how to make your six mouth sleep though the night

Alicia - posted on 04/09/2010

my son is almost 7 months now. But when he was about 6 months, I had gotten him all ready for bed and he had finished the bottle and was still wanting to play, and by now it was about 10:30, so I figure I would let me play in his crib in the dark until he started crying then I would try and rock him again. Well I went in there about 20 minutes later because he was still quiet and he had fallen asleep and then he slept through the night for the first time that night as well. Now, that is what we do most nights and usually he sleeps from about 10:30 til 8:30. It is amazing. I guess he was just ready.

Bridget - posted on 04/09/2010

My daughter is the WORST at sleeping. She used to wake twice through the night, but I was still getting 5 hour stretches. Its now to the point she is waking every hour to hour and a half, she wants cuddles and will go back to sleep. I dont feed her from 11 until 6, so shes not waking to eat. At the doctor yesterday he gave me two things to try. First he said is the cry it out method, he said its the fastest way but that no one should do this if they are uncomfortable. He said basically that you put your baby to bed tired and never go in and soothe, and when they wake up dont go get them either. I dont think I can do this so he said another way, which is exhausting and takes a while but works if people stick with it is to observe your babies schedule for a few nights and see how long they sleep before waking up- in my case an hour to hour and a half. So he said I should start waking her up every 45 minutes, saying hi, giving cuddles and then putting her back to sleep. After doing that for 5-7 days move to an hour, then and hour and 15 min, increasing by 15 min every 5-7 days. He said the baby slowly learns that they wake up to their mothers and eventually you can stretch it out to a long nights sleep. The obvious drawback to this is that you arent sleeping for a while either. While it sounds exhausting I like this idea because its a completely gentle and loving way to help my daughter. Finally, the doctor actually said that if none of these options work he recommends that I sleep with my daughter. He says he knows you dont normally hear that, but sleep is important for her health and if thats how she needs to sleep then thats what I need to do. My situation is extreme, so these suggestions are extreme too but i hope they can help someone!

Emma - posted on 04/09/2010

It sounds to me like you have done like most of us, everything you can think of and that is suggested!!! I think that there are some babies that just don't sleep through the night for a while and now that I've come to terms with that it doesn't bother me that my little boy wakes up almost hourly overnight! I have a nap in the day if I can and everyone is very supportive and understanding (ie don't mind that nothing gets done because I'm napping!). I don't want you to get disheartened but a friend of mine has a little boy who didn't sleep through til he was 2... made me realise maybe there was nothing I could do and he would do it when he was ready. Good luck and take care :)

Kathy - posted on 04/07/2010

I don't know if this will help at all, but I give my daughter a big (2tbsp) serving of cereal and a bottle before bed, and that usually keeps her sleeping till anywhere from 6am to 8am, with going to bed usually around 9pm

Betty - posted on 04/07/2010

I really feel for all the mommies that's not getting sleep. I remember that too. I feel quite lucky now to be able to get a full night sleep pretty much all the time as I'm back at work so I'm thankful that my daughter is very considerate of mum. Wishes to all the mommies, hope all your babies will allow you to have a full night sleep soon so you're not too tired all the time.

Yolanda - posted on 04/07/2010

My little boy is six months old and last night he woke four times!!!!! I have a bed time routine that I follow to the T also come to realise that my little boy is teething which is causing him to wake more at night. I also found if he has a good nap in the day he sleeps better at night and I give him a night time porrigde that fulls him up too, just seems that sometimes some babys just dont sleep aswell as other :(

Lisa - posted on 04/07/2010

It wasn't but thats ok...:-)

Jenna - posted on 04/06/2010

Same here. My six month does not sleep through the night at all. She wakes up a lot for her pacifire and about 2 times for a bottle. My other two were sleeping through the night by about 3-4 months.

Terri - posted on 04/06/2010

If this was directed towards me, I certainly don't expect him to sleep more. It is great that he is getting that much sleep, to help him through the next day. My little guy does wake up one or two times through the night, however I am able to get him back to sleep right away with a bottle. I am just saying that it is hard for us mommies to go through the broken sleep as it is hard for us to get through the next day without becoming exhausted at some point. Hope this clears things up (if you were talking to me of course) :)

Lisa - posted on 04/06/2010

He's sleeping 11hrs and you wnat more??? It's fantastic if he's going from 7 till 6am...

Candice - posted on 04/06/2010

My little one is now 6 months old and started sleeping through the night at about 3 months , He became a little fussy at about 5 months ( were he woke up a couple of times) but then we started him on porridge and now we have no problems he gos down at about 8pm and wakes up at about 8am for his bottle.

