Parenting Newborns & Infants (0-1) Support Group
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Ok, I've been at it for a few nights and have been failing miserably. I'm trying to break the routines of rocking my 7 month old to sleep and feeding her twice during the night and usually falling asleep with her after a nighttime feeding. The book I got Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West recommends an earlier bed time, consistent naps, consistent meals, and to put the baby down drowsy but awake. I've been doing all of this, focusing on putting her to bed drowsy but awake at night. She wakes up immediately and cries. I sit by the bed and say shhh and pat her tummy, etc. I only pick her up if she is hysterical and put her back down drowsy but awake. This goes on for almost 2 hours! Last night I finally picked her up and rocked and breastfed her to sleep. Exactly what the book sais NOT to do. Help!!!!
DLR77
Unfortunately, as you know, I have no help to offer as we are in the same boat. I have to believe it's just a matter of time before they one day fall asleep in the crib and just stay asleep until the morning. (I have to believe this or I'll just lose it, I think). Good luck and I'll send fairy sleep dust your way...
deleted_user
I may not be of much help, and this may not be what you want to hear, but as I've said in other topics I followed the Ferber method. That is to say, we went through a nightly routine of letting our two sons cry it out for short periods of time. You do your nightly routine, put baby down drowsy but awake, leave the room. Let her cry for 1-2 minutes, go back in and increase to 3-4 minutes, next 5-6 minutes, 7-8 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 15, 15, 15. The next night, start at 5, then 10, then 15, then 20, 20, 20 and so on. With us, it only took a few short minutes for one or two nights, but it does work if you are strong and consistent. The theory behind this is that baby needs to learn to fall asleep on their own. If they are put down asleep and wake up, they don't have the ability to get back to sleep because they don't know how. Ideally, there should be no vices (music, pacifiers, rocking) because if they wake up in the middle of the night they will still count on those vices. Many people feel that letting baby cry it out is cruel and I cannot say that I would truly have the stomach for it, myself, had it not turned out to be (by the grace of God) fairly uneventful for us. However, it did work and I know of many, many people for whom it has also worked for. Bottom line: You'll do what feels right and if this, or what you're doing doesn't feel right, don't let anyone tell you differently. Maybe your baby still needs her current routine for a little longer. Maybe give it a break for a month and then try again in a month. Also, VERY IMPORTANT, if you decide to use the above method it is best to start with her first nap rather than at night. If you work at it consistently with naps throughout a full day, you may find that once you get to the evening you and she will be less emotional and less likely to throw in the towel. Best of luck! :)
deleted_user
I'm so sorry you're having a rough go at this. I don't have any advise to offer, but send you big hugs to help get you through. :o)
lastvice
Thank you guys so much for the support! I started to let her cry it out, 40 minutes 2 nights ago, then about 25 minutes last night. She didn't get hysterical, just cried and complained and then babbled and went to sleep. It's getting better, thank goodness.
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