Baby 6 months old next week but still not sleeping through help!

Ishtar

DD doesn't often sleep through and I would say that for the past couple of months we might be lucky and get 2 nights a week where she doesn't wake us up, which is an improvement on earlier in the year. She'll be 3 in December and has never really been one to sleep (she dropped her naps over a year ago) - I'm sure she thinks it's for wimps!

I'm not sure that I can really add to the advice given above, since DD doesn't really sleep through but I do wonder whether moving her to another room might help? This worked for us for a while and although we still had wakeful nights we could listen to her on the monitor and decide whether to get up or not. Some nights she took herself back off to sleep and other nights were not so good.

I hope you sort something soon.
D.

lindos90

Not sure if Im suposed to, but would recomend a book.....'the contented little baby book' by Gina Ford.

I saw it quite by chance when I was in ELC with my two boys, (was pregnant at the time), but thought it looked a good book and bought a copy from ebay.

I have to say it is the best book I have bought! Gina is a very experienced Nanny and talks you through several case studies to show you how it works, she gives very resuring advice, and a routine that worked really well for my baby (girl!!!)

You can introduce the routine at any age, I think we started trying it when she was about 4 months.

Now maybe she sleeps well compaired to my boys when they were her age because Im a more confident mum, I dont know. All I can say is I wish I had seen the book 10 years ago!!!

Moominmamma

Hi

Just wondered if you'd considered switching to step up milk? Could be pure coincidence but my 7 month old has definately been sleeping much better since he's been on it. And also can K get her dummy back in on her own during the day? My lo is able to do so and so we've started using a dummy clip clipped to his grobag at night which means that he can find it easily if it falls out and we don't need to go and grope down the side of the cot for it in the middle of the night!! Lastly, as a pp has mentioned he also slept much better as soon as he went into his own room...

Hope you find a solution soon!!

M x

marshmallowsryummy

You poor thing,I ooze empathy.........my 2 yr old boy,so different from the girlies(twins,now 13),seemed to need so little sleep ,+ still does - exhausting ( + I am a single parent to boot!!)
Many people will offer different advice : controlled crying,get rid of dummies etc etc but at the end of the day there is no ideal solution + the essence is on both mental + physical survival.
Do what you need to to keep you sane + remember...it's not forever......if they need a dummy........give it............a cuddle..........give it ..........a bottle........give it.In 2 yrs time they will be different as will their needs + demands.Too much focus on all the written rules on how to look after your baby can get you down + lose focus on you enjoying it.
I read a book called 'teach your child to sleep',never got to the end as the intro went on about tribal women who carry very contented babies around in sling 'cos they love to be cuddled........that did it for me.As long as you are a little firm now + again,give your baby what it wants ( hopefully with the support of a partner),they are beautiful needy little beings who grow up 2 fast.............doesn't help your psyche but a SOH does ( + wine).
The fact that you are writing on here means you are a caring mum...........enjoy........persevere............drink wine............talk to your OH.......try to laugh........and love your little one lots xx

veryskint_3

marshmallowsryummy wrote: »

You poor thing,I ooze empathy.........my 2 yr old boy,so different from the girlies(twins,now 13),seemed to need so little sleep ,+ still does - exhausting ( + I am a single parent to boot!!)
Many people will offer different advice : controlled crying,get rid of dummies etc etc but at the end of the day there is no ideal solution + the essence is on both mental + physical survival.
Do what you need to to keep you sane + remember...it's not forever......if they need a dummy........give it............a cuddle..........give it ..........a bottle........give it.In 2 yrs time they will be different as will their needs + demands.Too much focus on all the written rules on how to look after your baby can get you down + lose focus on you enjoying it.
I read a book called 'teach your child to sleep',never got to the end as the intro went on about tribal women who carry very contented babies around in sling 'cos they love to be cuddled........that did it for me.As long as you are a little firm now + again,give your baby what it wants ( hopefully with the support of a partner),they are beautiful needy little beings who grow up 2 fast.............doesn't help your psyche but a SOH does ( + wine).
The fact that you are writing on here means you are a caring mum...........enjoy........persevere............drink wine............talk to your OH.......try to laugh........and love your little one lots xx

I totally agree do whatever you find works!!!

akaddcmp

hi OP

we have the same problem however our daughtwer is now 9mnths old. i guess the otehr difference is that ours refuses to take dummies/bottle at all and hence she is stuck on the teat for most of hte night (so count yourself lucky!) so its extremely tiring and confusing. im sure you have been offered alot of advice over here as i have been and i recommmend you to take the advice!!

your issue may be that the baby isnt being fed or just wants very regurlar feeds (not meaning to say u dont feed the kid but sometimes they just want more) but if your sure that isnt the problem then its probly just comfort waking/crying. the baby most likely wants regurlar feeds because shes only 6 months and i think at bout 7 months most babies tend to sleep most of the night although they still wake up once/twice (thats what ive been told by ppl with 2+kids)


i think you should just try your hardest and feed the kid if she wants food but dont give in to comfort feeding! also if your getting tired then speak to your OH after all both of you are in this together do alternate shifts/weeks?? tjhis may not be possible coz your OH might have to get up for work and stuff. also why dont you try sleeping when the kid sleeps, she should sleep sometime during the day as well so uyou can catch up on sleep as well??

