Mason is just over 5 months old now and he is still waking up at least 3 times through the night. After 5 months without a good nights sleep i am physically drained!
I have tried so many different things like, keeping him up later at night, or putting him to bed earlier, pumping and giving him a bottle to make sure he is getting enough right before bed. I wanted to wait until Mason was 6 months before feeding him cereals but i've even tried that out of desperation!! I've also tried giving him baths before bed and keeping him up longer during the day, not letting him take as many naps. The other night after the 6th time he woke up i made Bryce go get him and put him in bed with us cuz i couldn't handle it anymore. Now its a regular thing, after the 3rd or 4th time he wakes up i just put him in bed with us and you know how uncomfortable that is!! But even if he is in bed with us he still wakes up wanting to nurse, well not really nurse just be latched on then he goes back to sleep!! Sometimes his binky will be enough but most of the time he wants more! He has had a little cold the last couple of week that may be adding to how many times he wakes up through the night but i'm not sure.
Am I supposed to let him cry himself back to sleep even though he is a little sick and sounds like he is starving? I know i can't do that, it would be way to sad! Please help I'll take all the advice i can get!
11 comments:
I totally don't believe in the cry it out method. I'm so sorry I know it's rough when they wake up over and over during the night. I was told my sister to have a consistent routine. Before I would let her tell me when she was hungry and tired and she would cry all day. Once I started a routine she started sleeping better. Trust me, it didn't work over night, but it did slowly got better each day.
I swear it must be the age! I have been dealing with something very similar... we need to talk!!! I'll call ya or you call me anytime, there are a few things that I have tried over the last 2-3 days and he only woke up twice the one night and then once the next night, I'm not sure if it is short lived or what but we will hope. seriously.....call me even if it is just to vent!!! :)
remember that they aren't little for very long. Enjoy the moments they want you every minute. You will cherish them really. Hand in there. It will pass. :)
Tess! Oh my heck Avv was the same way while we were in Utah and when we got back here. She has had a cold too and is finally getting over it! The only way she would sleep was if she was in bed with us propped up on a pillow. Thad put a pillow under her bassinet pad a few nights ago and it has REALLY helped her sleep, plus she was at the end of her cold. She couldn't breath that well because she was so congested and she was eating more because she was sick and a little dehydrated I think. Try propping him up on a pillow at night UNDER his bassinet pad and see if that helps. It worked for us! I'm such a mess when I don't get any sleep. I know how hard it is. Good luck!
Oh! Thanks for posting so much lately! Sorry I haven't commented but I LOVE how much you are keeping up on your blog. =D
Tessa
your little family is so cute and we are so excited to meet you guys. My mom is an RN and works labor and delivery and pediatrics so she knows ALOT about babies and kids. I was having the same problem with my daughter and my mom said she was not getting enough to eat. milk alone just was not cutting it. So i started doing just a little bit of rice cereal mixed with breast milk right before bed and she started sleeping through the night. totally helped.
Oh dear, I didn't realize you had a new post. Sorry! The cereal always helped with my babies. You're a great Mommy, just keep up the good work. Love ya, Mom :)
Hi Tess,
I have enjoyed catching up with your blog and feel for you as you describe your sleepless nights. All of us moms have been there. I know that some people have some strong feelings about not letting the baby cry through the night, but there is a method that works very well and I have used it on my babies. Since you have tried feeding Mason milk with rice cereal and that doesn't seem to be doing the trick, I recommend the following method. It has worked for everyone I know who has followed it precisely.
When Mason wakes up the first time have Bryce gently pat his back to reassure Mason that his daddy is nearby. Wait 3 min, then do it again. Wait 5 min and repeat, then 7 min, then 12 min. and repeat the gentle pat on his pack every 12 min. until eventually Mason falls asleep. The important thing is that since you are nursing, Bryce will have to be the one who gets up to pat his back. Babies can smell their mother's milk. The first night or two will be sleepless and a little heartwrenching to hear Mason cry so much, but trust me, you are doing more good then harm. Babies need their sleep and so do the parents. You are enabling him to set a good sleep pattern that will result in a much happier and secure baby and a better sleeper as he approaches childhood. It should only take a couple of nights of following this routine before Mason is sleeping through the night. I am trying to remember the name of this method and if I can find it I will forward it to you. I wish you success and remember, don't feel guilty. First time moms have a habit of doing that. Mason is so very fortunate to have you as his mommy.
Good luck!
your cuz,
jenna
Hi Tess,
Just caught up on your blog and have really enjoyed seeing your so cute little family.
I'm impressed you ask for advice- that's extremely beneficial right there- though you'll get lots of differing views, something will work for you.
I totally agree with Jenna's thoughts. I'm telling you- from my experience, moms who get their babies to sleep through the night (most of the nights anyways) have a much easier, more joyful time adjusting to motherhood. Sleep for you AND your baby is so crucial.
Good luck. And whatever you do, no one loves Bryce more than you. He's such a lucky little guy.
oops-I just reread my comments and noticed I wrote "Bryce" instead of "Mason". But it applies for both... except the little guy part.
ok.
Oh I feel for ya! My little Evan didn't sleep through the night until he was about fifteen months old. I was totally against the cry out method, until Jade told me how it made Tate an amazing sleeper. We did it for a couple of nights is all it took, now Evan always sleeps through the night (as he should since he is almost two). Darcy was totally different. The first 3 months, she slept in bed with us, because she absolutely would not sleep unless she was touching me. After three months, I started putting her in her crib drowsy with a lullaby toy and now she sleeps through the night-12 hours straight! I tell ya, letting them cry a little doesn't hurt them and it saves your sanity! I would still nurse her when she woke and just lay her back down to fall asleep on her own. It saved me months of sleepless nights!
Babywise-it's a book/program. Works like a charm. Ha sorry you don't know me but I was good friends with Bryce in high school and I clicked on your blog off of Cali's. Babywise really does work- mine and all of my sisters kids slept through the night very early on.
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