Sleep training.. about to go mental!
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Topic: Sleep training.. about to go mental!
Posted By: ChikkyD
Subject: Sleep training.. about to go mental!
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 12:02pm
Ok, so for the last month or so DD has been waking up at 1am, having a feed and then when i attempt to put her back into bed she just cries and cries and cries 
Pervoiusly she would wake maybe one or twice a night have a feed then i would put her back into bed and go back to sleep, she self settles for all her naps and at the beginning of the night. I have thought that it may be teething and given pamol and it hasn't made a difference, checked too hot/too cold and have ruled that out. Checked wet/dirty. She is on her own routine during the day and has about 2x 2 hour naps and maybe one other short nap. She doesn't have a dummy. I thought something alone the lines of seperation anxiety but she is fine during all her naps or if i put her down on the floor and leave her she won't cry. She had just learn't how to crawl so i have put her back in her basinette until we sort her sleeping otherwise she just gets into silly positions in her cot. SO does it sound to you guys like she needs sleep training? Do you think she is waking up and crying for the sake of it? or do you think there may be a reason for her crying Also how to you go about sleep training? Do you just put them in there bed and leave them to it until they've selpt a full night!? Any comments/thoughts/idea would be totally appreciated!! -------------   
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Replies:
Posted By: FionaO
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 1:18pm
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Crawling wow she is young. Tricky, it depends on what you are comfortable doing - have you thought of a safety sleep or something to keep her still in the cot. Sleep training basically involves you choosing a method of getting them to sleep or in your case back to sleep, there are so many options, crying and none crying ways to go, so you probably need to think about what you could handle. Its a bit random she only cries then, so i doubt its separation - you could try the verbal reassurance thing, go to her pat until she calms down but don't pick up, walk away for say 5 mins, if she starts again go in pat until calm or say ssh until calm or something, then go away for 10 mins and so on ------------- 
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Posted By: Danda08
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 1:24pm
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Are you doing a dreamfeed? And what time does she go down for the night?
Check out The Sleepstore website http://www.thesleepstore.co.nz/ - here They have heaps of useful sleep info for different ages and stages and also have details on the different sleep training techniques. There is also a Facebook page with a discussions board to you can find out other people's experiences. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: CJsays
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 4:12pm
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hmmm have you tried white noise? that is the only thing that has worked with E when she hasn't settled, we had a bout of that but only for 3 days and she got herself sorted thankfully, i feel your pain... wow a month of it. could be dark room as well, have you tried a wee nite light? or a snuggly friend could be a good time to try introduce a special bed pal like a blankie or good sized teddy? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: crafty1
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 5:10pm
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I remember reading somewhere that if babies wake at the exact same time each night it is more habit than anything wrong. The solution was to set your alarm and go in 15 mins earlier and slightly rouse out of a deeper sleep and then they reset their clock without waking at that same time. something like that. Maybe someone else has tried it.
I know that at about 4 months their sleep changes and they become more alert. Most babies sleep gets a bit harder cos they are more aware. If she is happy when you pick her up then there is probably nothing particularly wrong. More just wanting to spend some time with you. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: Faffer
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 7:17pm
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Ouch, a month of it!
Could it be related to her learning to crawl? I'm sure I heard somewhere that sleep turns to custard and they're more unsettled when they're learning a new skill. Though a month seems like a long time for it to be that. I tried the rouse to sleep with DD when she was about 3-4 months to try and get her to string a couple of sleep cycles together. Even though every bone in my body was screaming not to wake a sleeping baby it seemed to work pretty well. Not so sure how we'd go with it now she's more aware though. -------------  
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 7:28pm
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I could have written this post myself, even since DD started to move - rolling/crawling her sleep has been awful.
She used to wake once in the night get fed and put back to bed and sleep instantly. Now she wakes up all hours its super frustrating, I did try VR and it sort of worked, got her sleeping 10pm till 6am which was great, will give it another attempt when Dh comes home. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: InthemiddleMummy
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 8:15pm
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try not feeding her. perhaps it is just overfilling her belly and giving her wind. according to babywise which is what I followed with my girls if she is having 6 milk feeds during the day they dont need one at night at 5months, if she is on solids she only needs 4 milk feeds during the day and nothing at night.
a month of waking definately sounds like a habit to me, but hey im no plunket nurse, you are the mum, so you try what you think might work for you and your baby hun. |
Posted By: clover
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 8:26pm
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DS started doing this by wanting to start the day at 4am all of last week. Thankfully it's gone back to 5.30/6 this week but he does still wake 2/3 times per night (after waking only once at around 3 months old). I do feel your pain.
I suppose it depends on what you're comfortable with. We've never left DS to cry and never will but if you can do the 2 minute, 5 minute, 10 minute verbal reassuring routine and are comfortable with the crying I know that has worked for a number of friends of mine. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 8:44pm
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I couldn't handle the crying which is why I failed at sleep training. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: CJsays
Date Posted: 25 July 2011 at 9:21pm
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I second that, not doing the crying here either, stresses me out more than the baby i think. much prefer to know she is happy and knows she can get cuddles if she needs them, i believe you can't spoil a baby with cuddles when they cry and E is proof of that, she STTN and the times she has cried and needed a cuddle she doesnt go into a spell of needing it for days on end. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: ChikkyD
Date Posted: 26 July 2011 at 11:08am
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I agree the waking is totally a habit - not so sure about the crying though, which is why i want to sleep train her but don't know where to start!