Wendy - posted on 04/05/2010

There is nothing you can do. Despite the old wives tales about cereal and massage, unless there is something wrong (like a fever or teething), current research says babies sleep through the night when they're bodies are ready. Each child is unique, so there's really no telling. You can do the routines, it may help him to develop associations with bedtime, and that may aid him in *getting* to sleep. Staying asleep all night, though, is as individual as fingerprints.

Terri - posted on 04/05/2010

Hey, my little guy will be 7 months on the 13th and he has slept through the night maybe 5 times. He usually still gets up 1 time at night to eat (usually about 2 am.) His routine is eat dinner at 6:15/30. Bath time by 7:00/15 and bottle and sleep by 7:30/8:00. After his wake up in the middle of the night he usually sleeps until about 6:45/7:30 am. I feel your pain, the broken sleep is horrible!! Sure makes it harder to pull yourself out of bed by the time they wake up for good in the AM!!! I have been feeding Christian a mixture of chicken, rice and veggies at dinner, then some fruit for dessert and this has seemed to help him sleep a bit longer but he is still up by 4:30 AM for a bottle. I am not sure what else I can do either. Just know that many of us are going through this with you! I hope our little ones start going 12 hours straight soon :)

Amanda - posted on 04/05/2010

i tried the cry it out, all it did was prevent him from waking up 3 or 4 times. he still wakes up to eat, so i wouldn't say crying it out does anything except let them fall asleep on their own, which we had a battle with until he was 3 months old. hopefully time will tell when he can sleep through the night, but i certainly can't let him cry it out when he is hungry, hes too little to go almost 12 hours without food.

Betty - posted on 04/05/2010

My daughter will be 7 months on the 22nd of April. She's been sleeping through the whole night from 8 to 7 am since she was around 9 wks. She had trouble couple of nights but it's because she'll have trouble going to sleeping after her last feed as she was getting alot of wind. She'll sleep for about and hr or 2 hrs and wake up crying. There are 2 things that has worked for me (I don't do them anymore because there's no need now) But try and see which one works for you and if it works for you. I hope so cause I remember when I was waking up 2 - 3 times a night when she was little.

1 - Gripe Water (make sure it's alcolhol free). The one I used was natural oils only. Give based on instructions just before last feed before bed. (This really worked for me till she doesn't need it now)

2 - Lactose Free Formula (if you're brestfeeding, just try option 1). This is alot light for their little tummy and easier for them to digest.

Please see how you do. (Also, try not to let them sleep for 3 hrs before their night sleep by playing games to entertain them till they get used to sleeping the whole night)

Jessi - posted on 04/05/2010

Maybe this is a thing for sept 2009 babies. Mine is doing the same thing. he started sleeping though at 10 weeks and then about when he turned 5 months, he started waking in the middle of the night. he doesn't do it every night, but i have tried every variation of making sure his tummy is full before he goes to bed and nothing consistently works. I'm just waiting it out, it has to pass sometime. They all go through phases, and some suck more than others!

Katherine - posted on 04/05/2010

my daughter will be 7 months soon and she had slept through the night since she was 6 weeks old but from 5 months until now she has been waking up all through out the night. I don't know what changed but I would love for her to be getting a good night sleep again. She also wont take naps during the day anymore and if she does they are like 10 minutes at a time =/

Shannon - posted on 04/05/2010

My little guy was sleeping thru the night in his crib in his own room until a about a week ago. He used to fuss a few times in the middle of the night and I would get up and give him his pacifier and he would be right back to sleep. About a week ago he started waking up in the middle of the night crying constantly, the only thing that soothes him is putting him next to me in bed. I know that is not the best idea but I have to go to work so I need my sleep as well. I know he is teething because he cut his first two teeth during this week, but he is still waking up. I am not sure what to do either because it is so hard to hear him crying in the next room.

Sarah - posted on 04/05/2010

I'm in the same boat, with two night time wakings. I can't do the cry it out method either. I know it's hard to get up in the middle of the night, but your little on is still very small and needs your comfort and breastmilk. We made bedtime earlier and that way my husband and I get some alone time before we go to bed. Eventually they will sleep, I am sure of it! Hang in there. By the way, for teething, I am using the Hyland's homeopathic teething tablets and they wotk great!!! If he's cranky and restless, he falls right to sleep within 15 minutes of having them.

