Restablishing sleep

[luvboston]

DS2 has been sick for 18 weeks he just got tubes and is a mess at night. He cries in his sleep and sits up while sleeping so I will pick him up.
What are suggestions for reestablishing a normal way of sleeping?

The pedi wants to refer him to a sleep specialist but I think it's a bit absurd considering he used to STTN and we haven't even tried anything yet.

[mrswillie]

We had a similar issue with DS2 after all the ear infections and constantly being sick ruined his sleep. We went back to CIO.

[Deleted]

I don't have any advice but you have my sympathies. I've been having the same issue with my dd since she got sick.

[turquoisequeen]

Do you have a special routine where you always sing a certain song? Maybe you could try that as a cue to to be time go back to sleep. We used twinkle twinkle when we sleep trained. Also maybe increase the time until you intervene by a few minutes each day to see if he can self soothe? Sort of a slightly gentler CIO if you think that may not work with him.

[katemonster]

Do you have a video monitor that you can talk through? I used to always go in and pick up DS but now I just tell him he's okay and to go back to sleep via monitor.

[luvboston]

turquoisequeen yes we have a special song but it hasn't been working
I have tried to increase the time until we get him but it seems to make him cry harder/longer
katemonster we have regular monitor we can talk through

Thanks!

[turquoisequeen]

Sleep stuff is so hard. I never feel like there is just one right answer unfortunately. I have found some of the articles on the baby sleep site helpful. Hang in there luv!

[bluefairy5]

luvboston, when you say increase the time you wait to get him, do you mean from the first time he wakes up you're trying to make that wait longer and longer? I found that had the same effect on WF, and doing gradual intervals was much more effective with her (which surprised me, actually). If you're doing Ferber or something like it, this is of course not a helpful suggestion. :/

[luvboston]

@bluefairy yes I just try and shush him as opposed to just getting him

[nikiswimr]

We have similar issues when E gets sick. I always have to revert to a version of CIO. We also do gradually increasing intervals of waiting to go see her when she wakes, and then if that fails, gradually increasing intervals of going back in and reassuring her. Usually it only takes one night then she sort of remembers.