I mentioned in my last post that Wyatt had been having some sleep issues. Well, unfortunately things have only gotten wose in the last month. We are currently stuck in a vicious cycle of super early bedtime (5:30pm), nightwakings, early wakeups (often before 6am), and crummy naps. He definitely is not getting the amount of sleep each day that he should, and has gradually racked up quite a bit of sleep debt.
So I'm asking all mommies out there for help. If you've ever gone through this with your baby (whether all of the above or just a few issues), I would love to get your advice! It's causing me a lot of stress and anxiety, and I fear that I am just making things worse for Wyatt by trying so many different approaches.
If anyone has any insight to offer as to how to pick up the pieces with this, PLEASE email me or post a comment! I would greatly appreciate it!
Love,
Ashley
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I can so relate to what you wrote. My son is now 19 months and has just recently started sleeping through the night. He woke up every two hours and rarely napped until about 3 months ago. I feel like a lot of it was my fault (as a first time mommy there are times when I don't know what to do lol) My kiddo LOVED nursing and was on my boob every two hours for what seemed like two hours! I was a zombie with boobs that felt like they were going to fall off. I resorted to putting him in bed with us for my own sanity. It worked he slept, but now we are fighting the battle of the crib and no more nursing because acrobat baby in bed is no fun either. I got hardcore about naps though and really got him on a good routine. Now that he naps more in the daytime, nighttime isn't as rough. We have a very strict night routine, bath, book, bottle, bed and it works for the most part. I know a lot of people use the "cry it out" approach and have success with it, but for me two of us in tears jsut doesn't work lol! Good luck and it really does get better. I didn't believe it when people would tell me that, but it is true. Just try to find something that works for you. What works for one baby, may not work for another so just keep trying and you will find that magic answer soon :)
ReplyDeleteAlthough we have our fair share of sleep problems, I really don't have any advice. I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry you're going through it. I know the nights that I get very little sleep totally affect my mood. Hang in there!!! I'll be thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteIs he fussy or just awake? He may have a little colic. We did the "5 S's" methods and they work for us.
ReplyDeleteIt's really 4 S's to use in conjunction with the first S: "Swaddling." Make sure the swaddle the arms in, tight and straight, next to his body. He might struggle and whine a bit, but it doesn't hurt him and is a good way to make sure he doesn't flail his arms and wake himself up from an otherwise good sleep. We like the Halo Sleep sack the best, but just blankets work too.
The other S's are:
Shushing - while baby is swaddled, "shush" him. Loudly. SHHHHH. SHHHH. Sounds mean, but the womb is pretty noisy. The shushing needs to be louder than his cries. Also, white noise or even just the whir of a box fan may work since you can't shush 24/7. There's even an app for that! ;)
Sucking - I've felt like a 24 hour milking cow before... I've let my babies nurse even when I know they're not getting any milkjust because it seems to calm them. My babies did better at taking a pacifier and calming down once swaddled. And babies do have a pacifier preference, so try a few (we use soothies).
Swing - Again, my second baby hated the swing until I put him in there swaddled. Put it on the fastest setting. I forget the reasoning for the fast setting, but I do remember reading it in the literature my pediatrician gave us. Also, that's why Dads seem to be able to calm baby better sometimes - they are more willing to be a little rougher instead of us Mommies being dainty to a fault. :)
Side - Ok, this is a great one. My baby LOVES to sleep on his tummy. LOVES IT. Since this is a no-no, it makes me really anxious and I don't get any sleep anyway (even with a snuza movement monitor on when he's not in the crib and AngelCare movement monitor on in the crib) when he's on his tummy. Laying him on his side is nice compromise that seems to work. If Wyatt can roll over onto his tummy by himself, let him.If he can't, put him on his side (but not at nighttime, just while you're available to watch him and long enough to calm him to sleep).
Good luck! Don't forget the best thing may be to get some time to yourself! If Mom's not happy (and well rested), no one's happy!
Perhaps you could try moving his bedtime later. I think 7 to 8 o'clock is about the right time to be putting him to bed. Otherwise, you almost guarantee an early waking. Try to get him on a schedule. My grandson was born Sept 1st, and he has never taken good naps and still awakes once during the night. He is otherwise healthy and happy, a very big boy. He just doesn't sleep that much. If Wyatt is an otherwise happy boy, I wouldn't worry too much. I know it's hard on Mommy and Daddy when sleep is disturbed. Just keep trying. Babies need to learn to self-sooth when they wake up in the night. Give him a pacifier. Is he eating cereal yet? Feeding him cereal morning and night can sometimes help with sleep. Hang in there! This, too, shall pass.
ReplyDeleteHi, you don't know me but my second child had horrible sleep problems when she was a baby (she's 2 now). She may have had reflux the first few months because she couldn't even sleep unless she was in her car seat, and then she would whimper in her sleep and was always tense. At 6 months old, she was only taking 1 nap and was waking 3x a night, and I could never put her down because she would just scream. Someone loaned me the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and it was very helpful. There are a lot of case studies so you don't feel like you're the only one with a crazy baby, and after reading it, I felt like my baby was chronically over-tired and didn't even have sleep cues anymore to tell me when she was getting tired. I think the first two things we tried were putting her to bed earlier (which you already did), and then only letting her stay awake for an hour or less in the morning before putting her back to bed. Neither helped immediately, but after a few days, she started to do a lot better. Now she's still not the best sleeper (sleeps less than my other 2 and has drama when being put to bed), but it's like night and day from before. You are doing great, and even though it seems like forever now, this too shall pass. God bless.
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