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April 2012 Moms
RileyM2010
member
Major Sleep Issues Still Going On
RileyM2010
member
I am just so tired. Evan is still waking up almost hourly at night. He only eats twice at night, around 1-2 and 4-5, so it's not a hunger thing. I just don't know what's going on. This has been happening off and on for around a month. It is really starting to cause issues with DH and school (Masters) and work.
He is sleeping in the crib now for the most part. When he sleeps in bed with us, he still wakes around hourly. We haven't swaddled for a while since he rolls to his stomach to sleep. His naps during the day range from 30 min to 2 hrs, with him being awake for around 1 1/2 hrs. Last night, he was awake for nearly 4 hrs before bed. He is just constantly fighting sleep. It is starting to become really hard to function during the day from constant sleep deprivation.
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Re: Major Sleep Issues Still Going On
Maybe give co-sleeping a try if the reason he is waking (seems to be) for comfort.
J sleeps in his crib, but we have co-slept in he past (esp. when he is going through a growth spurt and is a little out of sorts). The one thing that made me not panic about it is having the Snuza Go monitor. We got it from Costco (Canada) for $30 and it gives me tremendous peace of mind.
If you co-sleep and he wants comfort he may wake and just reach out to you--J has done this, he doesn't even wake me he just wants to feel that I'm there.
ETA: Duh. I just read your second part of your post again--I'm clearly sleepy this morning. I did read that some kids just wake more often. Dr. Sears says that babies have periods of 50-60 minutes of deep sleep and then they cycle back to active sleep. They will wake if there is a reason (hunger, pain, comfort) and if not they will drift back into deep sleep. I don't know if there is much else that can be done but provide the comfort, change his diaper, nurse him etc.
We did co-sleeping the first 10 weeks and it just wasn't working well. His constant moving kept me awake and he would wake just as often too.
He usually still spends part of the night with me after one of the feedings. His poor sleep is starting to get to him too. He is becoming overly cranky during the day and cries easily.
His naps sound pretty good during the day so that seems alright I think.
For nighttime sleep, if you haven't already tried these I would try. White noise (pretty loud if you need to), a RNP incase he doesn't like sleeping flat, a swing, more or less light, try different temperatures or PJs.
My LO sleeps best in her crib, with white noise, a dim night light, loose PJs (she hates when they are tight) and around 72-74 degrees. She also fusses a decent amount before falling asleep (maybe 10 minutes) and I let her do it, if she full out cries I go get her. She will also sometimes fuss in the middle of hte night around 4am, I also give her a bit and she pretty much always goes back to sleep.
I don't personally recommend this, but some people put their LO to sleep on their stomach once they can roll over. If you want to try that you could get a movement monitor (Angelcare or Snazu or something) if that eases your mind.
Do you have an evening routine? L has been a fairly good sleeper/ napper but we had trouble getting him down at night. He would have major meltdowns from all the daytime stimulation. We switched his bath time to nights instead of mornings about a month ago. I use the Cali Baby calendula wash, which has lavender in it. The lavender seems to soothe him. I also use the coordinating lotion afterwards. We feed half a bottle before the bath...then bathe...then give the rest of the bottle in his RnP. He has 6 oz. at this feeding and through the day time feedings he has 4 oz every 3 hours. I wake to feed in the day time. I have the lights dimmed and everything quiet after his bath. If he doesn't settle or fall asleep from the bottle, I use a pacifier and shush ( sometimes very loudly if he is extra fussy) and gently sort of " vibrate " the RnP with both arms. I stroke his forehead and in between his eyes to signal him to close them. It puts him to sleep. Occasionally,he will wake again but I just do the paci and shushing , forehead stroking and vibrating again until I settle him back. Around 10-11pm I do what I guess is a " dream feed" ....I don't wake him to feed but feed him as he is sleeping in the RnP...nipple of bottle touches his lips a few times and then he starts suckling....he usually takes another 5-6oz at this feeding. Since we started this, he has been a better sleeper all around. He wakes between 6-7 and my husband feeds him before he goes to work. Generally, he goes right back to sleep and wakes again around 9 or so. A week and a half after the routine was implemented he started going 6 hours, then 7 and now 8-9 hours of sleep at night.
I hope you find something that works for your guys. It's so super hard and sleeping issues make it worse. ((( hugs))))
Please do not let your sweet baby cry it out. This is terrible advice.
I know there are differing opinions on letting a baby cry, but in my opinion, 5-10 minutes is not cry it out. My little man would never fall asleep if we didn't allow some fussing or crying in his crib. Rocking him and soothing him just further stimulates him and keeps him awake some naps/nights.
