Babies: 3 - 6 Months
StoliGG01
member
The Sleep Struggle
StoliGG01
member
My little man turns six months old tomorrow and he's already a bad sleeper, but the past week and a half he's been way worse. He's been waking up every hour on the hour, wide-awake talking and ready to play. If I leave them alone, eventually he starts to cry to the point where he gets himself all worked up and tears start to flow. Now every time I try to put him in his crib for naptime or bedtime, he wakes right up. Originally he would nap maybe 2-3 times for 1-1.5 hours and at night, sleep in his crib at night for at least 3 to 5 hours, then wake up two to three times, which at that point I would nurse him back to sleep. How do you know when it's time to stop feeding your baby at night? How do you know the difference between hunger cry in the night or a cuddle cry? Also, is it time to Ferberize or some kind of sleep training? I have got to get some sleep since my maternity leave ends on September 1, so please help me figure out how to get my little man to sleep.
Re: The Sleep Struggle
Since you're nursing him, you should be able to get an idea of whether he was hungry or not by whether or not you hear him swallowing milk throughout the nursing.
If you're trying to follow his cues, he'll slowly cut out feedings at his own pace over time. If you're hoping to get him to sleep for longer periods of time a bit sooner since you're headed back to work, you could try checking out On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo. I think it's a bit more gentle than the Ferber method, but should still be able to help you accomplish your goals.