Can't stay asleep!!! HELP

Chantel - posted on 12/23/2008

I had lots of problems trying to get my son to sleep when he was that old. What finally helped was someone suggested I try getting off dairy. Amazingly enough he slept 6 hours straight after I had been off dairy for 24 hours. It didn't seem to me that he was gassy but maybe I was too tired to notice. Maybe just try that.

Rachel - posted on 12/23/2008

To add to my short post, I did start getting her to sleep and letting her sleep for a little on her stomach, then turning her on her back. I started this because I noticed she was startling herself. I tried swaddling, but she kept bringing her arms out and that's what needed to be swaddled. The pacifier also helped b/c I knew I had plenty of milk and she was feeding for 1-1.5 hours at a time. But even after her feeding for that long, I noticed that she still want to suck, but she definitely didn't need to eat anymore. Once I started the Paci, she was able to fall asleep easier. Pumping does not always show how much milk a person has. She's perfectly content and growing great and I only pump up to 2 oz on both sides sometimes. But a couple of times I forgot to turn her on her back and she was ok and I woke up and was surprised that she'd slept like 6 hours. At her 2 month appt, she was sleeping 6-8 hours, the doctor was surprised, but I failed to mention the sleeping on her stomach. Now, she sleeps 8-10 hours and I nurse on my side and we fall asleep together for an hour or so and then I move her back to her bed, she does sleep better there, and she sleeps up to 5 hours more sometimes according to the time of day. She usually takes a good morning nap, but afternoon naps are sometimes not as good. A good nap for her is 3-5 hours. Also, my mom kept saying cereal, cereal, cereal. I tried it at 3 months and no difference. Now at almost 5 months old, she does know when it's time for real food and fusses for it. Please update us, I'm just curious is the 10 minutes all day and night or exactly when. Also, I was working and ended up having to give her formula at the babysitters b/c I wasn't pumping enough, again, she was getting plenty when I wasn't stressed and I was eating right. My baby hasn't had any problems with nipples, paci's, feedings, or sippy cups, but I do know a lot do.

Stacy - posted on 12/23/2008

I only breast feed and my daughter use to wake up after sleeping 10mins during the day... cat naps is all she would take. During the night she would sleep for about 2hrs wake up eat and sleep for 2 and repeat the cycle. She has finally grown out of it and takes a nap at around 12 for 2 whole hours! In my opinion they will grow out of the cat naps. I would not suggest suplamenting with formula... you run the risk of producing less milk nipple confusion and possible him liking the formula more then your milk. Your body will produce the amount your child needs! By the way my daughter absolutly hates swaddling too, she has sence she was born. Sorry I could not be more helpful.

Rachel - posted on 12/23/2008

I know the doctor says no stomach sleeping, but that's what I started doing with my daughter, also, I gave her a pacifier. I hate the things, but when she's fighting sleep, it helps alot.

Mckenzie - posted on 12/23/2008

Sorry one more thing I do the same as the woman above me, after teh long stretch at night then i bring her in with me and breastfeed on demand for the rest of the night and cuddle and soothe and i love it!

Mckenzie - posted on 12/23/2008

Hi, I'm sure you already have figured out what to do but I just thought I would add a little bit of what worked in my experience. My daughter is 3 months old born 9/19/08 and she had A mild case of Reflux. once we started propping her up in her bassinet(we jsut used a couple of folded towels under the bassinet mattress) she slept soooooooo much better. We were having the same problem with her waking up once she was set down or only staying asleep for about 10 minutes is she stayed asleep at all. So that worked for about a monthe then when she was about 2 1/2 months old she started doing it again, so I did what everyone tells you NOT to do I put her on her stomach and she sleeps 7-8 hours at a time ever since then. She was always snuggled up to my placenta in utero so I just let her sleep like that now and she is a much happier baby because of it. I know she is safe becsue we keep all things out of her crib except for the blanket which only goes up to her waist. She sleeps in her crib in her room now too which was something i was excited about. Also I went back to work when she was 8 wks and have been supplementing with formula since about 10 weeks. I always breastfeed first and then offer 2-4 ozs of formula after depending on the time of day. In the morning she needs no formula but in the afternoon when I pick her up around 3:30 she needs about 2 extra ozs and right before bed around 7:30 or 8 she almost does a whole 4 extra. She always eats once in between there too which is the cluster feedign thing and I definitely think that helps her sleep better. Also making sure like you said that baby gets at least one good nap during the day helps too. i know my daughter takes 2 longer ones about 2-2 1/2 hrs and one thats only about 45 minutes. Hope this helps someone.

