I don't know what to do about LO's sleep. But I don't think it's a phase at this point.
He was sleeping 5-6 hours until two weeks ago when he started getting up every 1-2 hrs, but only eating once overnight.
I put him down, not completely asleep, so that he can learn to put himself asleep, and I know he can.
I thought we were turning a corner last night. He slept 4.5 hours for his first stretch! That's a miracle these days. But then he was up every hour, until I finally pulled him into bed with us and got a 2 hour stretch.
What do I do?! I seriously can't continue waking up so often, and it's not a healthy sleep for him, either. How can I encourage him to sleep better after that first wake up, especially since he's not even waking to eat...I'm at a loss, and so, so exhausted.
ETA He sleeps in an Arms Reach Cosleeper in our room, and is swaddled in one of those Love to Dream swaddles. He hates the swing, doesn't sleep any better in the rock n play, and we have white noise going, which knocks him out immediately for naps!
My LO sleeps much better since we transitioned her out of our room and into the nursery. I also put a fan on her because she wakes up if she gets hot. Lately, staring at stuff above her (mobile, ceiling fan, butterflies hanging from her ceiling) also knocks her out. Good luck!
For the most part my LO is also doing better in his own space. I know DH coming to bed woke him up as did DH waking up and if he heard either of us go to the bathroom. Sometimes lo cries in his sleep for whatever reason. I give him a couple minutes before I intervene to make sure he is truly awake. This is easier now that he's in his own room. We also use the love to dream swaddle and found that using it during the day helps with longer, better quality naps.
The only thing I think I've really learned since becoming a parent is to have no sleep expectations. Just because he seemed to have done the same thing for a period of time doesn't mean it will stay the same. Good luck. Hopefully things will change soon.
Post by billyhorrible on Aug 16, 2015 8:26:02 GMT -5
I would stop worrying about "encouraging him to sleep better" that will come with time on it's own. You don't need to do anything to help it along. Right now, you need to do whatever gets "the most sleep for the most people" (I still live by this rule!) So if that means putting him down asleep, do it. If it means bedsharing, do it (safely). If that means having DH rock him to sleep because you know he's not hungry, do it. Nothing you do right now will be permanent.
I agree w other posters putting baby down awake could be too early. That can come into play later once your baby isn't swaddled and is capable of rolling over on own and self soothing.
Thanks everyone. I was just so exhausted yesterday and desperate for sleep.
DH was working a night shift at the fire dept last night, so after our first 3 hour stretch when LO woke up after 40 mins, I pulled him into bed with me. He fell asleep on his own and slept 5 hours!!! DH hates bed sharing...but he may just have to deal with it for a little while!!!
This sounds exactly like my LO a week or two ago. It sucked hardcore, but it definitely lined up with the second leap on the wonder weeks app, so it made sense. We're still leaping, but the sleep has gotten better. Does it coincide with a leap? Good luck to you! Just keep telling yourself it can't/won't be like this forever
Thanks everyone. I was just so exhausted yesterday and desperate for sleep.
DH was working a night shift at the fire dept last night, so after our first 3 hour stretch when LO woke up after 40 mins, I pulled him into bed with me. He fell asleep on his own and slept 5 hours!!! DH hates bed sharing...but he may just have to deal with it for a little while!!!
My DH was the same way about bedsharing with LBB. We had this giant, deep couch at the time, so rough sleep times we'd take off the back cushions so it was like a futon and sleep with him there. So stupid, because really what's the difference?
This sounds exactly like my LO a week or two ago. It sucked hardcore, but it definitely lined up with the second leap on the wonder weeks app, so it made sense. We're still leaping, but the sleep has gotten better. Does it coincide with a leap? Good luck to you! Just keep telling yourself it can't/won't be like this forever
It started during his leap about 3 weeks ago. That leap is long gone!
Thanks everyone. I was just so exhausted yesterday and desperate for sleep.
DH was working a night shift at the fire dept last night, so after our first 3 hour stretch when LO woke up after 40 mins, I pulled him into bed with me. He fell asleep on his own and slept 5 hours!!! DH hates bed sharing...but he may just have to deal with it for a little while!!!
My brother in law works swing shift and my 4 month old niece gets really messed up with sleep with sleeping in their bedroom. It's like she can sense when daddy is there and when he's not there. After they moved her to her own room it changed dramatically. Might be a fluke but just a thought if your DH sometimes is there for bedtime and sometimes is not.
When my first child was born, I read all the sleep books (like, all of them, I was crazy). I tortured myself with the "drowsy buy awake" thing, and it wasn't working. Once we accepted that he needed to be rocked into a deep sleep, and then gingerly placed in the crib (not in the pack and play in our room - he needed his silence/own space), he started sleeping better. He's five years old now and has been an excellent sleeper for years. My point here is that nothing much you do now is going to impact future sleeping habits. I agree with billyhorrible that whatever gets the most sleep for the most people is the best plan.
My daughter, who's 6.5 weeks old, will totally go down a little bit awake and put herself to sleep. Different kid, different sleep needs. It freaks me out a little bit though, I keep waiting to have to run back in there and pick her up.
When my first child was born, I read all the sleep books (like, all of them, I was crazy). I tortured myself with the "drowsy buy awake" thing, and it wasn't working. Once we accepted that he needed to be rocked into a deep sleep, and then gingerly placed in the crib (not in the pack and play in our room - he needed his silence/own space), he started sleeping better. He's five years old now and has been an excellent sleeper for years. My point here is that nothing much you do now is going to impact future sleeping habits. I agree with billyhorrible that whatever gets the most sleep for the most people is the best plan.
My daughter, who's 6.5 weeks old, will totally go down a little bit awake and put herself to sleep. Different kid, different sleep needs. It freaks me out a little bit though, I keep waiting to have to run back in there and pick her up.
Thanks. My first was colicky and had horrible reflux...needless to say he was a horrible sleeper. I, too, have all the "popular" sleep books, and this LO is an easier baby all around, so I expect him to sleep well! Silly me! I know that things get better- DS1 has been an awesome sleeper since he turned about a year old- I just need to go with the flow and stop trying to be such a control freak!
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