What has (or hasn't) worked for other people? I would love to go to the library and get some sleep training books but i'm snowed in today  -------------
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Posted By: buzylizy
Date Posted: 26 July 2011 at 1:06pm
| I think she might be sleeping just a little too much during the day and is therefore not sleepy enough at night. Try cutting back one of the sleeps and see what happens. |
Posted By: buzylizy
Date Posted: 26 July 2011 at 1:11pm
| I think she might be sleeping just a little too much during the day and is therefore not sleepy enough at night. Try cutting back one of the sleeps and see what happens. |
Posted By: newme
Date Posted: 26 July 2011 at 3:35pm
No offense Girls Rock - but this is bad advice. Babywise has been linked to 'failure to thrive' and dehydration many many MANY times! Your baby may be going through a stage where she is more active during the day and needs a night feed. I would just try and give her what she needs at night for a bit longer, and she will probably grow out of it soon. It is probably just a stage. |
Girls Rock wrote:Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 26 July 2011 at 5:10pm
Agree. I would avoid Babywise cos it ain't. Wise. lol  -------------   http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: pudgy
Date Posted: 26 July 2011 at 6:59pm
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I agree Babywise is not wise at all !! As well as the above that Emmecat mentioned it will wreck haoc with your supply. And who wa ts to listen to their baby cry because so,eone else says they shouldn't be.
At 5 months its common for sleeping habits and in fact all habits/rouines to change. There is a lot of things happening developmentally. I'd say her just learing to crawl will be having an impa t, she'll be wanting to try it out all the time 
I would just roll with it , this too shall pass, or at least do some research into the effects of sleep training on babies. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: InthemiddleMummy
Date Posted: 29 July 2011 at 8:58pm
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oh I see the babywise haters are at me again.
oh yes chikkyd i failed to mention that BABYWISE is very controversial, but is up to you what you want to read/follow you will find this book in your local library or on trademe. And at 5months those day naps sound perfect to me, as in I dont think she is getting too much sleep during the day. Im not sure what you mean by BABYWISE wreaking havoc with your supply as i used nipple shields (also meant to demission your supply) and followed babywise from when a friend told me the tips and gave me the book from 8weeks onwards and never had any breast milk supply issues, baby never cried to sleep after the first 2-3 days. So many people would comment on what a happy/bonny baby I had and when she started preschool at 8.5months all the teachers just couldnt believe she went to sleep happy and woke happy ie never cried to sleep and never woke up crying. They thought it was amazing she wasnt feed to sleep. Also she was 75% for height and weight all the way thru so that is certainly not failure to thrive. but hey different strokes for different fokes. Not like Im holding a gun to your head saying do babywise now, it was just a suggestion on what worked for us. Oh yeah and too add to the controversy she never had solids till 8months, (dd1 was 10months) no one believed me that a breast feed baby could sleep thru the night and be so content. (this was something recommend to me by plunket nothing to do with babywise by the way) Hope you work out something that works for you and bubs and you get your sleep back soon.
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 29 July 2011 at 9:26pm
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In my experience despite what plunket say, sleeping and starting solids don't necessarily have anything to do with one another.
I have found DD's sleep or lack of directly related to her development. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: newme
Date Posted: 30 July 2011 at 11:26am
No was it 'at' you. I provided further information about known and recognised medical complications that can arise from the BabyWise system. Also I don't 'hate' babywise. I have just read a lot of literature about the negative implications that the system can create. I am glad it worked for you. Like you said - each to their own. |
Posted By: JoJames
Date Posted: 30 July 2011 at 8:07pm
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Girls rock might have a point about wind, have you tried keeping her upright for an extra 5 minutes post feed just to help settle.
Or I would try Swaddling or a safe t sleep if you haven' t already, or it might be that after a nice warm snuggly feed she is startling at going back into a cold bed, maybe try putting a heat pack in her bed while you feed her. Also as you say, she might have had a problem at the beginning but it might be a habit now. My boys both did quite well with shh pats. And maybe it would be a good time to introduce a cuddly to see if she has a bit of seperation anxiety. THe thing I always found with leaving them to cry was that it often woke them up more so then trying to get them to sleep was a real mission. Just some ideas that worked for me Good luck it is only a season and they change their habits so quickly ------------- http://www.alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: ChikkyD
Date Posted: 03 August 2011 at 11:50am
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Just to update that the sleeping is getting worse so were going to 'Ferberise' her.
Have just read his book SYCSP, and in the chapter on feedings during the night causing sleep problems.. well the child who was the case study in the book could have been my DD it was so spot on!! I feel really comfortable with the progressive approach outlined in the book and really hope it works for us -------------
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 03 August 2011 at 12:27pm
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IMO five months old is too young to force to sleep. i would expect her to still need her mum at that age. I would make sure that she is swaddled and has a good solid bed time routine and that there isnt something else like teeth affecting her sleep. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: ChikkyD
Date Posted: 03 August 2011 at 2:15pm
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She is 6 months and has a good bed time routine, in my original post I mentioned that have ruled out teeth etc.
IMO when shes waking up every hour and falling asleep on the boob as soon as i chuck it in her mouth I believe that she has formed a bad habit that needs to be addressed and I think she would be much happier with a decent nights sleep and only 1 feed overnight if she needs it  -------------
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Posted By: islandgirl
Date Posted: 05 August 2011 at 6:55pm
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Awesome you found something that suits you Chikky!! Sounds like it's worked well which is fantastic. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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