Sleeping Through the Night - Bristow,OK

Updated on January 05, 2013
C.Y. asks from Bristow, OK
6 answers

Hi, I have three kids. My 14 month old son still wakes up to nurse every 3-4hrs. Some times even every 2hrs. I am fixing to get a new house with my bf. He has two boys ages 2 & 3. I want to continue nursing until he is 2, but I want to cut him off at night. Though it seams to be the only way to get him back to sleep. He is also in a toddler bed since he can climb out of a crib. So I have been strugling with him staying in his own bed. When we move to the new house all of the boys will be in one big room. I would hate for my little one to be waking up our other children. Any tips on getting my little man to sleep through the night before we move in?

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V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

If you nurse him to sleep at bedtime, he has learned that THAT is what he needs to go to sleep, so when he wakes during the night, guess what he requires from you?

I agree with Missy F, except that I wouldn't start with the middle of the night wakings. I would start with his bedtime. Once he learns how to soothe himself to sleep at bedtime (which ought to be around 7 pm?), then he will know what to do when he wakes at 2:00 a.m. The only thing that will be required then, is for you to give him a chance to learn that he uses the same tools/techniques then as he does at bedtime. That means not going in to him the second he makes any noise or fusses. You'll have to give him a chance to try it on his own.

Start with bedtime first. Then, when he learns to go to sleep without being nursed to sleep, rocked to sleep, given a bottle in the bed, or other interventions by you, you can move on to middle of the night waking and going back to sleep. It doesn't mean you just stick him in bed. You should have a nice bedtime routine in place already... maybe a bottle or small snack, brushing teeth, pj's, a story (while rocking in a rocking chair?), prayers, lights out, hugs and kisses goodnight, then YOU leave. When you can do that, then he won't need YOU to fall back asleep at 3:00 a.m.
:)

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D.C.

answers from Pittsburgh on

You may want to look at this website. I found it pretty valuable. I didn't co-sleep, but I took the night-weaning aspects and applied them. Good luck.

http://drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleeppattern.html

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

At 14 months, there is no reason for him to need to eat during the night, let alone every few hours. He's using you as a pacifier. He thinks he needs you to put him back o sleep everytime he wakes in the middle of the night, not because he's hungry, but because he's never had to learn to comfort himself and that it's ok to wake and not have mommy come in. I would simply stop feeding him when he wakes in the night. He'll fuss, cry, scream but only because you've taught him that he needs to nurse to go back to sleep. At first, you can go in, rub his back for a bit, soothe him with words, but don't nurse and don't pick him up. After a few days, stop going in all together. It will be a week or so of rough nights, but better for everyone in the long run. You have a hard job ahead to teach him he can go back to sleep on his own, but it's past time he learned. Think of it this way: potty training isn't fun, can be a nightmare the first few days if the child isn't willing, but it's a skill they must learn and if you wait until they're 5 it will only be harder.

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

When he wakes to nurse at night, offer him water in a cup. After a few nights, he should stop waking. And yes, he will scream when you refuse to nurse. Hold him and rock him, but do not feed him!

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B.B.

answers from Missoula on

You got some good answers from Missy and Victoria, and I would recommemd the book Solving Your Child's Sleep Problems by Dr. Ferber. It has a great method for gradually weaning your son from night feedings.

That said, the transition to a new house and new sleeping arrangements may be enough to cause bedtime regressions in your kiddo, especially if the move is soon after you get him sleeping through the night. Just something to keep in mind.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

At 14 months the table food he is eating should hold him through the night. So I doubt he's actually hungry that many times per night. I'd make sure to keep track of his intake of foods during the day for several day to make sure he's eating as much as you think.

So, that said. I give the kids a good snack around bedtime they will usually not wake up starving for breakfast. They wake up early and cranky if they don't get that late snack.

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