7 Month Old Won't Sleep - Huntington Beach,CA

Try the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

Added: After reading your SWH, this is probably part of the sleeping trouble. In the book he writes about how adhering to a baby's schedule allows him to sleep better. When we don't honor a baby's needs, the sleep cycle is interrupted and it becomes difficult for a child to sleep. I know it's hard, but sticking to a schedule is the first change that needs to happen for your baby to sleep better.

My 8 month old daughter is the same way! I think it is just her nature. My older daughter was similar and began taking longer naps after she turned 1 year.

My advice is to just go with it. Our babies grow up fast and before you know it, they will be wanting to hang out with their friends and be dropped off at the mall, etc. Lol.

Hopefully ours (yours and mine) will take longer naps after the 1 year mark. I have noticed my daughter is waking more frequently with the teething.

I don't like "systems" of getting babies to sleep because it makes us all obsessed with one thing: getting our babies to sleep. And then you end up missing out on alot of other stuff that is will never happen again. Plus after you get them on a "schedule", it makes your life an even bigger nightmare when you want to deviate from the schedule....

Don't worry...you'll catch up on your sleep in a few years! Heh, heh.

Again, "enjoy" this exhausting time and don't rush these precious months....

Hello,

With both my boys (ages 2 and 6 months), I have followed the step-by-step program for a good night's sleep and naptime in the book call " Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth, M.D. You do not have to read the entire book right now. The book is broken up by age so I have been reading the next "age stage" so I know what to do next and what to expect. This book was highly recommended to me and it's worked.

Good Luck.

My first son was like that. He would wake up every few hours and scream and scream and scream! I was not able to let him cry it out until he was one and by then it was too late. We tried again and again to let him cry it out and he would cry until he would projectile vomit over the entire room. It was so awful. He has a tenacious personality and would outlast us. In the end he didnt sleep through the night until he was 3 1/2yrs. Looking back, I realize I needed to be stronger and do sleep training much earlier, but I didnt have it in me.

I was much more on the ball with sleep training with my second son and let him cry it out at 5 months (well, I got my husband to do it because I physically cannot hear crying and not respond- I wore ear plugs) It actually worked in 3 days and he is a great sleeper. My husband slept outside his door and would check on him. When baby woke, DH would wait 20 mins to give him a chance to go back to sleep on his own. When baby would cry longer, he would go in, rub his back and tell him gently it was time to sleep and then leave the room right away. (i don't think it would have worked as well if I had done it as DS is also exclusively breastfed and would want to comfort nurse if he way me). Gradually he woke less often and cried less and was able to put him back to sleep. DH kept a log of everything so we could see improvement and to reassure me of the process. I let my husband sleep all day because he was seriously up all night for three nights. I also think it help my second bond with my husband because he got used to being reassured by him and how my husband can put him to bed without me.

My best advice is to get a plan to sleep train and don't stop until he gets it. Be consistent. Don't give in if he cries for just an hour, or two or three. Going in, very briefly in intervals to reassure (NOT PICK UP- just a 5 second back rub and calm whisper-"its time to sleep".)

I wish someone had given me this advice with my first and told me that it was really ok and life will be so much better for the baby and for you. It is such a different and wonderful experience having a baby that can sleep through the night and I feel sad that I didnt have that with my first. I was such a sleep deprived wreck that it impacted my ability to function as a mom and have quality time with my first baby. I look back at his first 2-3 years as a chaotic blur as opposed to baby bliss. Seven months is till young enough for you to avoid my path! (assuming he is healthy and has no feeding issues etc.) Get help if you need to- if you can't do it, get your husband or mom to do it. Best luck!

I agree with Melissa G. The book Healthy Sleeping Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Weissenbluth is a LIFESAVER! Routine is: Eat, play, sleep. Naps: 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m., the third nap varies... between 4:00 p.m. up until about 6:00 p.m. Then bedtime between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. It worked with my 1st son and my second son is getting on this schedule now. Just tends to wake up at 3 a.m. or so still... sometimes he goes back to sleep on his own... other times I go in. READ IT! IT WORKS WONDERS!!! Let me know how it goes!! GOOD LUCK!

Set a schedule. Make sure he is fed and clean before nap. Create a simple pre-nap routine. Put him down sleepy, but not asleep. Put him down at the same time every day. Swaddle if he likes that. Let him try to get to sleep (and get back to sleep if he wakes) on his own. It is a valuable skill to learn and at 7mo, he can do it. Go in and soothe (not by picking up) if you feel the need, but know that that can actually make it harder for some kids. Keep room dark, quiet, use white noise. Keep at it. Be consistent. I bet, in less than a week, DS will be sleeping much more!

Good luck! I've had to deal with these issues, as well. It is exhausting.

Are you producing enough milk?
Is he getting adequate intake?
Are you nursing on demand?
Is he teething?
6 months old was a growth spurt period. And my kids whom I breastfed had huge appetites.

Maybe try white noise in his room at nap/bedtime.
I used a fan on low, for white noise with my kids as babies.
It helped.