My 6 month old has never slept through the night

Jennifer - posted on 10/01/2012

HELP!!!!



My 6 month old sleeps about 7- 8 hours in 24 hours. My husband and I are exhausted. He wakes a 5:30 every morning (I have an in home daycare that starts that early). He takes a nap at 8:30 - 9:00. He sleeps at 12:30 - 2:00. Then 7:30 - 10:00, 12:30 - 2:00 4:30 - 5:30 at night. He eats about 4 - 6 ounces (finally) and loves to eat food. He sits up and is starting to crawl. (he takes a few movements forwarded but does better going backward right now.



He is a preemie (six weeks early) and has GERDS.



Any suggestions.

Candida - posted on 11/10/2011

i am in the same boat, my twin 14 month old babies still dont sleep through the night even though i have managed to wean them off.

Lexi - posted on 11/10/2011

My son slept his first 4 hour stretch at about 8 months old. He slept a full 10 hours the night of his first birthday. I would consider "sleeping through the night" to be anywhere from 6-12 hours in a stretch. Also, sleeping arrangements make a difference. Do you cosleep? We cosleep and I noticed as soon as my first moved to a crib at 8 months he was able to sleep longer stretches. Being in bed with us, with my boob right there, he woke up hungry a lot more often.

Zee - posted on 11/10/2011

All three of mine didn't sleep through the night at that age. I remember how annoyed I was when I'd have to listen to someone talk about their "perfect" baby who slept through the night at 8 days old. I mean "yeah" for them but when you're sleep deprived it's hard not to feel a little resentful. Basically every baby is different. One trick I used to try and it would gain me a few extra hours was to sleep feed the baby before I went to bed. Keeping the room dark I'd pick them up and try slipping the bottle (or breast) into their mouth and more often than not they'd nurse for a little bit.

The only other thing you can try is to make sure he's getting lots to eat/drink during the day. We also tried substituting a soother instead of a feeding because often they just want to suckle and that worked well for us.

Hang in there, you will get there!

Nicole - posted on 11/08/2011

Hi there! I just finished a post similar to yours. My baby is going to be 5months in a few days, and has been a horrible sleeper, but I learned that it was me not catching her sleep cues in time and that she was OT/OS. So, I decided to start sleep training her, and within 1 week she is sleeping through the night and only waking to practice her milestones LOL! For some reason she wakes to roll around but then goes back to sleep. I do get up at 2am and dream feed her for 5min and will be weaning that out soon because she barely sucks. I recommend reading a couple books and calling a sleep trainer (I called 2 and got suggestions, free 30min phone consult) also went to pediatrician to go over plan and got the OK to go ahead. Ayla goes to bed at 6:15pm and wakes at 6:15am. Im going to try extending her naps from 2hours to 2.5 so we dont have to go to bed quite so early and wake so early. GOOD LUCK! We are sooo happy that we did sleep training.

Jacqueline - posted on 11/05/2011

I am going through the same thing, my son is 6 and a half months old and is eating cereal and fruit before bedtime and still does not sleep through the night. I have tried it almost and nothing works.

Ania - posted on 11/04/2011

No worries totally normal. My6y son slept the entire night maybe

5 ti
mes in his life and he is 21 months
old

Melissa - posted on 11/03/2011

Try to put him on a sleep schedule.like for example( wake him at 9 am than put him for nap time 1 or 2 o clock pm and bed time 10 pm) it really works.he will sleep better and so will you,you really don't want him to sleep with you.its not healthy at all. i had to do that with my daughter when she was 2 months old. now she is 2 years old and sleeps through the night, in her own bed. ;)

Jennifer - posted on 11/01/2011

I am in the same boat. I feel for you. I am just starting to feed him on four hour night-feeding schedule and we will gradually increase the time from there. It's tough. But it's not going to last forever. Good luck.

Amy - posted on 01/14/2010

My daughter has slept a handful of times all night, so I decided on Monday that enough was enough- she was up at eleven, one, four and eight, and I am absolutely exhausted and she dosn't even want the milk, she just needs the comfort. Plus she dosn't sleep through the day. So I bought Gina Ford's book- The complete Sleep Guide yesterday and started the sleep training last night and although it was nine o'clock once she eventually fell to sleep after putting her to bed at seven, she only woke once at one am. And has followed the routine strictly as outlined in the book today, she has had proper nap-times and only was awake for an hour after putting her to bed tonight. But the thing I learned most from the book that babies of six months need about 14-15 hours of sleep per 24 hours, well my daughter would have been lucky to have been getting 8 hours, but after today and her having structured naps she is already much more contended and far less grisley. I never thought I would ever use this method for my child as my son was an absolute dream and slept from 10pm till 5am pretty much since birth. So my daughters sleeping habits have been a shock, but this structured routine is working for her and we're all feeling the benefit's already. As it is I have done a complete turn around on the controlled crying method and would recommend it, or at least give the book a read.
I was at my wits end and it's really helped me- Good Luck x

