Sleeping training

KariB509 · March 2014

It's only 11:30pm here and it's already been a hell of a night. DD is 9 days old and she has been awake for nearly 12 hours! She'll fall asleep for a bit then wake up pissed. I'm thinking her tummy is upset. Needless to say the stress is high in our household tonight.

Anyway, the above doesn't really have anything to do with my overall post. But it has me thinking. Let's talk about sleep training. With DS, he didn't sleep through the night until he was 9 months old. My "sleep training" up until that point was to rock him to sleep and back to sleep 2-3 times a night... Then when I finally had enough, we sleep trained him by letting him CIO. Go ahead, flame me. 3 nights and it was done.

So, when's the right time to start sleep training using any method? What is your preferred method? Any books you recommend? My neighbor suggested Babywise. When the time comes to sleep train, I want to be more prepared and do it earlier than I did with ds.

NortyLeigh · March 2014

Agreed that sleep training should wait until 5 or 6 months. DS1 was a dream child. This baby is going to be the death of me come night time so I'm sure we will need some sort of sleep training in the future.

ntdane · March 2014

Take a good look at info out there and talk to your doctor. I haven't read it myself but Babywise is really NOT recommended by a lot of people.

As a pp said, a lot of what you do to sleep train will depend on your LO. DS was one kid that CIO would not work for. He's always been a terrible sleeper but using some of the methods from The No-cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantly helped us. I've heard a lot of good things about the baby whisperer too. I think most people start sleep training between 4 and 6 months.

BabiesFTW · March 2014

I'm already worrying about this. DD#1 was never a good sleeper and I was never willing to CIO so she didn't sleep well until she was almost 2. I don't know if I can survive that again.

Anyway, I've heard start after 6 months but before 10 months.

Bonadl · March 2014

We had a lot of success with DD using Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. She was sleeping through the night at 4 or 5 months I think.

benevolentforce · March 2014

I've read a few of the popular ones, but liked the Contented Little Baby Book because it's less about schedules and more about routines you can craft and implement based on your child's cues/development/personality etc.

I'm a ftm though, so I have no experience. I'm going to start with this philosophy because I figure a lot of trial and error will be in my future so may as well get started.

SomersIsles · March 2014

I heard Babywise is quite controversial and resulted in a lot of instances of the baby's "failure to thrive" based on dr appointments. Apparently the book is written with a lot of unsupported "facts". I'm assuming that's from starting so early... But yeah, I've done minimal research on the topic (only sparked my interest back in the day when my friend's attempt at Babywise when her child was less than 8 weeks threw her into a huge bout of PPD) and I've also gotten the impression that 6+ months is more ideal ... But as a FTM I have no clue if even that is too early

Renik20 · March 2014

The two books that helped me most:
Happiest Baby on the Block Guide to Sleep (Karp), and another one called Bed Timing. Focuses not just on sleep training, but when to do it - it says there are certain developmental stages where it just won't work bc of other factors...

karen31186 · March 2014

The Contented Little Baby worked awesome for us. It is a strict schedule but it can be changed based on your preferences. The concepts it teaches are what's most important. Our DD started sleeping through the night almost immediately once we followed the routines in the book. To this day, she thrives on routine. She is 4 and still takes almost a 2 hour nap and sleeps almost 10 hours at night.

erinsullivan427 · March 2014

I've heard of 4-6 months as well and even getting the go ahead from the ped before trying. I'm a FTM but have heard really good things about the Sleep Easy Solution. It focuses on a bedtime routine and sleep cues. I'm planning to try that.

DTNZ4Ever · March 2014

We do the Baby Wise routine the eat, play sleep routine. Yes there is controversy with it if you are religious about sticking to the 3-4 hour schedule and not giving in when your baby needs to eat early or sleep. However, we try to stick to every three hour eat, then play then sleep. We wake up DS during the day and let him lead at night we skip the play at night. I also like Healthy sleep habits happy baby because it gives you different situations to help you problem solve. So right now we are doing the baby wise schedule (yesterday DS are every 3 hours being woken up, then between 9pm-12am he ate 3 times but then slept until 3am to eat and then at 6am to eat) so some days it works but occasionally you need to take your LO lead. I truly believe babies need schedule and routine. We did the same routine with DS1 and he was sleeping 12am-6am at 4weeks. I eventually could set a clock by him wanting to eat every 3 hours during the day. He is a thriving 5 yo who never had any issues I hoping DS2 will get on schedule as well.

theluckiest9 · March 2014

I'm reading The Baby Sleep Solution right now. A friend recommended it. It says by 12 weeks your baby can sleep throught the night. Once I finishe reading it I'll decide if I think it's appropriate and its methods are reasonable.

[Deleted User] · March 2014

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karacakes98 · March 2014

I tried multiple methods with my brats and nothing ever worked. DS STTN at 14 months and DD1 at 22 months. Really hoping this little one does better than her sibs!

Kristen61607 · March 2014

I very loosely followed the baby wise schedule. That is: Eat, awake time, sleep. I never read the book or anything, my friend just told me about the schedule. Of course awake time isn't very much with a sleepy newborn, but my twins started STTN (8 hrs) at 8 weeks. I think the biggest thing is to not let them fall asleep with a bottle/boob in their mouth. I'll be doing the same thing again this time!

pepperedmoth · March 2014

I am a Penlope Leach girl. She recommends that starting around three months you practice putting baby down when s/he is sleepy but not yet asleep just so s/he starts to be less totally dependent on nursing to sleep. If baby fusses, you just pick them up again and comfort and try again later, but the idea is to very gently introduce the concept of falling asleep alone.

Then around six months (or later---she's very "whatevr works for younand your baby) she recommends becoming a little firmer: put LO down sleepy and walk away, then if/when they start to cry go right back and reassure, pat, etc. but do not pick up! Wash rinse repeat as often as necessary, nevr leaving them to cry but never taking them out of the crib either (unless a diaper change or something is needed, of course).

She also is very into consistent bedtime routines (supper, bath, story, song, bedtime) in whatever order lasting however long as long as it works for you and you will stick with it.

FTM of inside baby but that's what I'm going to try. It seems like a very reasonable compromise between baby needs for consistent love and affection and adult needs for SLEEP!

dannie2011 · March 2014

I wanted to say that a 9 day old baby who is up 12 hours at a time may have something else going on. You think her stomach os bothering her, and when she is sleeping it's very short/mins then wakes up screaming like she's hurting. Please look up acid reflux my daughter had it from birth and it was hell till the doctors took me serious.

myfriendscallmemeg · March 2014

I just have some mommy blogs pinned on Pinterest about sleep training. They're all basically what @pepperedmoth said, plus what @laura8388 said. Getting your newborn sleepy, then putting them down to fall asleep on their own. Always being there for comfort, but letting them know that it's okay to fall asleep alone. We will see what kind of tune I'm singing in 3-4 weeks once I have to start practicing these theories.

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