Bedtime Hell

[Anonymous]

Before Aidan’s surgery, bedtime started becoming hell for us. She stopped wanting to go to bed, and she stopped sleeping through the night. Well, with her reflux as bad as it was, that makes sense, but now I want to sleep train her. CIO is not going to work for us. We’ve tried this week, and I can’t, won’t do it anymore.

Does anyone have any experience with the No Cry Sleep Solution? What do we do now? This kid needs some sleep and so do I!

[Anonymous]

Good for you for knowing what works best for you all. I never liked the CIO for us either.

Do you have a set bettime routine? A cue to get her into bedtime mode? a bath, a book, music, a blanky, rocking etc etc.

We use wave sounds while he sleeps and that helps. We also found that a set time is a must. I really didn’t put much faith in that until I tried it. A set time makes a huge difference for us.

[Anonymous]

I tried and have tried everything, all that works for us is me rocking Aidan to sleep and if he wakes up during the night (reflux controlled, he’s not hungry, it’s just become a habit) we let him cry and he goes back to sleep within 10 mins.

[Anonymous]

Is she able to fall asleep on her own? I think this is key to sleeping through the night. Bedtime here is always b/w 7:00 and 7:30pm. And we always follow the same routine and she goes to bed awake and falls asleep on her own. I never feed her to sleep even for her naps. I have always used the techniques from the “The Babywhisperer” book by Tracy Hogg. She is on the E.A.S.Y routine and it has worked great with all 3 of my girls. I have never had to let her CIO.

Andrea

[Anonymous]

I like the ideas in Good Night, Sleep Tight. http://www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Sleep-Tight-Helping/dp/B000 GCG9AM/sr=1-1/qid=1161610782/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4337247-679525 3?ie=UTF8&s=books

Also, I agree with Andrea. With most babies, the only way they will sleep through the night is when they learn to put themselves to sleep alone. Babies have frequent periods of light sleep during the night in which they can become fully awake. If they are used to being held, rocked, fed, etc. to sleep, they will need the same routine to fall back to sleep. I think it’s Weissbluth (another sleep book author) who compares it to an adult falling asleep in bed and waking up on the couch having no idea how they got there. The baby wakes up and is startled because they don’t remember falling asleep in their bed.

I’m not saying you have to do CIO…I didn’t do that with any of mine. I always fed them and held them until they were groggy, or if they fell asleep while feeding, I’d jostle them a little as I laid them down so they were aware that they were going to bed. If they cried after I laid them down, I’d stay and pat them a little, leave and come back as many times as it took. I never let them cry more than 5 minutes….not because I think it’s wrong….just because I can’t stand the crying.

Kim West suggest sitting in a chair nearby until they fall asleep. I would have done that with mine if coming in and patting them didnt’ work.

Some other things that help mine…a routine (usually bath, books, bottle, bed). A lovey (mine all have a favorite blanket). White noise.

All babies (and mommies) are different. I’d suggest you read as many sleep books as you can and come up with a plan of your own that you feel comfortable with and then try to be consistent.

[Anonymous]

bath, books, bottle, bed

That is our routine as well, starting at 8, except our’s is boob instead of bottle. I know that sounds late, but my husband works until after 6. So, I let him have some time with Aidan before I get her to bed. And I’m trying to introduce a lovey. Her problem is that she can’t fall asleep on her own.

[Anonymous]

I got all three of mine hooked on a lovey (blankie) by snuggling them with it while feeding them before bed, and by going to get it as soon as they started crying from being tired. Now Myles’ little eyes light up and he laughs with relief when he’s tired and I say, “where’s your blanket? Let’s go find your blanket?” At first it had no effect, but eventually he became attached to it and now he hugs it at night when he goes to sleep.

How old is she?

Myles’ bedtime routine used to start at 8pm, too. Now it starts at 7:20 pm. You’re probably fine with 8pm as long as she’s not over tired by then.

[Anonymous]

We found out Monday that she has another ear infection. So, hopefully that and the surgery are her problem.

[Anonymous]

Oh, poor sweetie. Hopefully she’ll be feeling better and sleeping better soon.

[Anonymous]

That’s too bad. AAWW!

I know I said this before, but…

Have you thought of using a sound machine or music to help soothe her to sleep? Some sounds or music have a calming effect on a person to help her to eventually self soothe.

[Author]

Posts