Think of it this way: if baby cries for 5 minutes, but then gets 8 hours of sleep, those 5 minutes are just a tiny blip of time. But, if I go in there and spend 45 minutes trying to get him to sleep from rocking, shushing, etc., that's 45 minutes of lost sleep for him.
Point being, we all know our babies, and I don't think it's appropriate to criticize someone for 5 minutes of crying. And FWIW, I am actually not a Babywise fan.
OP, we had a hard time around 3 months for about a week, and then LO returned to his normal schedule of STTN or just waking once. Last night, however, he was up 5 times
I'm hoping he's just growing some more
and needing extra nourishment and comfort. We can still swaddle, b/c
he's not rolling yet. I don't know what we'll do when we have to stop.
No advice. Just hang in there! It won't last forever. That's what I always tell myself.And this. Your baby stops crying because she has given up and feels like no one is coming to be with her...not because it puts her to sleep.
5-10 minutes for a 2-3 month old might as well be an eternity. Put it this way--- as an adult have you ever been upset and cried by yourself in another room for 5-10 minutes while every one else went about their merry way around you? How would that make you feel? Now imagine how it feels for a 2 month old.
Thank you...I'm well aware of the arguments against some crying, any crying, full on CIO, etc., and have read multiple books on the subject of sleep (Ferber, Weissbluth, etc.). In our household, we are okay with a few minutes of crying, as long as it is more of the fussing variety and not red alert. It's what works for us to ensure our son gets his needed sleep.
Like I mentioned previously, we all know our children, their needs, and their cries. We can offer advice to one another, like many have done in this post, but ultimately, we each make our own choices and try to be the best parent to our little babies and meet ALL their needs-->comfort, nutrition, and sleep.
I totally agree.... I have spoken with my pediatrician on crying and a bedtime routine. He said some babies need to let out that additional energy. I would venture to say that if you get your child every second they cry, you are creating a problem for your child now and in their future years. There are plenty of books that agree. I gave some advice... take it or leave it. I would also read the posts of what works for the parents whose children ARE sleeping through the night and those that are not. The two of us whose children cry for 5 mins (which is no time at all) have children that sleep the entire night. Any pediatrician would agree that 5 mins of fussy time and 8+ hours of sleep at night is MUCH better for the baby than no crying and waking every 2 hours during the day and night. I didn't mean for this to be a CIO debate... Actually, I don't believe in crying it out for longer than 10 mins, but we are doing what is best for our baby. I was simply trying to give advice to a mother that asked. Why don't you stay on her topic and offer her advice? Obviously she is looking to try something new and that is what I offered.
Um. Those who let their young babies cry without soothing are not the only ones who have babies who are STTN. FYI. Oh, and not all pediatricians think you should let young babies cry for even 5-10 minutes without soothing - like mine. Those of us who disagree are allowed to have our opinions, as you are allowed to have yours. IMO, there are other ways to soothe a baby to sleep and alternate methods to try rather than letting them cry alone at this young age.
And stay on topic? Offer advice? Really? Why don't you see above post. Disagreeing with whack advice IS staying on topic.
Thanks everyone for the advice. We just bought an angelcare monitor this week. He has been sleeping on his stomach since last week (he started rolling to that position). Today while taking the laundry baby photo, he rolled from stomach to back! So hopefully this is all part of the developmental week, etc.
We have a nighttime routine: quiet play, bath, massage with lotion, pjs, then nurse and try to get drowsy. We aim for 1 1/2-2 hrs since that's how long he is awake between naps. He goes down fairly easily for naps. By the time he actually gets drowsy, it is usually 2-3 hrs awake, cranky and overtired.
We have white noise, etc. He goes down drowsy, but awake and usually falls asleep on his own. Sometimes we have to rub his stomach/ back now. Last night, for the most part after he started crying, rubbing a little and he fell asleep again. The frequent wakings are just really starting to take a toll on us and it is hard for me to play with Evan/get things done when I am this exhausted.
SRSLY.
Look, if you want to let your baby cry until they give up rather than spend 45 minutes rocking them and soothing them, it's your kid. But don't tell someone else it's a humane option. It's not. Look up object permanence.
And my kid goes to sleep peacefully every night. /he sleeps 10-12 hours and wakes for one feeding. I rock and sing to him for 30-40 minutes. Well worth the time, he's a baby.
Like I said, the only thing that keeps me going sometimes is telling myself everything is a phase at this age.