but as people keep telling me PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE and once your little one gets a little older then you will find out it was alll worth it!

newmum1

I wouldnt really worry about it my dd is 2 and does not sleep through she wakes up at 2am every day and gets out of her bed to come into mine sometimes she is thirsty and just wants a drink other time its a cuddle shes after.:)

Delilah

i don't feel i can say too much here as we have started letting our 9 month old get in with us when she wakes at about five am some mornings - she goes back to sleep for another couple of hours!! I like to justify it as SURVIVAL..:beer:

Easier said than done - i would lose the dummy try a top that you have worn or a small blanket/spit cloth, something that they can find in the night.

Also the Gina Ford book already mentioned, was good but just take little bits from it - found it a bit much.

blue_monkey_2

I am sorry to hear about the sleep problems, I am the same as a lot of others though. I have 2 very healthy children, I never used to let them sleep after 3pm s I could get them down, they were in bed by 7pm each night 9still are) even if they are not tired and it is only recently they started sleeping through. Get rid of the dummy as the baby will not get up looking for it. you might think this hard but at 18 months it took my son 2 days to realise hwas not getting it anymore. It'll be the hardest thing you'll ever do but it does help I promise, I found this was my problem. have a routine, get them to bed each night at the same time even if they are not tired. Al babies will need a drink during the night, i think my son was 2 before he started not needing a night feed but he gets milk at bedtime. All babies are different, I am still exhausted and mine are coming up 5 and 3, that is part of having a baby. if you have partner them get them to do the bottle as well, I used to BF but then give a bottle during the night so I could sleep if I had to, I used to take warm ater up in a flask, by the time the baby woke the water was just right or needed cooling, make up the bottle in the bedroom and give them the bottle. You should not feel bad about this if BF. Good luck, not all babies are angels, I scould have swung for anyone who told me their baby was sleeping for 13 hours a night as mine used to get up every few hours. You have to spend the day napping when you baby does, there is nothing more relaxing than putting your baby on your chest and having a nap with them, who cares if the housework goes to pot every now and then, get yourself some rest when your baby does, once they drop that sleep you'll know it. it happens without you realising as well. Oh yes, one more thing, put your baby in the cot to go to sleep, do not cuddle sit or hold her, that is what she is waiting for if she has woken and you are not there. Give her the bottle while she is in the cot, she will get used to not being picked up at night and don't put lights on if you can help it. Sleep with a landing light on so there is no extra light coming into the room to wake the baby more - that is what I did. We got there eventually. it is very strange to get up in the mroning and think 'Gasp, it's morning, whats happened to the baby!!' and they are sleeping soundly. it'll come soon, you just have to wait a little longer I am afraid. Good luck.

Delilah

Sorry I didn’t put this on post before but was just having a look through your routine. I’m not picking holes in your routine but just suggesting things you could differ slightly – I take it you are at the stage where you would try anything???

To me breakfast looks late and tea looks early; its three meals in the space of six hours, if she is hungry at these times and you want to try spreading them out, try snacks in-between.
You say baby eats well, make dinner a bit later half four five try and make the dinner something heavy on her tummy, like the casserole and mash, and give her a bit more if she’ll take it.

We do Breakfast at 8am lunch at 12 noon and tea at 5.15, not saying I am right just what works for us. Snack (yoghurt or giant watsit snack Organix do) at 10.30 and at 3.30 cucumber and carrot sticks or broccoli. Naps at 9ish, one before or after lunch, if before then a nap at around 4ish if after lunch no late afternoon nap but earlier bedtime.

Naps look short – is baby waking up crying, if yes try putting her back down again with a little milk or I get mine in bed with me (on weekends) so both get a sleep. If baby is waking up happy may just not be a sleepy baby. Not all babies want the recommended daily amount.
Try offering 2 oz warm milk before you put her down for a nap (it all adds up).
Lack of milk may be playing a part, if she won’t take a lot, try little and often like 3 oz every 3 hrs or something like that. 7am – 7pm that’s 15oz if she’ll take it, then gradually rebuild it back up. Or try some half hour before her meals (when she’s hungry) and the rest afterwards. Try lunch a little earlier and move both naps earlier. Our daughter is better with the three naps. We have blackout blinds but if she’s tired she’ll sleep regardless.
I would stop with the juice and just offer milk or water, at least til she is getting all her milk again.

One thing I did take from the Gina ford book is that if a baby has had all its food and drink during the day then they shouldn’t wake up for anything in the night.
This post may seem bitty and like I have picked holes but I’m just offering little bits I found helped for us, and also I am at work so having to swap screens a lot. My DD (night baby) used to sleep all day then awake all night till 6 weeks when we gradually ½ hour by ½ hour turned her body clock around.
Also I wouldn’t try and change too much at once.
Hope this helps. Good luck