My 7 week old has started a bad habit of waking between 1-3 am and just crying. He's not hungry, needing to be changed or gassy. He just wants to be held by me for an hour or so. However, I have to get up by 4:15 to get ready for work and he still cries if my boyfriend holds him. By the end of the hour he falls back to sleep whether I get him or not. I can't move him to the living room because he'll wake my 3 yr old, if I let him cry it out neither my boyfriend or myself get sleep and if I pick him up I am awake from that time on. I'm soooo tired!!! Any suggestions?
Thanks to everyone for the help. My son is now sleeping from 11-5 most nights. When he starts fussing I just lay him on my chest and back to sleep we both go!!!!
Have you tried putting him to sleep with a night shirt you have recently worn? Sounds like he just needs your scent.
Just wanted to second the other Moms opinion. I was by myself when my twins were babies and without co-sleeping I think I would be bald now! I had the Arm's Reach co-sleeper http://armsreach.com
It worked wonders in that I was able to keep them near and feed/change/comfort them before they fully woke up themself, eachother, their older brother or me!
If finances do not allow for that right now, I also heard of other moms who made their own bed on the floor so they could sleep safely with their baby and have them nearby. You could also just keep the crib next to your side of the bed with the side down so you can at least rub his back, snuggle near him. But him feeling your warmth and your scent is what comforts babies the most.
Good luck to you, enjoy what you can it goes soo fast!
A.
Hi K.! First I would like to say we have ALL been there. But from what I can understand, if you have check on him to make sure he is not hungry, wet, or ill I would try letting him cry it out a little. Seems like you are going to be awake REGARDLESS of if you hold him, so why not try to teach him some self soothing skills? Go in and check on him periodically while he is crying, try to sooth him with your voice and presence, but don't take him out of the crib. If he always goes back to sleep after an hour, and you would be up anyway, try going into his room and rubbing his back and singing softly to him every ten minutes. It's very important that we teach our children self soothing skills, otherwise he will learn to always rely on you to calm back down when he awakens at night. I know its really hard to hear them cry but maybe after a few nights he will cry for less time and begin to not cry at all. Wish you luck!!!
I used the cry it out method but I think 7 weeks is way to young for that.
Have you thought about cosleeping? At first I was scared to do it with daughter. Once I did it, we all got a lot more sleep. I always slept in the middle because dh sleeps so hard. I also made the babies their own spot with their own blanket. I removed the comforter at night (they move easily and can cover the baby). I would here them fussing and sometimes just laying my hand on them made them more comfortable. It was also a huge help with breastfeeding.
If you're uncomfortable with cosleeping, you could get one of those cosleepers. He would have his own bed but be close by. You could pull him over to you when he wakes up and maybe just snuggling will help. Or you could scoot over next to him and kind of snuggle him until he gets to sleep.
Another thing that I found with my daughter (the one I tried to get to sleep in her bassinet) was that the wedge (to keep her on her side) and a blanket seemed to help her sleep better. I think she liked the snug feeling. A friend of mine would rub the baby's blanket on her body to get her smell on the blanket. I've heard that helps too.
I hope it gets better for you. I can't imagine getting up that early without much sleep.
L.
i think 7 weeks too early to let him cry it out. with your work schedule the way it is he may just want time with you. babies definitly know when mom is not around and they know what they want. he may have figured out that this is the time he gets you all to himself. is he in his own room? my daughter started not sleeping good at about 8 weeks in the bed with me. i moved her to her room and in her own crib and she started sleeping much better. he may need his own space. sorry this is the only advice i can give you. i wish you the best
you don't leave a 7 week old to cry it out anyway and to me, that would keep me up more than holding him. Try the baby hammock. They look awesome and would probably take care of wanting to be held. But overall, he is 7 weeks old and your work schedule will never matter to him. Try different things, but plan on this being a hard year!
is it possible to put him in a pac n play or bassinet next your bed and have him sleep there?
if that isn't an option... bring him in bed with you and go back to sleep. at 7 weeks old it shouldn't turn into him sleeping with you when he gets older... he is just missing his mommy and waking up in a room by himself might be freaking him out a bit.
hopefully you can find something that works.
i don't know what your bf's schedule is like, but have you asked him to try harder? my son always wants me and sometimes i really have to push for my hubby to take over. it's so easy for them to just let us do all the work b/c the babies want us. i think if you insist he has to do the comforting, he'll find a way. suggest rocking, walking or maybe show him how to hold baby. at the very least try taking turns staying up.
