Ok, a little background first. My daughter was sleeping through the night only waking once at four months of age. She got thrown off when we went up to the lake for a few weekends, when I jumped up to feed her so should not wake everyone else! Also, we have a small home with only two bedrooms, so as a result she sleeps in our room in a pack n play and our son is in the other room. She also breastfeeds exclusively as I waited to long to give her a bottle.
So, here's my question. I am wanting any and all suggestion on what you did to get an older child to sleep through the night. She has been sick twice within the last three weeks, so it is hard to implement it when she needs fluid! I started a method from the book,"Good Night, Sleep Tight" and it started to work, but then she got sick. So, since I have to start over, I thought I would post this to see if you all can give me some advice. I am not oppossed to letting her cry, just not get hysterical. So, please let me know what worked, didn't work for you. Thanks in advance.
Thank you ladies for helping me and you were all encouraging with your thoughts. My daughter is starting to feel better, but I will wait until she is totally better to try to break her of her habit. I am not oppossed to waking at least once to feed her, but not three to four times! She has been enjoying solids, but the few times I fed her late, right before bedtime, she vomited it back up, I think because it was too much? Anyway, thank you again and I am praying she will start sleeping better soon!
hey racheal
at eight mobth sounds like a growth spurt to me all for of my breastfeeds exclusively for the first year and they all woke at least once in the nite sometime twice as they were growing i guess i am no help good luck A.
(((((hugs)))) sorry your so tired. I have a 9 month old that is no where near sleeping thru the night. Keep in mind that because breast milk is designed perfectly for their little bodies, it digests much quicker and they need more frequent feeding than formula fed babies. Also, as you said, they nurse more when they are sick,fighting off a bug, or having a growth spurt, or just plain need comfort. IMHO you never know the reason they are waking up to nurse, I would hate to deny nourashment or comfort to my little girl just because it is not during the day.
I have no advice for sleeping thru the night because I don't think it is common for breast fed babies (possable, just not the norm) to sleep thru the night. My only suggestion is to do what your gut instinct tells you, if you feel like you need to pick up your baby when she needs you, follow that, if you feel like your baby should just cry all by herself follow that.
That is my number one suggestion, do what you feel is right for your family. For my family, I don't feel it is more important to sleep thru the night. For my family I feel like it is most important to comfort and nourish my baby when she needs it.
My daughter as well is eight months and does not sleep thru the night. My daughter is in the process of teething, so she wakes up anywhere from 1-4 times a night. you just gotta let her go thru it, and she will grow out of it.
I agree with the other mom - especially if you are nursing vs. formula feeding.
You could try making sure at dinner time, you give cereal or stage 1 foods to help fill the tummy.
Sickness and Growth spurts do affect their daily routine - as does lengthy nap times (or too many).
However, all babies are different and have their own sleep patterns. My son still gets up in the night at age 5, but now it is just to come in and snuggle with us or for us to snuggle him. Luckily, he does sleep through most nights, but that did not happen until he started school.
(In all honesty, I do feel it's up to the child before this is done - we tried everything. It was just his internal clock schedule, illnesses, potty training - waking up wet, or nightmares/ night terrors.)
I am so glad you are breastfeeding! It is quite normal for babies this age to wake up during the night and need to nurse and cuddle be comforted. In fact, it is what most of them do, so what you've been doing is right on target. The idea of letting her cry is scary to me, and I personally feel it is very wrong and hurtful to the baby. She is still very much a needy baby, even though she's growing in the direction of toddlerhood. I think she's tell you loud and clear what she needs at this developmental stage. Pray about it, R.. Think how God is always there for you 24x7 to meet your needs. This time will pass before you know it. Parenting is inconvenient, to say the least, but well worth every sacrifice.
My son didn't start sleeping through the night until he was 8.5 months old. I also nursed (no bottle) and the ONLY way we could get him to sleep at night was to have my hubby go in and give him his pacifier. The first night it took 30 mins of him in there to calm down my son and after that (for 2 weeks) it was about 5 mins. I could not go in the bedroom without nursing him (his cries would only get louder). Also, b4 my hubby would go in, we will let him cry to put himself back to sleep. The only time he goes into his room is if we think he is too fired up to put himself back to sleep. He started teething in the middle of the 2 weeks which through things off, but it was fine in the end. Also, my hubby would not pick him up, just stand by his crib rubbing his back/belly. Good luck...it is so glorious for me to be sleeping through the night...can you imagine how good your kid has to feel?!
I also forgot to tell you..I have a BIG 9 month old so we would stuff him with cereal right b4 bed. He does NOT need to eat during the night..I know that because the 1st night he didn't wake up until 8 am and he was completely fine!
R.- I have a little different take on this than the other moms I have a 10 months old son, my first- I breast fed mostly and supplemented with bottle when at day care until 9 months. I always breast fed at night and my son slept through the night always- but did go through a few phases of waking in the middle of the night- mostly due to teething- I found if I went in and nursed it worked like a charm- but it was much harder to break the habit after the 2 week stent of teeth coming.
I think if your daughter WAS used to sleeping through the night without a feeding she STILL can do it- she probably just is going through a phase and has formed a habit of thinking she needs to eat- Now since shes sick- I think that factors into her feeling crummy and wanting the comfort of nursing- I think once she is feeling better you should try to break the habit. I did the same thing for like a month and thought, teeth, sick, what???? finally I was like enough!!!! It took about 2 weeks to break and I would go in- pick him up and calm him down use a pacifier and put him back down when he calmed and leave the room- he would always keep waking up screaming in like 1 minute- I would repeat this about 3-7 times (UGHHHH!) depending but eventually after the first 2 nights It was down to like 2 times of going in and calming him- Eventually I would go in and just rub his back and calm him and NOT pick him up by the end of the 2 weeks. Now he still wakes up every now and then crying but I don't go in and in 5 minutes he's back to sleep. Sometimes when he is teething- I have to use orajel or tylenol to help- but thats only every now and then! Good Luck. If your baby is healthy and gaining weight and used to sleeping through the night- then she really doesn't need to be nursed- but sometimes whatever gets you through the night is what works!!!!! RIGHT!
Good Luck
Joelle
