Sleeping Through the Night - Kuna, ID

Hi K.
Barring any physical problems, babies need to go back to sleep independently. All kids wake up in the night, most go back to sleep without waking parents.
I am a firm believer that kids understand a lot more than we think so I talked to them honestly about everything. Tell her that she needs to learn to go back to sleep on her own like most big kids do. Tell her she is not to cry in the middle of the night, but must close her eyes and breath slowly and try to go back to sleep. I lay down with my daughter in the afternoon and we practiced closing eyes and breathing slowly to go back to sleep, then I told her she was old enough to do this on her own. I told her I would not come to her in the night if she cried except to remind her to close her eyes and breath slowly. After a few nights I told her I would not come to her in the night to help remind her anymore because she was clever enough to remember on her own.
It worked for me. Babies respond the the stimulus in their environment. By coming in a loving them back to sleep we reinforce the waking. Cuddle them in the morning instead and let them know how proud you are that they are able to go back to sleep on their own.
Good luck with the 13 yr old. I found that age less easy to read!!

Dear K.,

I know I am young in the mom game but when I was trying to get my children to sleep through the night I would give them an hour before bed to calm down where I would just hold them or read to them then I would give them a warm bath and put them in their pajamas and feed them something filling, nothing with sugar usually cream of wheat or rice. Good luck!

Tosha L

My 14 month old daughter was the worst sleeper ever. I tried everything to get her to go & stay asleep. The trick is you have to first make sure you have a bedtime routine and stick to it every night. Ours is a snack and some milk at about 6:45, in the bath by 7:00, read a bedtime story and then put her to bed awake by 7:30. The tough part is that you then have to let them cry it out! When i first started this she would cry for about 15 min. at bed time and them would wake up during the night and once even cried for 4 hours. Once you decide to let them cry it out you can not I repeat can not go and get them or they will never give up. Babies are smart. I had to put in ear plugs to help cope. I know it sounds mean but after about 2 weeks she stopped (crying was less & less as the days went by) Now i can just lay her in her crib awake and she falls asleep with no crying and sleeps ALL NIGHT! I also bought a sound machine that blocks out noises that might wake her during the night. and for the first week a nurse told me to give her Benedryl just to help make her sleepy. I felt like the worst mother ever letting her cry all night like that but babies need to learn to fall asleep on their own. Those 2 weeks were really hard but it was worth it.

What has worked well for us is ROUTINE. We do not like to give a warm bath every night because it can be drying, but that is a good start. This is our bedtime routine:

Turn on cool mist Humidifier
Turn on night night music (same song)
Wash face and mouth
Clean and aspirate nose
Comb hair
Full body MASSAGE (classes are offered at many area hospitals and run about $40)
Jammies
Nurse
Bed

Our daughter did not start truely sleeping through the night until we encorporated the massage. It's never too late to start. If for some reason Teya does wake in the middle of the night I pick her up then put her straight back to bed. Very little words so she knows it's night night time.

Good Luck!

I agree with the other post. Consistent bedtime routine, a reasonable hour like 7pm for a 17mos old, the same bedtime every night and maybe even have to let them cry it out. At 17 mos there is no reason not to be sleeping through the night unless it is growth spurts or teething both of which can be remedied with Tylenol at bedtime. Hang in there.

It would help to know what your current schedule is like, but here are some things to think about: Is she getting up and going to bed at the same time? Are there any street or family noises interrupting her? Is it too hot or too cold in her room? Is she a regular teether? Do you enable her to get up (like she fusses because she lost her pacifier and you go get it for her)? Or is it simply just a habit for her now? There are several ways to teach your child to go back to sleep by herself and unfortunately, you may need to let her cry it out and figure it out herself. Whatever fix you find works for you, just make sure you are completely and totally consistent! One break in the routine and they'll take advantage of it! Good luck!

I have the same problem with my 22 month old son. He has sleep apnia. The doctor recomended getting his tonsils and adnoids out. He wakes himself up snoring. Maybe you should have your doctor look into this and see if maybe it is a medical condition and not just a bad sleeping baby. Hope this helps. I am excited to see if the surgery helps my son sleep.

I gave my daughter a bath before she went to bed with a camamille and lavender bath soak. itcalms them . also i would read to her.

Dear K.
Please respond to you baby's needs. Research shows that letting your baby, 'cry it out,' leads to more clinginess, sleep disorders and anxiety disorders laterin life. It also teaches children not to trust their world and their parents. Routine is helpful, but since this is still a baby, she may be just plain lonely. Do you lay down with her to sleep? Nurse her to sleep? Sleep with the baby in close proximity? The only way I ever got any sleep with my two children was when they were in bed with me - we both slept throught the night.
good luck
remember, children are people not projects. Use your intuition.
S.