Hi everyone. I need to get my almost 7 month old on a nighttime schedule. Currently he will only sleep about 4 hours at a time. He is still breastfeed only, so I think he just likes the comfort and will wake up and want to nurse. I am getting worn out. I would like to put him to bed between 9 and 10 and have him wake up no earlier than 5. My other two sons went to bed well and stayed asleep on their own, so I have no clue what to do with this one. They were also breastfeeding at this age, but could also take a bottle. I have not had my 7 month old on a bottle yet--I did try pacifiers, but still haven't found one he can keep in his mouth by himself. Basically he is using me as his pacifier! I need some sleep and so does he! I just need some suggestions to try because for some reason i am clueless on this one!
Just want to give you guys an update. I forgot to mention in my original question that I had been giving him cereal 1 x per day. I took your guys advice yesterday and upped his cereal intake plus gave him some close to bed time. I also let him cry himself to sleep while I rocked him. He feel asleep in 5 minutes (at 11:00) and slept till 4, he woke up and I fed him and he slept again umtil 8:30! Thanks guys!
Does he eat baby food yet? I breastfeed my daughter and at six months started her on a little bit of cereal at night, and she started to sleep all night.
Do you have a Walmart where you live? They have these amazing pacifiers that even my smallest baby could take, and they seemed to work like a charm. I can't remember what the name is, but they are green. The entire rubber pacifier is green. They give them away at some hospitals too. It is going to be a rough week or so, but I would try to start your baby on a bottle in between feedings so that you can get a break from being a human pacifier. (My daughter will be two next month, and she still wakes up at night, and wants to sleep with us.) I have not had this problem with my boys, because they were always on a schedule. I would say, try and just feed him, lay him down, and walk away. Then if he cries, wait about ten minutes, go into the room, lay him back down, say goodnight, and walk out. Once you hold him and take him out of bed, you have to start all over again. He is in the habit of having mommy do what he wants, and so he has to be eased into a new routine. I do think that he is just wanting to be close to you at night, and so he just wakes up out of habit. You will have to sacrifice a little sleep to get him in a new routine, but in the long run, it will be worth it. Some kids just need the closeness. Maybe try soft music, or something that will sooth him. I had a vibrating bed for my daughter. We also had a mobile that had nature sounds and singing, it really helped when she was small. She is just too spoiled by her daddy now to stay in her own darn bed. You definitly want to break the cycle before your baby is 2. :)
Yeah, I would agree with the cereal advice. My baby wouldn't take pacifers either, until my dad bought him a Nuk brand. Apparently it was the only brand I would take as a baby too. It's worth a shot if you haven't tried it yet. The shape is slightly different I think, and they come in different sizes. good luck!
I would try Nuk nipples. They replicate the breast the best according to my lacation consultant. They are the only nipples that my son will take. Bottles or pacifiers they come in both silacone and latex. You can find them just about anywhere. Walmart, Target, grocery stores,etc
I think that Elizabeth is on the right track! Give him some cereal and the should fill him up and help him to sleep. I was giving my kids cereal two times a day at this age. Good Luck!
If he is almost 7 months old then why not try a little spoon fed cereal right before bed time..his tummy will stay full longer and he might not need a middle of the night feeding. By the time my kids were 7 months they were both eating 3 meals a day of babyfood and nursing in between.
