Sleeping Through the Night - Saint Paul, MN

I have to tell you B. S, I have found that when my kids were little if I let them cry it out for just a few nights, they will get the idea. You can go in a pat them on the bottom and tell them it will be OK, but don't pick them up. Very important!! If they are standing up just lay them back down and pat them good night. Don't keep coming into them. The one time should be fine. If they fall back asleep and then wake up again, you can then go back in and repeat the process. But let them cry themselves back to sleep. I promise this will work and being consistant is the key.

My 4 yr old has NEVER been a good sleeper. The most is 12 hours, and I can count that number on 2 hands. Usual is 10. I think every baby is different.

One thing that might be waking your darling, might be teeth. Mine sproited her first at exactly 7 months old with minimal discomfort leading up to it, except waking up alot.

My first son didn't sleep through the night until at least 10 months. My youngest son started sleeping through at 3 or 4 months. Every baby is different. When my youngest started teething he started waking up 3-5 times a night and all he wanted was his pacifier put back in his mouth because he couldn't find it. Is your daughter learning something new right now? Sitting up, crawling, talking, teething? Milestones create a change in sleep pattern. I am not against letting my boys cry it out but I can't handle it in the middle of the night so when I hear them I always get up to check on them. Most of the time I could just plug their nuks back in and they would go back to sleep. I haven't had to feed anyone in the middle of the night in many months. BUT, if she's hungry feed her.

I have been through this with BOTH my kids at this age- and they were never really hungry. This is when they figure out- Hey, if I cry at night, Mom or Dad will come! :) I remember with my son, being up at 3am frantically reading the Happiest Toddler on the Block (by Harvy Karp) to figure out what to do. And guess what, his advice worked GREAT. You should read the book, but basically it is a modified "cry it out" plan. The gist of it is that you are supposed to go to the door when they cry, but make NO move to go into the room. Then, just say, "Everything is okay" and leave. You need to keep doing this is longer and longer increments of time and eventually they learn that crying WON'T get them picked up, BUT that mom is around and will come if seriously needed. I did it with both kids. Give it a try and see!

I'm not sure how you are putting him to bed at night, but I was having this same problem with my almost 7 month old and the doctor said to get him ready for bed, feed him, then keep him up for a half hour before putting him in his crib - awake. I have been doing this for a week now and both of us have slept through every night. He goes to bed about 8 and wakes up at 7. Our pediatrician said that doing this teaches them to learn to go to sleep on their own, and not to need to be fed in order to sleep. (Prior to this past week I would nurse him until he fell asleep).

Hope this helps - Good luck!

My son started sleeping through the night at 12 months when we stopped breast feeding. However, "through the night" has never meant 12 hours for us. He sleeps a very solid 10 hours, from about 7:15-5:15, then he's up and ready to go! So you may never get 12 hours, I'm sorry to say!

Sleeping 11-12 hrs for any child is asking alot. 8 hrs is greats! If you want her to sleep later then keep her up a little longer at night. When they go through growth spurts or for many other reasons that we may never know they do wake up sometimes in the night hungry. I am a mother of 4 breastfed babies. All are grown now but you should count your lucky star when she sleeps even 8 hrs. They need to eat more often when they are growning. Ask your dr if you need more assistance with this. Deb L.

My first question is if she is going through a growing spurt she may need more nourishment, secondly how much other food is she eating, ie cereal, veg and fruit, have you started on any of these?
You may want to try feeding her cereal for dinner, make sure it's not too close to bedtime that way she won't be waking you for a bowl movement.
Good luck

My daughter didn't sleep through the night until she was just over a year, and even now, she does not sleep 12 hours most of the time, it is usually closer to 10. She was the same way at that age though, very inconsistent with her sleep patterns.

B.,

I wouldn't go back to nighttime feedings. She doesn't need them if she has made it a few nights and her body will become dependant on them if it becomes a habit. She may be going through a growth spirt.

Wait out the 5am feeding. Don't go get her unless she is REALLY awake, screaming and hungry. Then make sure the meal is just enough to satisfy her to go back to bed. Try giving her something more filling before bed - oatmeal, stage 3 jar with meat in it, etc. And make sure she is very full; all she can hold.

Good luck,
S.

My little guy is 19 months now but I found the advice from
Tracy Hogg in "The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems" helpful. The book is sectioned by ages and development and offers many usable strategies for sleep issues with our little darlings.