wake up to eat at night regardless of what Ferber says. I know it's tiring. I am there too.
Our story was just like yours, DS woke up midnight & btween 4:30 & 5am to eat. I first dropped an oz eachnight in each bottle until I got down to 2oz & thats when I realized he truely wasnt hungry just wanted to soothe & suck. So I first did the weaning & then did training starting with 5 min, it has worked great for us.
HTH