My 11 Months Baby Stopped Sleeping Through the Night

Updated on January 07, 2011
S.W. asks from Des Plaines, IL
7 answers

Our baby started sleeping through the night at 3 months, she would sleep from 7pm to 6 am every night, unless she's teething or not feeling well. However, this all has changed at around 10 months, she would wake up at night crying, and unless she's rocked back to sleep she would just stand in her crib and cry for as long as it takes, until me or her dad picks her up. Sometimes she would wake up 4 or 5 times in one night, and I get so tired going back and forth that I end up bringing her to our bed so we can all get some sleep. I'm wondering if any of you moms have experienced this? I read that it could be a phase she's going through, but I'm worried that the phase might of ended and she developed a habit of sleeping in our bed or being rocked to sleep every time she wakes up. Your advice will be much appreciated!

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So What Happened?

Thank you moms for your great advice! Last night we started the "Cry it out" method, she was so tired when we put her down around 7:30pm so she fell asleep immediately, but then woke up at 12:30am crying expecting me to pick her up, I let her cry for about 5 min then went to her room and put her pacifier on and she went back to sleep. Second time she woke up around 4am, this time she was more awake and crying louder, I kept going to her room to check up on her every 5-10mn until 5am, then she fell asleep by herself and slept until 8am this morning, which she never does!! I will continue doing the same thing tonight and tomorrow. Thanks again for your help!!

More Answers

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L.B.

answers from Denver on

http://www.growingyourbaby.com/2010/04/23/study-cry-it-ou...
http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/11/cry-it-out-cio-i...

You should not let your baby cry it out. This is terrible advice. It is harmful to baby and really, you are losing more sleep while baby cries that you gain from "training" your baby. We are sleep sharing, and have no problems at all. Sometimes during teething he is more restless and wakeful, but I am glad to be there with him when he is going through rough times. I feel that's our job as mothers. Please read about attachment parenting, everyone that posted. It feels wrong to let your baby cry, well, because it IS wrong. I promise you, these wakeful stages pass regardless of your response or lack there of, so be there for your baby, don't try to train him or her like and animal.

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B.G.

answers from Chicago on

We went through this with our now 4.5 year old at about the same time you are. I believe we backed up her bedtime and let her cry it out. Check out Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. We used it as a reference a lot at that age.
good luck.

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M.V.

answers from Chicago on

The book Healthy sleep habits, happy child worked well for us in a similar situation. Good luck!

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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

I have to agree with the other moms. It's time for sleep training. "Crying it out" hurts mom more than baby. I'm not opposed to bed sharing, but even if baby sleeps, mom hardly ever does.
When we did sleep training, the first night, the baby cried for an hour. Night two was about 40 minutes. Night three, maybe 20 minutes. Night four, about five minutes and night five, she made a little "eh" noise and has been an excellent sleeper up until a couple of weeks ago and she's 21 months. Now we have a new problem, but I'm about to post my own question for that.
Good luck. It's really hard the first couple of nights, but sleep training is worth it.

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L.S.

answers from Chicago on

If you know she isn't sick or in distress, you really need to let her cry it out. It's heart-wrenching but in the long run it's better for her that she learn to soothe herself back to sleep....and it's healthier for her to sleep through the night. Maybe her afternoon nap is too long. You could start waking her up from her nap. I only brought my kids into bed with us when they were sick and I wanted to be near them. If you keep bringing her into bed she is going to want that more and more. Good luck.

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

She may not be getting enough exercise during thee day or maybe her afternoon nap is too long. Wake her up in and hour at that nap. You also are confusing her by picking her up. She knows if she cries long enough that you'll both give in so that's what she does. You have to let her cry it out a few days until she understands that she has to fall asleep on her own. You can rock her before putting her down for naps or when you just want to cuddle or when she's sick but you have to always get her to her bed to sleep. All parents go thru this. You're not alone mom so don't feel like you're being a bad parent. You're a better one by learn tolerance during these times. It's not easy but you can do it.

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L.M.

answers from Chicago on

Hi Sara, I'm right there with you!! I have an 11 mth old boy and he started that as well. I did the go and get him thing so that we all could sleep and he indeed did get used to sleeping in my bed and cuddling under me. That did WONDERS for him but I still stayed up all night with feet in the face, legs in the bacl, etc! (LOL!!!)

What I did was on a Friday night, so that I could recouperate on Saturday, I let him cry..and cry... and cry but I refused to take him to my bed. I would go in and reassure him that all was OK and that I loved him and that it was nite-nite time and then kissed him, gave him his binky, and left the room. After about 2 hours of this (he's VERY determined) he realized that he is supposed to stay in his be and he went to sleep. Since then, we are ALL getting rest at night!!

I think that they go through the separation anxiety phase around this age and if we start another bad habit, they are more than happy to continue that.

Oh well. One battle down and now I'm going through the "I don't want to get in the tub without crying" phase.

BUT- I'M LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT!! =+)

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