REBEKAH - posted on 01/14/2010

He may not be hungry. He may need the sucking motion to soothe him, maybe he is having bad dreams or gas pains from his night feeding. The sucking motion may be all he needs. I have both my kids on a pacifier only at night to help them sleep and both of my kids have slept through the night 100% since they were 6 weeks old. My doctor said they sucking helps to calm them and relax them, like a warm bath and a book does for me (or a glass of wine when i was finally done breast feeding!). I also spoke with a dentist for concerns with their development in regards to the pacifier. He said that having it at night only will not harm their development, especially since most of the time it falls out of their mouths when they are asleep and i give it back to them if they wake up. Just a thought that he may not need to eat, just calm down.

Cathy - posted on 01/13/2010

hi there my little missy moo does exactly the same thing, wakes at least 1 to 2 times a night for the dummy or a very small early morn snack and no dont even bother with the water she screams the house down if i try that, yes i have tried every trick in the book, i think its a habit more than anything for them, and yes all bubs are different apparently, so im told, im hoping she grows out of it real soon!

Jane - posted on 01/13/2010

Hi, my son is 7 months old and still wakes 3 to 4 times a night so you are not alone. Its so hard hearing about all my friends babies that have been sleeping all night from 3 months and im getting really really exhausted. But we are now trying the controlled crying method. Its hard work but we are seeing some progress. I still give him a bottle at 11pm as he is also really hungry. Good luck.

Melissa - posted on 01/13/2010

None of my kids ever slept through the night at six months. I think you are pretty lucky if your child is sleeping through. So don't expect it to happen too quickly. Only getting up once or twice is pretty good. You will appreciate them, if you have bad teething nights and you are up with the baby most of the night.

Jean - posted on 01/13/2010

hi lauralee,

my son is almost 7 months and has never slept a full nite either!we r weary from it,he wakes between 2 and 3 times a nite.he drinks the bottle in his sleep,so i thought he was only looking 4 comfort,so we took the health nurses advice and reduced his food a scoop every 2nd nite until its eventually water and supposedly he wud not wake 4 water.didnt work,he was screamin 4 hours.i went back and gave him his bottle and he just takes it quietly and goes back.i dont know wot to do either.is ur son eatin solids.

Lena - posted on 01/13/2010

I had a problem with my daugthers sleep as well. Until someone suggested a book on babies sleep. It will OPEN YOUR EYES on how babies sleep patterns work. It helps on any kind of problem you have step by step. Its called: The 90-minute Baby Sleep program. I tried it for a week now, and my daughter is getting the sleep she needs :)

Tracey - posted on 01/13/2010

Okay, how about this? Here's one I haven't tried! I ALWAYS put Hayden to bed with a bottle. I just read that this may be causing him to wake up during his sleep. He needs to learn to comfort himself. Of course, many times, my husband and I just let him sit in his room and talk to himself and he eventually goes back to sleep. I just don't put him down for naps/bed time that way. Maybe I'll try it tonight.

Tracey - posted on 01/13/2010

I wait about 10 minutes to go in unless he is screaming like he is in pain. My son is so active and into everything that a mobile would only keep him awake because he would be playing with it. We do turn on a relaxation cd and it will help him go back to sleep.

As for sleep during the day, not much. He takes a two hour nap in the morning, which is good. We lay him down after lunch and he'll sleep for about an hour and then wake up. We usually let him cry and he will go back to sleep for another hour or so. That's it.

Lana - posted on 01/13/2010

hmm. if food isnt the problem.... do you wait a bit before you go in, and does he have anything in his crib like a mobile or a music thingy that you can turn on that he likes? my son loves that ocean wonders thing and his mobile, so if he wakes up i turn that on, and he usually stares at it till he goes back to sleep. also how much is he sleeping during the day?

Tracey - posted on 01/13/2010

Well, Lauralee, I guess this has helped in the fact that we are not alone! I thought my son should be sleeping longer and he was the only one NOT sleeping through the night. I can't wait until that year mark. I'm marking it on the calendar with a big red circle and stars on it! LOL!