Michelle - posted on 04/05/2010

my son will be 7mths on the 13th of april.i undrstand how you feel.he has only slept thru the nght probably 4 times..i have done everything you can think of EXCEPT let him cry it out.we have a routine at bedtime i hav done the bth wash sleepy time lotion massages you name it cereal before bed in bottle and by spoon..it just doesnot work.he goes to bed between 8 and 9 pm gets up at midnight or 1am then gets back up between 4 and 5 am then gets up at 7 to bring my girls t school.he has two good naps during the day.he is the youngest of 6 kids and the only boy..he has definatley made it a challeng for me...i am a walking zombie who loves her little man...its just going to take time accoring to the pediatrician...well we will see :o)

Chrissy - posted on 04/05/2010

Silas is 6 & 1/2 months old & he has slept through the night since he was 8 weeks old. He started off only sleeping 6 hours straight & now he sleeps 10 hours a night! We don't really have a routine or anything. He sleeps in his crib in his own room. I get him to sleep first and then lay him down and turn on his music mobile & he sleeps all night...i don't really have much advice since i don't do anything to get him to sleep well...i hope your baby starts sleeping well soon! !

Katie - posted on 04/05/2010

hi there :)
from the time we brought our darling girl home, we began a "bedtime routine" (inadvertantly, it wasn't forced, it just became) it was from about 5pm...play, minifeed, bath, feed, sleep. and as of 8 weeks of age slept from 7pm-10.30 (feed) 11pm-5am, then by 10 weeks it was 7pm -9pm (mini feed) 9pm - 5.30, by 3 1/2 months it was all night, from 7-7 and still is now at 6.5 months.

but now instead of the mini feed its a big pot (about 3/4 cup) of home made steamed veggies and a protein (mince, chicken, quinoa, cous cous etc) We always gave her a bath at about 6-6.30 and we let her play in there for as long as she likes or until the water begins to cool, she LOVES her baths! then into pj's then another little play, to get that last burst of energy out, kisses Daddy good night, and then i take her into the bedroom (she's still in our room in her cot) lights out fan on low, and we cuddle she also has a blankie she snuggles (she has a grizzle for about a minute then grabs for boobie) and i breastfeed her until she falls asleep, take it out then pop her in her cot... give her back a little rub and done for the night, then hubby and i have US time for an hour or so till he goes to bed!

Now I found a blankie (or any security object for that matter) really helps settle them, my daughter has a regular soft muslin wrap as if they wake up, they smell the familiar smell and feel safe and comfy and it helps to self settle, many nights when I'm just too tired I think Arden understands because she's sometimes still awake after the final BF i put her to bed awake and she plays with blankie and babbles herself to sleep!

HAHA so in conclusion your honour, I find a SOLID routine that is the same EVERY time, and a blankie and a full tummy, really help get children into a place where they can self settle, and STAY asleep! hope something there helped you out :)

Mary-Ann - posted on 04/05/2010

my daughter started sleeping thought the night at sis months i did not force her or do anything i just noticed that she did not wake up as usual and let her sleep until she decided to wake up at about 4:30 in the morning.

Leah - posted on 04/04/2010

My son just turned 7 months yesterday. He occasionally goes from 9p to 6a but usually is up @ 1 and then 6a and then he goes until 9a. I can't figure anything different between the nights he goes thru and not as far as routine. The only thing I can attribute it to is teething. He has 2 teeth so far. The only advice I tried that worked was to try a half hour earlier bedtime. I did this at one point and it did actually help.

Tara - posted on 04/04/2010

my babba is 7mnths,my 3rd shes been sleepin 8pm til 8am from 6weeks old just this last 2weeks she now goes 7pm til 8am. just as nappy is changed and before sleepsuit goes on massage wiv baby oil then bed no lights and all doors are closed and volume of tv very low (she doesnt like any noise or light or she wouldnt sleep)

Amanda - posted on 04/03/2010

my son will be 7 months on the 7th and he is still not sleeping either. I WOULD LOVE ADVICE. he goes to bed at 7 and wakes at 6, or should i say when my alarm goes off. i've tried alot of things and it doesn't work, i don't know what to do. he has slept through the night twice, both times grandma put him to sleep, i've done exactly what she did and i got nothing. I know of kids just not making it through the night until almost a year old. but its getting to me and not getting a good nights sleep.

Elizabeth - posted on 04/01/2010

my son will be 7 months on the 3rd & hes STILL not sleeping through the night also, he's up 2 times usually to eat. I have tried EVERYTHING from putting a fan on low in his room to have some sound, cereal in the bottle, cereal before bedtime, warm bath with Johnsons night time wash, giving him a massage, night time orajel since his gums are really bumpy ( he's been teething forever it seems but no teeth yet! ) and hes also on a night time routine as well & its not helping & his pediatrician told me no naps after 3pm so he will sleep all night & that doesn't help, i'm just convinced he's never going to sleep through the night, a lot of people have told me that their babies never slept through the night until almost 1 yr. He did sleep through the night for about 2 weeks straight when he was 5 months, then i don't know what caused him to stop. I put him to be at 8 and hes up at 7. I'm sorry i couldn't really give you any advice but i just thought I'd let you know i know how you feel! and also i don't know how your sons personality is but my son is very active i'm being to wonder if it's too early to tell if he has adhd like my husband!