Mara - posted on 12/23/2008

I didn't read all the responses so hopefully I'm not too redundant. I completely feel your agony over this. Our 3.5 month old will now go to bed in her crib (at night) once she's fast asleep, but did not do this until about 6 weeks ago. When she was first born, she'd sleep best only on me or with me and this lasted up til 6 weeks ago. Every time we'd lay her down, she's pop her eyes open within 10 minutes. I gave in and let her co-sleep with us. We breastfeed so that was the easiest way for us to get sleep. As you've said, you don't think your son is in pain but he's just not ready to sleep alone yet. I think some babies are slow to learn to self-soothe. What worked for us was to let her nap in the swing (she is right now) - the constant motion helps her to stay asleep longer. You could let him sleep in a bouncy chair or carseat, since I've heard that is what works for other babies and won't damage your child. At night, I really wanted her to sleep in her crib so for a few weeks, I'd put her in her crib with her blanket and turn on the mobile when she was awake. I'd stay with her so she felt safe. This was to get her used to the crib and to see that the crib was a safe place. After a couple of weeks of that, I started to put her down in her crib, with white noise playing and her blanket in there (had her and my scent on it). I can only put her down once she's fully asleep - my test for this is to pick up her arm and if it's limp then we know she's ready:) The first week or so she'd only sleep 3 hours but then one night she magically slept 8 in her crib. I couldn't believe it. Every night is different but we are making progress. After her long stretch in the crib, I still let her come sleep with us. Eventually we'll phase that out, but they are only this little for such a short time. So just keep trying new strategies and eventually, given time, your little one will sleep better. Personally, I don't think the formula will change how your son sleeps but it's worth a try if you feel it's the right way to go. Personally, I prefer breast over formula, but that's me.

Debra - posted on 12/22/2008

wow! lots more posts on this! How is it going now? are you finding any success with any of the recommendations? I wanted to tell you too that if you are breastfeeding, you can try pumping instead of that last feed before bed and give that- but if you supplement with formula, your milk production may decrease as your body will believe that you are now weaning. If you think your milk is not enough to keep him content, make sure that you are consuming enough calories during the day to keep him satisfied. As your milk is a reflection of what you eat and drink (10 cups of fluids per day) you need to start there. You need an extra 700 calories a day on top of your recommended caloric intake for your body. These calories should be extra fruit/ veggie portions, food that contain calcium (like dairy), meats and or tofu etc- not junk food. Listen to your son and try different things. Keep a journal of his nap/ bed time and see if there are any similarities. At this age, he needs about 14-16 hours of sleep per 24 hour period. Usually this is several un-organized day naps and a 4-6 hour stretch at night. This is what of course, the 'experts' say happens. At that age, my son slept 2-3 hours at a time at night and woudl be awake most of the day. As a result, he was sleep deprived and it took a long time to get him to a point where his rest was restored. Your son does weigh enough to go at least 4 hours between feeds. From a metabolic point of view, when babies hit 10 lbs they 'should' sleep through the night. Most don't at 2 months of age though. He will also start to look for a routine around 3 months and respond well to one. This can include a nightly bath (its the warm water and routine that makes babies sleepy- not necessarily the johnson and johnson lavender soap- although it does smell nice), a nursing session, gums/teeth brush and a story or song and then laying him down. I know every baby is different, but most like routine. It lets them know that they are safe. This part is my opinion- but I did use the ferber method. I may be old fashioned- but i'm only 30 and was sleep deprived myself and so followed the advice of my sister who has 3 boys (now aged 15, 13 and 8) who all sleep through the night now and my sister in law who has 3 girls and one boy age (13, 11, 5 and 7) who also all sleep through the night. On their advice, we let him cry for a total cycle of 20 min- going in every 5 min to reassure him and only if his other needs had been met. Sometimes after 20 min this resulted in him either going to sleep or me nursing more. We didn't start the ferber method until about 2.5 months when it was getting to the point that he would have all his needs met and still cry. I could hold him and nurse him and the crying would get worse. I would then resort to just putting him down in the crib and letting him cry as it was healthier for me as I was seriously freaking out from the crying and at the end of my rope. Yes, babies are not manipulative and cry for a reason. But they can also be taught within reason (meaning their needs are met and they are not neglected) at a young age. The younger you start, the easier it is for them to learn self soothing methods early on and grow into good habits. I've met many children who are not good sleepers over the years (i was a popular baby sitter) and these children had problems falling asleep on their own. Being able to fall asleep on their own when they wake in the middle of the night is a learned behavior. Anyways, since that time, it took him a few nights before he was falling asleep after I nursed him and he would stay asleep. He also learned to fall asleep for his naps too all with the help of a sound machine which i think helped. As he got older, he started singing himself to sleep or talking to his animals. I learned that if he woke up from a nap crying then he hadn't slept enough and I would have to try to encourage another nap before he settled for the night. I've also learned that my son is an independent boy. He likes being cuddled- but on his own terms. He gives me kisses- but only when he wants to. He tends to wander around our small apartment and play and look at books and I try to play/read with him as much as he'll let me. Lately he wants to go into his crib for night time before i'm done with my cuddles and our night time songs. It makes me sad that he wants to do this, but he's happy and just wants his blanket. I wonder if i've taught him too well, but he's a happy giggly boy so I know i've done something right. I hope you are able to find what works best for your son soon! Keep strong! and remember if its a choice between you loosing it and your son crying, there is nothing wrong with crying if it means a healthy mommy.