Jennifer - posted on 01/13/2010

my son is 7 1/2 mo old (born june 1, 2009), has never slept thru the night. i am playing single mommy right now b/c my hubby has been overseas for 6 months, so i don't even have the help alot of parents have..he is up ever 45 mins every night no matter what time he goes to bed and is up for the day no later than 530am (not by my choice lol). the only thing i have read about baby sleep patterns (and i have researched it alot) is that "sleeping all night" for a baby is only a 5 hour span of time. thats not all night to us no but for a baby 5 hours is all night. around the age of 1yr they should start sleeping longer thru the night but as you have read from other posts that doesn't always happen (every baby is different). I am working with the Elizabeth Pantley " No Cry Sleep Solution" Book. I have j/gotten to the part that i start forming my own sleep routine w/me son. its a really helpfull book, and easy to read..alot better than i have read anywhere else. I hope you and your son get some much needed rest soon.

Samantha - posted on 01/13/2010

my little boy is 7 months. he wakes up every hour at the moment. maybe because of his teeth. he use to sleep every 8 hrs.

Jade - posted on 01/13/2010

Hi My baby girl is 7 months old, I breastfed until 1 week ago and put the no sleeping through the night down to the fact that she was breastfed but she is no different on the formula, i have also tried all the "tricks" and she still wakes up 1 - 2 times a night, im hoping she will just grow out of it, sorry i dont have a solution but at least you know your not the only one... :-)

Tracey - posted on 01/12/2010

My son is drinking 8-8.5 in a sitting. For breakfast, he gets a bottle plus one jar of baby food. Lunch - jar of veggies and smaller jar of fruits and bottle. Dinner - jar of veggies and bottle. Bedtime - 2 oz of rice cereal mixed with fruit and bottle. So eating enough is not the problem. Any other suggestions?

Lana - posted on 01/12/2010

try and feed your baby a little more each bottle, they have a certain amount they need to be eating, so try and get him/her to eat that all during the day, and bath, bottle then bed. my son doesn't go to bed till around 10pm everynight, but he sleeps till 9 or 10 am. definatley no naps too late either!

Vicki - posted on 01/12/2010

how s he feeding through day try n make sure he s really full my daughters eat s like this 6.45 6 oz milk

9.00 breakfast and 5 oz milk

12.00 dinner and jucie drink

3.00 6 oz milk

5.00 evening meal and juice drink

7.30 supper 4 oz milk

then bed till 6.45 hope this helps

Tracey - posted on 01/12/2010

My son is 7 months old and I was thinking the same thing! When is he ever going to sleep through the night? I am exhausted! I too have tried all of the tricks! I try to let him cry it out, but when he wakes up after 6 hours of sleep, I have to feed him because he is hungry!

Good news is, they say that a child who doesn't sleep through the night may be a very intelligent child because it's almost like they are afraid they are missing something. They have to see and touch everything! Very observant children. That's what I am banking on!

If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.

Chris - posted on 01/12/2010

I have a little guy that is doing the exact same thing! I have 2 other children and have never had any sleep troubles until now. He is 28 weeks and is up at least once a night, sometimes more. He doesn't cry, just eats and goes back to sleep. Crossing my fingers that he starts sleeping soon..

Elanor - posted on 01/12/2010

Mine wakes up too! he's 7 months. bare in mind thier tummy's are only the size of thier fist, so of course they get hungry!!!! My first slept through at 8 weeks, but it didn't last for long!! And he's not the best sleeper. My baby now wakes up once or twice, but only for a quick feed, I hardly wake up myself - that is why I breastfeed, it is soo easy, and I barely notice waking up.

Nira - posted on 01/12/2010

We have just begun sleep training with my 6 months old baby girl. She had been a good sleeper since birth and up to 3 months and then began waking up each night to feed once or twice. I tried the “dream feed” once then and she woke up every 2 hours!! This time around I waited for her to signal that she didn’t need the feeding anymore, i.e. she fed for 5 minutes and went back to sleep instead of her usual 20 minutes. So last week I started feeding her at 11 before I went to bed, while she was sleeping and then when she habitually woke up at 4 AM my husband went to her and gave her the pacifier. It wasn’t easy but after a few short cries (he kept going back to calm her down) she settled down and went back to sleep. The next night she woke up again but this time no crying just baby talk. The following night the same happened only an hour later and so on. We did have one night where she would not calm down without feeding but I wasn’t sure she had enough to eat during the day so I fed her and the following night we were back to normal. She is bf and I was told formula babies who get rice cereal or porridge don’t even need the dream feed... Now she sleeps from 7:30 PM to 6 AM and I sleep well too! 

Heather - posted on 01/11/2010

not my guy! he's up every night hungry too, however we breastfeed exclusively.. you're not alone, but there is a light at the end of this tunnel!

Tiffine - posted on 01/11/2010

My daughter is 7 mons old born June 6th 2009 and she does not sleep through the night, most of the time she wakes up 1 or 2 times a night sometimes more. I am trying a new thing but it is a process. When she startess to get sleepy and rubbing her eyes I put her in her seat and Feed her her dinner. I say it is a process because each night she eates a little more before she gets to tired to eat and stays asleep just a little longer. I am hoping It will work to its fullest soon. Good luck with your little guy

Meagan - posted on 01/11/2010

I feel you! Mine is almost 7 months (born 6-14-09) and has only slept through the night ONCE! And I'm pretty sure that was a fluke! I nurse him at least once a night and sometimes twice. We haven't had a 3 timer in a while but it always changes. Sometimes its 2am sometimes not til 4 or 5 am, but he ALWAYS wakes up. It will pass! Just know that you are NOT ALONE!

Anna - posted on 01/11/2010

I have a boy whom will be 7 moths this month and he does not go threw the night. I was told the 3rd wld be better well were they wrong or what :) I would say he is the worse, he has a nap at 5pm for an hour and then does not go back down till 10ish & no matter how u try to stop the nap with the best advise it does not work.

Stephanie - posted on 01/09/2010

Ya my son is the same as u Romina, my son is 7 months and goes to bed round 12-1am and is up at 5 am or even 4 am for a bottle, I've also tried various tricks n nothing seems to work he eats solid foods, his rice cookies everything!! Nothing is working, I'm constantly Tired and now it just got worse He has his 2 first teeth coming through!!! I can't wait till he starts sleeping his nights so I can get back to doin stuff like every other normal person does cause all I do during the day is sleep because I've been up all night!! :( The joys of motherhood :)

Jaci - posted on 01/09/2010

My daughter eats baby food about 2 to 3 hours before she goes to bed and has 4 to 6 oz. but still wakes up. Sometimes it is enough for me to just go in and talk a little bit and sometimes she needs 2 to 3 oz. and then she's good. But we are up at least 3 to 4 times a night. I know your not supposed to, but if she has a stuffy nose, I prop her on a pillow and she does a little better. I also try to make sure she gets enough activity during the day so she is worn out. She loves her walker. Not very good at it, but it gives her freedom to move and me too.

Kandace - posted on 01/09/2010

my 3 year old still doesnt sleep through the night though my 6 month old did inthe beginning he wakes up at least 3 times a week now .... all kids are different and have different needs i find that if i dont allow my 3 year old to nap more than 45 min during the day then he sleeps the night

Jamone - posted on 01/09/2010

My baby hasn't slept through the night either, he is 6 and half months. He is breastfed, which makes the middle of the night feeds so much easier. It takes about 10 minutes tops and then straight back too sleep so I am not too fussed about it. Just reading this thread it looks like most women in the states formula feed their babies. In Australia you don't really feed your baby formula unless a medicial condition stops you breastfeeding. But all the formula feed babies I know sleep for 12 hours so I thought it was meant to make a difference.

Misty - posted on 01/08/2010

When your baby wakes up have you tried not feeding him and just going in and comforting him without picking him up. Leave and see if he goes to sleep, from what I understand when you do something repeatedly then they will get used to it and continue the behavior. My daughter sleeps through the night but on occasion she might wake up at 3 or 4 am and I usually feed her but that is because it has been several hours since her last. I also give my daughter rice cereal with vegetables for dinner to fill her for the evening and depending on when she eats dinner and goes to bed I might give her 3-4 oz of formula before bed. When I first started putting my daughter in her crib she would cry and cry and it would break my heart but I knew she needed to learn how to soothe herself and get to sleep. After a few days to a week of this she got it and now goes to sleep anywhere between 6-8 pm and stays asleep through the night and like I said before on rare occasions she might go a couple nights waking up at 3 or 4 am and then back to normal. I know all baby's are different I just hope something I said will help and good luck!

Kris - posted on 01/07/2010

i'm up at nigth with you mama! ds was born 9 june 09. he was up 2-3 times a night, but is now getting up roughly every hour and a half to nurse. good thing is that he conks right back out. this too shall pass :)

Krystal - posted on 01/07/2010

My daughter, born 6-16-09, use to have a wonderful sleeping pattern. From the time we brought her home she would go to bed, in her own bed, at 9pm, sleep until 3 or 4 eat the sleep until 6 eat then sleep until 8 or 9 then she'd be up for the day. But now things are a lot different. We moved when she was 3 1/2 months now she wont go to sleep until 12 or 1 am, sleeps with my husband and I, wakes up 2 or 3 times and is up for the day by 9 or 10. She also takes 20 min power naps through out the day.

