Yes please! I'd love some...

[misskittyfantastico]

No cry sleep solutions, that is.

This is the story so far....I'll try to keep it as brief as I can.

DS is four months old (and five days) and I'd really like some advice on how to gently encourage him to sleep on his own.

Until he was about three weeks, he was one of those dream sleepers. I'd put him in his bassinette, in the kitchen, with crazy DD running around and he'd just dose off - bewdiful. He'd sleep for about 1 1/2 hours, then have about an hour awake (including a BF) and then back to sleep. At night he'd have a feed at 8-9ish and then sleep in his bassinette until about 1am...then he'd become unsettled for a few hours but then feed and back to sleep - all was fan-bloomin'-tastic...I admit it, I felt smug:p

Fast forward to now....He wakes at 7am ish, and is happily awake for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours...when he starts to show tired signs I rock him, in my arms while shooshing - 2 mins later he's asleep..until I put him down - then bang! Awake! I've tried putting him in his cot and patting, shooshing, but he just becomes inconsolable....So throughout the day he has 4-5 40 min naps in my arms or in the sling. At night he sleeps with me and wakes every three hours for a feed - he has a dummy - until we wake at seven.

Does anyone have any techniques that worked for them? Books they could recommend?

Also, I have an extremely noisy, headstrong toddler, who really doesn't help....

I don't mind co-sleeping and if nothing else works, then so be it, but I'd just like to explore other options, am I just expecting too much from him?

[nicoleE]

i would recommend to buy or borrow from your local library the No Cry Sleep SOlution by Elizabeth Pantley.


Good Luck!

(sorry such a short post but Im pressed for time tonight!)

[misskittyfantastico]

Thanks so much! Will get it asap:)

[Chickadee]

I've tried putting him in his cot and patting, shooshing, but he just becomes inconsolable....

This did work for us, and at a similar age as your DS, but it took 2 weeks of patience to get DD used to it. At the start I was probably in there patting for 45 min or more. If she got very upset I'd pick her up, cuddle & pat in my arms till she calmed, and then start again in the cot. It was hard, but worth it.

[Rainbowbrite]

No advice from me, just :hugs: Your not alone. Ani is a mummy's boy. Only now is he starting to sleep in the cot after I bf or rock to sleep.

And :hugs: on the noisy toddler front too. MJ seems completely unable to be quiet especially when i'm trying to get Ani to sleep :rolleyes:

[justmum]

This did work for us, and at a similar age as your DS, but it took 2 weeks of patience to get DD used to it. At the start I was probably in there patting for 45 min or more. If she got very upset I'd pick her up, cuddle & pat in my arms till she calmed, and then start again in the cot. It was hard, but worth it.

Yes exactly the same for us, this worked it just took persistence.

Because they cry with you there, doesn't make it controlled crying. There will be some crying. But with you there all the time it's minimal.

[Leisa21]

I dont really have much constructive advice except to say that I tried that with my son when he was around 4 months and nothing worked. I put up with waking every hour or so all night and only sleeping on me then I tried again at 5 months and nope. Last week I decided enough was enough and he did it. I went from patting him to sleep to him having a play in his cot for a minute and a little winge - not even a cry just a winge and he was self settling. You can try eveything and it may not work but 2 weeks or 2 months later it works a treat. My son now sleeps right through the night and sleeps properly during the day but he wouldnt do it until he was ready. Good luck:hugs:

[misskittyfantastico]

Thanks guys:hugs:

Why are there never any magic pils??:p

I guess time, persistance and ultimately following H's cues are really the only solutions.

I know he'll only be little for such a short time, but sometimes it's just so draining.

RB - I'm glad Millie isn't the only small girl doing their mummy's head in....this morning as I was jiggling the cot and shooshing, I whisper-yelled at M to go back to Playschool and her snack....she went and turned the vaccuum cleaner on! I hope Ani's sleeping continues to improve:hugs:

[Phyllis Stein]

No practical solutions as such, but my son who's 4 days younger than yours has had some really unsettled periods, interspersed by great ones. At the moment, he wakes 2-3 times a night and we usually settle him with a dummy (I can't bf or I'd use that). In the daytime, he'll sleep in my arms for 45 mins or so, maybe 3-4 times a day. I'm just assuming that next week will be different again, and we'll have to adapt to something new.

Oh yes, and I highly recommend Dr Sears, Baby Sleep Book for realistic, yet helpful advice.

[misskittyfantastico]

Thanks, Tia. I agree, it's one week to the next....DH and I always said that with DD everything lasted for 2 weeks and then a new behaviour would emerge.

I'll definately check out the book:thumbsup: