My Eleven Month Old Still Wakes Up.

I would try putting a fan in his room...he may just be a light sleeper. Having a fan on to make some white noise can really help a light sleeper because they don't hear all those things that would normally wake them up.

Good for you! I never let my 2 children (now 4 and 9) cry to sleep. When each child got to about 1 year I started rocking them before bed as usuall but only for about 3 minutes right next to thier crib. Then before they were asleep I would put them into the crib. At first this would upset them but I was firm. I would act like everything was ok and ignore thier upset whines and tuck them in and I would lean over the side of the crib and sooth them. It was very hard for the first 2 or 3 night becauswe I would stand there hunched over the crib for 15 minutes until they fell asleep. You may think I am crazy but it payed off for me. By the third night we would rock for a few minutes then tuck in my child then we would read books with my baby in the crib and me right up against it in my chair. Then I would sit next to the crib until my baby was asleep in about 5-10 minutes. My children after a week did great so if they did wake up at night I just woulld give them big hugs but never take them out of the crib, then sit next to them, sometimes rubbing thier back until they fell back to sleep, it never took long. I just had to be firm in never lifting them out of the crib, just hugs and sitting next to the crib. They never cryed when they woke up, I just told them to call for Mommy and I would come right in, no need to get upset. This worked for both of my children even my son who was a very very fussy baby, and was very hard to go to sleep as an infant. Now they both sleep in thier own beds and do great I still sit with my 4 year old after books for 5 minutes or so until he's asleep but at 6 my daughter started going to sleep by herself I just check on her every 10 minutes or so she thinks because she is asleep before I go in.
Lost's of luck!
M.

I also feel that crying it out may be the best solution. Sounds like he's well fed so you know it isn't hunger. We had to let our daughter cry it out (with the Ok of our pediatrician) and it hasn't affected our bond in the least. I decided not to go into her room and rub her back because that only seemed to give her more hope and a renewed energy to cry. I had to ask myself if she was being harmed by her crying and I couldn't find anything that would lead me to believe she was. It is heartbreaking! I remember crying right along with her, but I know that once I started getting more sleep, I was a better wife and mother. Helping my baby learn how to self soothe was a great skill for her to learn, too. According to my pediatrician, babies at that age are supposed to sleep for 10-12 hours a night. It was very healthy and realistic for my three kids! Good luck! I know this is rough!

My son use to wake up at night to get that extra love and attention. I purchased an infrared web cam that is a night camera to watch him over night. Once he would get up to cry I would look and see that he was okay on my computer monitor. THis allowed myself to let him cry it out but only for 5-10 minutes. He eventually learned to soothe himself back to sleep and now sleeps very well. (10-11 hours)
C.~

I second the recommendation for "The No Cry Sleep Solution." It's an excellent book with lots of ideas to help transition your little one into better sleep habits, tailored to your own needs and situation.

I know many people think babies should sleep solidly for 10-12 hours, but it's not really realistic or even healthy for them to do it. "The No Cry Sleep Solution" can help you come up with solutions for helping him get back to sleep and even stay asleep longer. I'd still say he's in a normal range, though!

It breaks my heart too, but it turned out to be the only trhing that worked with my younger boy, I am very proud of how well he sleeps now. I never let my first cry it out and he is just 4 months away from 3 and is still sleeping with us. That really only was a problem when him and his baby bubba both were fighting for ALL of my attention. So think about giving crying it out a chance. After he became accustom I will go to him if he wakes at night with no major issues. It may just be the right thing even though it seems cruel or you could be still going to him into his toddler years! Good Luck in your choices

I am a SAHM of 2 beautiful boys, married to the love of my life and working on # 3 ( thinking pink)

I completely understand! Some nights are still rough - others are great. I do recommend "the no cry sleep solution" book. you can find it on amazon.com for less than $10 I think.

hang in there!!

Hi R.,

How does he get to sleep at night? If you are rocking him before bedtime, stop. Put him to bed awake. Don't rock him back to sleep when he wakes up in the night. Just go in and whisper to him that he is okay and mommy loves him. Don't pick him up. Gently lay him back down and leave. If he continues to cry, go back in at the 5 minute mark. repeat the previous step and leave. Wait another 7 minutes and do the same steps. You have created a habit and he needs to be able to soothe himself back to sleep if he wakes up. This takes a lot of patience, but this is a battle you have to win. He is not hungry at this age during the night. Do you hae a pacifier for him? Did you ask your pediatrician what to do?

Good luck~ C.

My daughter is 11 1/2 mos old and still wakes up throughout the night as well. I nurse her, she sleeps with me. Please let me know if anyone responds or has suggestions for you. Good luck... it is hard to function on sleepless nights! Sometimes I really think I have created this problem and now I deserve what I get. I can not do the crying it out. I feel like she will think she is deserted and I do not want to make her feel insecure. My doctor has also said she should not be hungry at night anymore. She doesn't take a pacifier, never has. I am her only security blanket. Good luck to you.