Amanda - posted on 01/07/2010

My 61/2 month old has never slept though the night either, my pediatrician suggested I up his food intake during the day, so I now feed him 3 times plus his normal nursing. He still gets up 2-3 to nurse. He is in the 95% for hieght but only the 50% for weight. So I have come to the conclusion that he is growing super fast and is HUNGRY! I am exhausted most days but know it will not last forever...I just hope that my next baby will sleep better! The only thing that really bothers me is everybody else's looks when they ask if he is sleeping though the night yet...or the advice from people who have no clue! After deadig this post I did feel better, good luck and know that you are not alone!

Lisa - posted on 01/06/2010

I am so happy to see that no one else's babies are sleeping! I thought I was doing something horribly wrong! I even scheduled a dr's appt b/c of it! She was sleeping pretty well for a while, only getting up 2-3 times a night, now she goes to bed at 9:45-10:00 pm and gets up at 1, 3, 5 and 7:00 she is ready to take on the day! She eats at all of those times as well and she is on solid foods. I have decided I am raising the next Wonder Woman. Thanks, everyone, for sharing your stories it really helps to see that other mommies are going thru the same thing.

Kathleen - posted on 01/06/2010

i am having the same prblem with my 6 month old its at the point were i just put her into bed with me during the nyte,she dosnt go down tull after 11pm and then sleeps for 4 hours an after that she wakes nearly every hour,ive forgotton what a full nights sleep is but shes only waking for a bottle and a cuddle shes on solids and has a bottle when she goes to bed so y is she still wakin alot?

Deanne - posted on 01/06/2010

My husband and I are having the same problem with our 6 month old. He has never slept through the night and the only way to get him back to sleep is with a bottle. :( We don't know what to do either!?!

Billie - posted on 01/04/2010

my child is currently 6 months old and never slept through the night, i blamed it mostly on breastfeeding because it doesnt seem to satisy as long as formula, Ive tried to give him a pacifier, i also give him cereal right before bed but he still wakes up hungry, but I just deal with it.

Alisha - posted on 01/03/2010

My son is doing the exact same thing I think once or twice he slept thru the night when he was 3 mos old or so But never more than that Its not as though he wakes up and stays up Just like your son my son wakes up at least one to two times a night eats atleast half a bottle but most times he downs a full bottle then hes back to sleep I too feel that he must be hungry if he is waking to drink a full bottle I dont want to starve my poor child but it would be nice to sleep all night one of these days

Kristle - posted on 01/03/2010

my son has been sleeping through the night since he was 5 days old...he's 7 months old now. he wakes around 8-830am, at 9 he eats 3 tbsp of cereal (mixed with 2-3tbsp formula) and half a jar of fruit and 4 oz formula. lays down for a nap at 11-1130am and sleeps till 1230-1pm, at 1 he eats half jar of veggie mixed with half tbsp rice cereal (no formula mixed in) and half jar fruit and 4 oz formula. lays down for nap around 3-330pm, wakes around 430-5pm. at 5 he eats half jar of veggie mixed with half tbsp rice cereal (no formula mixed in) and half jar fruit and 4 oz formula. he doesn't take a nap after this feeding so he's nice and tired by bed time. at 830-9pm he gets a 6oz formula and then right to bed. he doesn't wake up at all during the night. try this and see if it works! he's been teething since he was 2 months old and finally cut teeth at about 6 1/2 months. when he had teething troubles i would rock him to sleep for naps if needed. the motrin/tylenol as needed and teething tablets worked great for him! good luck, i hope you can get him to sleep at night...it can be very frustrating when they don't sleep.

Elisabeth Jacobsen - posted on 01/03/2010

From the replies I see that we are not the only ones! My little son has not slept through the night yet, and is more than 6 months. He usually wakes 2 or 3 times, but now that he has had a cold he has woken every hour. I don't feed him every time he wakes, but give him his pacifier or hold him. I am planning on trying not to feed him at night when he gets rid of his cold. They (nurses) that they will regulate their food intake and eat more in the day at this time. Maybe then, hopefully, he will start sleeping better at night. I am prepared for some crying in the beginning, but it worked pretty well with his older brother.

Laura - posted on 01/03/2010

My daughter who was born 1st june, is a real nightmare at bedtime/during the night. she doesnt like going to bed, and cries until she makes herself sick where she is so overtired. I tried everything, massage, solids before bed, swapping bathtime, keepin her up later...u name it! After much debating i tried the controlled crying technique, it took about 2 weeks for her to realise what was going on, but now she goes to bed at 7.30 and wakes up at 9am, normally waking up once about 2am for couple of ounces of milk
I dont know if this is "normal" but at least im getting a little more sleep now than when she was up every other hour