Hooray - sleep has arrived

[GeorgiaAnne]

So after nearly nine months with a baby who is up between 5 and 15 times a night (even co-sleeping) I finally have a baby who sleeps really well. I called in the big guns and got a lady called Jo out from Baby bliss and got some settling techniques, popping him on his tummy and push-patting or wobbling his back. We had one hard night but he goes to sleep in a minute or two and has woken only once for the last 2 nights. He is such a happier little man now and obviously I am excited about having 5 hours in a row. I am very anti-cc and this method is all about staying with your baby and just doing less and less each re-settle so they get used the feeling of going to sleep in their own cot. Ahhhh, I am so happy :yelclap::yelclap::D:D.
It is like a whole new world.

[SalTheGal]

:yelclap: :yelclap: :yelclap: Woohoo Georgia!! Thats awesome news....go Charlie!!

[whiteroses]

That is so great! I am in what sounds like a similar boat--7 months and still getting up anywhere from 5-12 times a night. Any advice? I am mostly putting him to bed almost awake, so he can settle himself. The first few nights it took him more than an hour to go to sleep (he talks and sings and gets over-excited, eventually grizzles a bit, then seems to nod off) but mostly now it's more like 10-15 minutes. However, he stills seems to wake so frequently at night.

We had one great night when he slept for 5 hours, woke for a feed, then slept 4 hours until 5am feed, then another hour. Then he had his 6-month immunisations the next day, and everything has been haywire again ever since.

I'd love some HELP/advice, if you have any. Does your little one have a dummy? I know some of the time DS wakes up it is because he's lost his dummy... but not sure I'm strong enough at this point to try to wean him from that...

Last night for the first time he actually flipped himself over onto his tummy at about 4am and slept til 5.30, woke , I gave him a quick pat and put dummy back in and then he slept til 7.30. Maybe encouraging him to sleep on his tummy might be the go??

Would love your ideas. I'm so glad for you that you have regained some sanity. There's none here!

Thanks so much

PS Was thinking of looking for an in-home sleep consultant person to help also, but we are in Melbourne...

[GeorgiaAnne]

Hi - sorry for late reply, I missed your message.
We have found the tummy sleeping to be really helping - we certainly have the odd cr@p night but things are waaay improved. I have been following Jo Ryan's method - she has a book called BabyBliss. re: the dummy - she suggested to me that I put it in his hand every time so he can learn to put it in himself and leave a few around the cot so he can find them. I think it's quite hard to wean off dummies after 6 months though.
When I put him to bed I lay him on his tummy then leave him in the hope he will fall asleep by himself. This has happened a couple of times but usually i;m back in after a minute when he's standing up and crying. I then place the palm of my hand on the top of his back then use the other hand to wobble his bum gently til he quietens down. I then just rest the bottom hand on his hum til he is drifting off. I do try and leave before he is totally asleep so he can do the end bit by himself. The aim is to do less and less each time. Use the same method for re-settles. The first night was realllly hard and long but improved from there.
Things went a bit bad with his top teeth coming through and various colds but on the whole he is sleeping much better. I know what being up every hour is like (I did 4 months worth :hair:) so I feel your pain and wish you the best. Let me know how you go.

[whiteroses]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your taking the time to write these methods down. I will keep them in mind and try to use them.

Many thanks