Parenting Newborns & Infants (0-1) Support Group

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/ Parenting Newborns & Infants (0-1) Support Group

11 mth old Sleep Issues

ShannonR
ShannonR
My 11 month old has had an ear infection going on 3wks. We just finished our 3rd antibiotic and have FINALLY gotten over the infection. However,, a new problem has come about - his sleeping habits. Before the infection, he was sleeping straight through the night. Once he developed the ear infection, he would go down initially in his crib but would wake up several times during the night and the only thing that would get him to sleep was to put him in bed with us. I do NOT want him sleeping w/ us (DH and I never get a sleep well as he moves all over the place) but I don't know what else to do. Rocking, walking and singing to him like we normally do (that works) to get him down for bed is not working at all. I have not wanted to do CIO since he is just finally getting over this infection so any advice or tips are much appreciated.
joleneLS
joleneLS
My daughter had 10 double ear infection in her first year. Laying her down on her back hurt her since fluid then flowed to her ears. When she was young we would put a pillow under her crib mattress to prop it up so she was slightly elevated. Once she was bigger we just put the pillow in for her to use. It helped immensley. We also used her swing for sleeping when she was little little and had an infection.
ShannonR
ShannonR
jolene - Holden LOVES the pillow. I'm pretty sure that is why he wants to go to our bed. He roots around on it until he falls asleep and then I lay him down on the bed between me and my husband (w/o a pillow). I was just asking a friend today how old they can be before you can put a pillow in their crib. I think it would make him alot more comfortable.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I would not put a pillow in the crib, as that can be a safety hazard. However, I would suggest, since you have problems sleeping with him in your bed, to either get a co-sleeper, convert your crib to one, or simply lay a mattress on the ground right next to you. That way, he gets the security of you being nearby, and you reclaim your bed. If the mattress is flat on the floor, he can have a pillow AND even if he rolls off, he does not have far to go (put something soft around the mattress anyway, just in case)
ShannonR
ShannonR
Franny - what is a "co-sleeper"...curious?
joleneLS
joleneLS
A cosleeper attatches to the side or your bed or sits rite beside your bed so that the baby is techinically in it's own bed but is still in arms reach.

I introduced a pillow at about ten months. It was firm and filled the crib accross wise. It was the only way she slept through the night. I figured if the blankets didn't smother her then a pillow should be fine, but it's your own choice. Franny is right, some people do veiw it as a hazard and I have had some people say that they don't use blankets until age 2. So it's up to you what you feel best with, but for me, a pillow was the key.