Help with baby sleep issues, NF

[OhioFisherman]

Had the same issue with my daughter, although not quite as often as you per night. On a regular visit to the family doctor she said to start feeding cereal just before bed. She said baby was waking up hungry...and cereal keeps the belly full much longer than breastmilk or formula. It worked like a charm. Six hours of sleep almost instantly!! She was 8 months old as well....so chances are your son will tolerate it just fine.

 

As I recall we did the same thing, they just were hungry. We started giving ours baby food on the advice from our doctor at a younger age than normal.

 

 

Puppies might help? LOL

[Sinker]

We did the cereal before bed trick. Worked for my daughter, but my son, who is now 13, still doesnt like to sleep at night lol

 

Support your wife. She needs it.

 

S.

[Lape0019]

I've got two at home. one is 9 and the other is 4.

 

The 9 year old was sleeping through his nights at 6 months only after switching to formula. The wife wasn't producing enough milk. Once we started formula feeding, it was great to finally get a full night of sleep. I was also harder on the wife when it came to going to check on him. We knew he was not hungry and he didn't need anything from us. Worst case, I would go in, put the blanket back on and stick a soother in his mouth, turn on his fisher price mobile (Little fish thing with water in it attached to the rail of the crib) and walk out. He would be back out in 5 minutes. He also learned to turn that thing on himself around 11 months.

 

The 4 year old was a different story. We switched to formula at 3 months but this little girl did not sleep through the night until she was 2.5 years old. The only difference I can see is that I let the wife coddle her a lot more.

 

So in the end, I would have to agree this is more of a comfort thing than anything else. nut know every child is different and although some of our suggestions worked for us, they may not work for you.

 

My advice, let the kid cry it out for 5-10 minutes. It should be long enough to know that no one is coming yet short enough to know if something is wrong.

 

Good luck! I surely do not miss those days but it does get better.

[Headhunter]

Here's what worked for us. I would do the last feeding in the evening, sending my wife to bed before the baby went down. I would feed the baby formula, which every doctor will tell you lasts longer then breast milk. Mom and baby would sleep until 2-3 am, breast fed and back down until 7:00am.

Crying is excellent for lung development and should not be overly discouraged.

Based on the OP, it sounds to me like that baby is waking up hungry.

HH

[Gnote]

I feel your pain chris, my girl is around 13 1/2 months old now and the last month has been rough, she had troubles around the 8-9 month mark as well but the switch to formula fixed that.

At this point shes in a transition where she is re learning how to go back to sleep, we used to just walk in and give her the soother back and down she went, now she wakes up at 930 every night and refuses to go back to sleep. We have tried everyrhing with no succesfull pattern emerging.

Last night she was up at 930, finally asleep again at 1200 and then awake at 200-400. Just ridiculous lol.

If this persists after trying the extra feeding or the switch to formula the best bet is to talk to the pediatrician or the family doctor for help.

Hope this helps a bit, you are not alone lol

Sweet dreams

Edited November 9, 2015 by Gallie

[Headhunter]

Another thought... don't let the baby sleep too long during the afternoon nap. Hour to hour and a half max. Just enough to take off the edge.

HH

[Gnote]

I wanted too add, we bought a video monitor from walmart for around 120 and it is very useful in determining when and if we should go into the babies room, if shes laying down and cries a bit she will usually go back to sleep. If she gets up to standing in the crib to scream we go in right away.

It does make a difference when you can see what shes doing when shes crying.

[jimmer]

My wife and I went through this with our son. We seemed to be up every couple of hours. Our pediatrician said that if he had a full belly that we should ignore and he would go back to sleep. We covered our heads with a pillow and listened to him cry for over an hour. It was the hardest thing we ever did, but he went back to sleep and the crying was less frequent every time he woke, until he was finally sleeping through the night. It took a couple of days, but we were finally over the up every 2 hour shift.

[grimsbylander]

Oh boy Chris, our first kid almost killed us! Here's the process we used and it was great.

Feed him a small serving of cereal 30 mins before bedtime.

Breastfeed right at bedtime, beside the crib so he'll learn what's coming next.

Put him to bed, and walk away.

Get an egg timer ready! As soon as the crying starts, set it for 5 mins. You need a timer because 5 mins of hearing your baby cry will feel like 2 friggin hours and you or you wife will go in after 1 or 2 mins.

If he's still crying after 5 mins, go in with a cool washcloth. Don't pick him up! Just wipe his face, tuck him in and let him know you're still there. Then, walk away again. Get the egg timer ready!

Chris, my son was up every damn hour for months and months. We did this and he slept through the third night! It's hard as hell to hear them cry but they are training YOU to come when they cry. My son threw up the first night! They have some serious stanima!

Pick a time like a Friday night when you can tackle it without worrying about getting up the. Next day for work. Remember, he's not starving to death, he's teaching you to come when you're called! Good luck!!

[cram]

Just keep doing what you're doing. Every baby is different, and before you know it this stage will be over.

