Sleeping Issues - Delano,MN

Someone just asked this same question a couple days ago about her 8-month-old. Search to find those answers. I know a lot of moms, and I know of 2 who didn't eventually let their kids cry it out. It's a routine; she's not hungry. She needs sleep as much as you do, so you need to establish routines and be consistent. She HAS to learn to get herself to sleep on her own. Read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Weissbluth. Good luck! We've all been there.
E.

My kids were both like this. The sleep deprivation sucks, but, like you, I could not do the cry it out. To me that is teaching your kids that when it's dark and they need you, you won't come. She's only 7 months old. Start teaching her some baby signs and talk to her. She's at an age where she will start understanding your words. You can soothingly say things like "I would like to go back to sleep, so I need _____ to go back to sleep" "Nighttime is sleeping time." "I will pat your back for a couple minutes and then sit here for a bit while you fall asleep."
Our kids need security -- the kind that comes from knowing someone hears your cries and will answer them. It gets easier and they sleep longer over time. My 6 and 3 yo, will sleep through the night -- though the 3yo will test sometimes to see if I will answer her calls.
Check out "The No Cry Sleep Solution" -- it's got some great ideas that worked well with both my kids.

If you are tired and need sleep you will let her cry it out. It doesn't hurt her and will end in about 3 nights. Other wise you are teaching her to wake to be soothed to sleep. It's that simple. Food won't help as this is a habit to get nursed, patted, rocked, etc. She needs to realize that is for daytime. All of my kids slept through the night once I did the cry it out with my first that was trained by me to do what your going through now.

First off, I'm so sorry. Sleep deprivation is really rough, especially when you're trying to be a patient, caring and effective parent. There's a reason it's used as a torture technique, after all! I had the same issues with my two and it was hard to hear how "easy" other people's experiences were, when I felt like I was going crazy. Every kid is different and despite what a lot of people still say/believe, many children do not sleep through the night until the'yre 2 years old. Maybe not very comforting since you'd love some good sleep asap, but helpful perspective so you know you're not alone and eventually it gets better. I strongly recommend reading Mothering magazine's articles on the subject. Helpful advice from a non-cry it out perspective. But most importantly, do what you need to do to for your child and yourself. And get someone to watch the kids so you can get a nap and catch up regularly! Good luck mama - please message me if you want an ear.

While it's not abnormal for your daughter to be having sleep issues, you certainly do not have to accept it as being YOUR normal. Babies need to be taught to sleep, just as they learn everything else! Once you begin to feed them solids, they shouldn't need to be nursing all night. Here's something for you to try: when she wakes up, go in the room, no lights, and no talking except to say something soothing when you lay her back down - do not pick her up. Then, sit on a chair or the floor next to her crib, but do not look at her or engage. She may still cry, but do not engage unless she sits up (or stands, if she's pulling himself up). Each time you need to lay her back down, sit down further away from the crib - closer to the door.

Just try this out for a few nights to see if it helps (although it may take a week or longer) before you get in the habit of feeding her all night. If you read anything or even talk to your doctor, you will find out that they do not NEED to eat, but that becomes a soother, which is a very hard habit to break. Good luck!

My kids both still woke up at that age. I also breastfed, and they would usually wake up 3ish times (mine always nursed at 11:00 - they they waking up, but I hadn't gone to sleep yet because it was harder for me to wake up after only 1-2 hours of sleep than to just stay up and then nap with them during the day). My second woke up 3-4 times after he was 6 months old - he didn't nurse as well during the day (had to watch big brother/etc.!). My first sounds like your daughter. He just wouldn't sleep all night, even if he wasn't hungry. We decided to go back to co-sleeping so we could all get rest. It worked for us, but we did finally let him cry it out at about 13 months.

Don't know if knowing this helps you or not:) But your daughter is normal, and lots of us feel your pain with the sleep struggle. Good luck!!!!

It is pretty normal for a 7 month old to wake twice a night. My boys (8,6,and 3) did not sleep through the night until they reached 3. I co-slept, which helped, so I nursed them and got back to sleep quickly. My midwife said there are sleepers and there are non-sleepers. You aren't doing anything wrong, it is just how they are wired and apparently she needs her mama to feel secure. Try sleeping with her.....you can even nurse her laying down and you will be amazed how much more sleep you will get. Hang in there, it does get better.

I could have wrote this myself about my 7 mo. old son, I can totally sympathize! Most people were telling me when he was 5 months old to let him cry it out, he's old enough, blah blah. But I just don't have the heart to do it (yet). I just truly feel like he needs to be reassured that I will be there for him. With my daughter, I waited her out, she was an awful sleeper, then magically at 6 months she just got up once a night, then at 7 months started sleeping through. I was hoping the same thing would happen this time (worst case scenario), and my son was making progress, had a week or two when he was only up once. Now he has a cold and teething, and back to random, at least twice a night. Argh. He's not really hungry (but will fall back asleep quicker if he nurses a little). He gets so upset and worked up if I just leave him in there. Plus he scoots around and gets stuck in the corner of his crib.

Anyway, I read now that the "experts" who write books on the CIO method now say it should not be used on babies younger than 6 months, and it's a gradual process. I'm considering doing it once he's feeling better, and after we've caught up on sleep a little, as I know it will take time on our part.

It drives me CRAZY when mamas with babies that slept through really early try to give me the most obvious advice, as if I have no idea what I'm doing. Ie, swaddle him (when younger), background noise, make sure he's full & dry diaper, put him down drowsy but awak. DUH! I just think they have no clue, babies are really just different. Other than crying it out for a long time, I do everything else that's recommended, and like you have the same bedtime routine. I'm trying to wait him out, but getting sick of going to bed so early just to get enough sleep. Hoping you get some other good advice on here so I can use it also. Hang in there! You're not alone ;-)

Well I have two daughters as well a 6 year old and a 10 week old. My six year old slept through the night at 6 weeks but my 10 week old still gets up twice a night to eat...I have heard some kids take a year or more to sleep through the night. Since sleeping through the night is considered a milestone I believe all children achieve this at different rates.

We did modified CIO with our little one when he was around 9 months old and it worked wonders........
wish we hadn't waited so long......his problem was falling asleep - poor thing just couldn;t do it so my husband and I sat with him in his room while we let him figure it out....we would occassionally pat his back to let him know we were there and I was silently crying the whole time myself. He cried for 45 minutes the first night and then 15 minutes the next and after that we go up to his room, read a book, turn the lights out, turn on the sound machine and in 10-15 minutes he dozes off on the floor (makeshift bed) with me after which we put him in his crib..........now the waking in the middle of the night was harder to fix - so the rule is if we know he is not congested, doesn't have a tummy ache etc then we will not go up to his room unless it has been 8 plus hours since his last meal.....at which point of time he is hungry and needs to be fed........Good Luck... this is one of the hardest things I have had to do!!!!!