Another sleep post...

KatieRu920 · June 2014

So I'm really feeling like I'm doing something wrong. Our LO turned 9 months on the 23rd. He has never been a great sleeper. Waking up once or twice a night is a very good night in our house. He slept through the night ONCE and it was beautiful but never happened again. Lately he's been getting up 5-6 times a night. We've tried letting his fuss for a little to see if he'd go back to sleep but he sits up immediately and the last few nights has been standing up in the crib just screaming. He immediately calms down when we go in and get him and goes back to sleep but only while being held basically. Any thoughts/encouraging words? I don't know if I can keep saying these regressions explain it. Also, he pretty much always nurses to sleep or rocks to sleep. He doesn't do the whole drowsy but awake thing. I just am at a loss for what to do to help him sleep and at this point I feel like he will be an only child (ha).

PrimRoseMama · June 2014

Honestly, you have to wait for it to pass. Some kids just have a hard time. Sleep training is usually a temporary fix until the next big illness/tooth/milestone.

The first 18 months to 3 years are really the gauntlet. Some babies figure it out & STTN on the regular. My DD STTN regularly after 3 months. DS still wakes up once or twice. Last night he was up & down teething. So it's not like STTN really means much in the long run.

DD was up the other night with a tummy ache. Really, STTN seems to be this golden goal for so many. Yes, it's nice to get a full-night's sleep. However, really until an individual baby is ready then it's all about The Wait It Out method IMHO.

I know it's hard. I feel for you & have been up & down with one since 2011 & now both since DS was born. I have empathy, but there is no magic trick (in my experience) but time.

kkay1982 · June 2014

I'm with @HauntedRadio‌. We had 2-3 weeks of hell. Up every hour. The last week seems to be so much better. Still up a few times but nowhere near as much.

kwrecks · June 2014

This sounds a lot like our house. E effed at about 3.5 months and had been the worst sleeper every since. Sometimes I'd be up until 5 in the morning because I would have to hold her for her to sleep and if I moved at all she be awake in a second.

Recently I decided to start putting her in her crib awake. We had tried it before and it never worked. I decided that u would try it and let her stay there until she was asleep. If she started crying, I'd work at soothing he without picking her up right away. I made sure she wasn't over tired. I nursed her, and she generally starts falling asleep then. So I then put her in her crib. She instantly woke up and thought it was play time. But after about 30 minutes she passed out, and that first night she slept for 8 hours straight, woke up for a quick second that was fixed with a quick binkie check and a little back rubbing, and she slept for another 3 hours. It was the first time ever that I woke up before she did. I was so amazed at how well she did. The next day she even napped good, instead of the 20-30 minute naps we were used to. We still have some nights that aren't as great, but she had been sleeping much better since then.

I guess what I'm trying to say is try things that you may have already tried again. I don't think E was ready to be out down awake when we tried it before. But she is ready now, I just needed to give her the chance.

Good luck, I know how much it sucks!

ludali · June 2014

@HauntedRadio is right on...thankfully you get through it. We still have 1 or 2 wake-ups or REALLY early mornings (like 4:45 today). And she'll be 11 months tomorrow.

Speshul · June 2014

He might be associating falling asleep with being held? You might try to figure out how to change that(in a way comfortable for you), I think that would help significantly.

Once you have that figured out, even if there is a "regression" or teething, getting him to sleep will be easier than before.

Hang in there, sleep deprivation is horrible.

BelhurstBride · June 2014

Speshul said:

He might be associating falling asleep with being held? You might try to figure out how to change that(in a way comfortable for you), I think that would help significantly.

Once you have that figured out, even if there is a "regression" or teething, getting him to sleep will be easier than before.

Not true for all babes. We managed to break that association with DD1 and as soon as the next regression hit we were back at square one.

@katieru920, I'm sorry you're going through a rough phase but I'm with Prim. It's life with a baby. Some day it will get better.

Speshul · June 2014

Ok not true for all babies. It's not uncommon though, you won't know which group you're in until you're there. I don't believe you have to just not sleep, you can still try to make things better...of course in whatever way is comfortable and right for you.

There is no reason to dismiss a temporary time of STTN, even a temporary time of extra sleep has significance can recharge your batteries. I don't think anyone expects 100% STTN. Going from 0% STTN to STTN 60% or 70% of the time is a huge difference in your life.

TexasGirl81 · June 2014

I feel your pain. I already have it in my head that I probably won't get any sleep until around 2016. L just turned 10 months and is still waking up twice a night.

It's hard rolling out of bed being 7 1/2 months pregnant, but as @PrimRoseMama‌ said, I'm gonna be patient. I know eventually it will happen. Until then I'll be zombified! I hope it all gets better for you soon. Good luck!

NewQueen · June 2014

Is it possible your LO is teething? We just went through this with Henry. After two weeks of hell, his four, front, top teeth came through. Advil helped to keep him sleeping slightly longer. We're back to only one, 4am, wake up now!

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