 

One idea though - you can pump breast milk and still use the bottle at night. At the very worst you end up sharing the duties and giving your wife a break. Plus you're likely to get "fuller" milk into his belly (vs the more watery stuff he's getting if just taking 1 min sips here and there). Plus, if it's more about soothing (which it sounds like it is), then a bottle is going to be less satisfying and he may grow out of caring about it as much.

[solopaddler]

Thanks everybody.

 

Mike, we did try that without any results. Our pediatrician said that theory isn't true, can't remember his reasoning .I've heard others say it works for them though.

Aye, but did ya include a wee dram of Scotch??

[manitoubass2]

Aye, but did ya include a wee dram of Scotch??

The scotch is for daddy???

 

Fish oil and undenatured whey protein isolate will work wonders. Plus lil fisher will get extra immunoglobulins to enhance mommas milk. And the tryptophan will help regulate sleep cycles as it will produce extra melatonin production for both baby and mom

[Headhunter]

A light touch with a rubber mallet will also work.... and doesn't leave a mark! LOL

HH

[super dave]

Hey Chris,

 

my son was sleeping through the night at 3 months. then at 5 he would wake every single hour and it would take my wife at least an hour to rock him back to sleep. With an upcoming family try coming up in a few months, we decided to invest in the services of a sleep doula and it worked. but basically your paying someone hundreds of dollars to someone that is going to to give you comfort that you are going to do the ferber method on your child. she had several techniques on how to do it and it did seem to help. simon only cried for maybe 5-10 minutes before falling back asleep. by about a week, he's was sleeping through the night again. If you want some of the methods that our doula gave us, shoot me a PM and save yourself the money for useful things like a nice new ice auger or fish finder.

[GbayGiant]

enjoy it. doesn't last long.

then there will be the next thing to enjoy.

[manitoubass2]

The most important thing is to share the responsibilty.

 

Yes its tiring at first. But with proper nutrition youll get used to it quick and wont need much sleep to perform anyhow.

 

If I can raise 6 kids, ages 5 through 14, work, fish, hunt, forage, cook, play hockey etc then you can do it as well.

 

Really need to look at proper nutrition and food as fuel.

 

I have my days too, im not a cyborg. But they are few and far between.

 

If I need rest the wife understands, and vice versa.

 

The biggest plus is my job(although long hours) is super easy.

 

Our quota is rediculous lol but i cant complain. I need 40 RTKs a day, I can do that in 3 or 4 hours. Then I sit in a truck and study/post on here lol

[manitoubass2]

Oh and 13 weeks well have another bebe?

[highdrifter]

Scotch?! Jesus.. That method may have been common place in the past, but make no mistake, it's the last thing you want to give your baby.

 

The missus and I went through the same thing Chris.. There are two types of babies.. Those who are signalers and those who are self-soothers. Some babies have the uncanny ability to sooth themselves straight from the get-go, and some need encouragement. Ours was a signaller, and it was only when we had just about reached wits-end that we sought help.. Heck, being our first child, we just didn't know any better..

 

And the advice that I can give you is this.. Believe in your baby. Don't loose patience and above-all, support your wife. Be an observer, in a sense, learn your babie's cues. Also, resist the urge to pick her up and comfort, nurse, what have you... You can provide reassurance and comfort, make them feel that they are in a safe place.

 

I got into the habit of signing, adjusting my pitch to my boy's decibel level... even a long, steady shooshing sound worked well.

 

You have to let them cry though, forget the notions of tough love. Check up on them every once in while and stick to it!!

 

Lastly, don't lose hope. It will get better.

 

cheers

HD

Edited November 9, 2015 by Highdrifter

[manitoubass2]

Pretty sure mike was joking

[solopaddler]

Scotch?! Jesus.. That method may have been common place in the past, but make no mistake, it's the last thing you want to give your baby.

 

HD

You're such an idiot LOL!

[highdrifter]

You're such an idiot LOL!

 

No need for that. You're not the first who's suggested that, even if it was a joke...

[manitoubass2]

We could go old school medical and replace scotch with codeine. That was commonplace as well in the early 1900's???

[highdrifter]

Pretty sure mike was joking

 

Ya know... I was giving Chris advise, based on my experience, because the topic hits home. I had a bit of time, and I figured I would chime in.

 

Tell us, oh ensightfull one, how one manages 13hrs of OFC a day, with a full time job and 7 kids..

[manitoubass2]

 

Ya know... I was giving Chris advise, based on my experience, because the topic hits home. I had a bit of time, and I figured I would chime in.

 

Tell us, oh ensightfull one, how one manages 13hrs of OFC a day, with a full time job and 7 kids..

6 kids. One on the way. Not sure what your beef is with me? But i have pm if ya wanna keep "hooking" me into your bashing.

 

No need for it here.

 

I use my phone, so im actually logged in 24/7

[highdrifter]

6 kids. One on the way. Not sure what your beef is with me? But i have pm if ya wanna keep "hooking" me into your bashing.

 

No need for it here.

 

I use my phone, so im actually logged in 24/7

 

Wow. Must be freaking nice!!