Becky - posted on 12/21/2008

I have a 12 week old daughter and she sleeps for 20 minutes at a time most of the day. She is strictly on formula so I don't think thats the issue. My pediatrician says she is so alert and ansy that she is probably just waking herself and to just keep swaddling her really tight even if she hates it. That way she cant wake herself up as easily.

Lidia - posted on 12/21/2008

My son likes to sleep w/ loud music while he is in my arms and Im dancing around w/ him. He also likes to look at the tv while Im holding him in the (down) position and gently spanking his butt. And when I put him down on his crib I keep my hands still under him for a couple seconds at he same time moving him a lil, and than I take my hands off him. It works most of the time for me, it doesnt mean it will work for you, but its something to try. Godd Luck!

Greta - posted on 12/21/2008

I think that 2 months of age is way too young for cereal or adding water, gas drops ect. You should really ask your doctor about that before ever thinking about adding it. Doctors now suggest to waiting till 6 months before giving cereal. Giving formula with breast feeding would only be necessary if your baby wasn't getting enough food. I breast fed my daughter as well (only). She had acid reflux which made sleeping difficult. I agree with trying all the raising of one end of crib, swing sleeping for naps and even your carrier/car seat. But for me, she did sleep on me most of the time.....but she did outgrow everything. It is tough while your in it but everything does change and they grow out of many things and develop new one. Crying it out at 2 months is extreme to me as well but I am definitely a softy to babies crying. Try putting your baby on your knees on it's belly and gently rocking sometimes that helps with gas. I went to see a breast feeding specialist/consultants....most hospitals have them that you can make an appointment with for free. She was the most helpful to me. I found out I was feeding my baby too much.....I had so much milk. So check this out it could really help.

Ashley - posted on 12/20/2008

its normal.feed right before bed , do baths right before bed use lavender baby soap and shampoo and when the baby gets out of the bath do lavender lotion then get them dressed make them warm lay them in their bed cover them up they will make noise drift off to sleep .u could also rock him after the bath get him warm and secured .sing to ur baby talk to the baby .he will grow out of it and get the hang of it .dont pick him up everytime he makes a sound it only makes things worse trust me went through that with my two year old .my mom did it with my oldest daughter .make baby feel secured u can sometimes put ur hand on babys stomach and falls alseep there are many techniques ur pediatrician could help too .

Bobbie - posted on 12/19/2008

Heather pumping should never be an indicator of how much a mother is making. I only pump about half an oz to an oz at a time and my dd is growing just fine. Babies are meant to get that milk out not a pump and unless she was using the $1300 hospital pump then she should not have stopped breastfeeding. Even the hospital grade pumps do not get everything. I bet her baby was going through a growth spurt. As long as your baby happens to be gaining weight and is satisfied off the breast and is not going through a growth spurt milk production is most likely not the issue here. I really hope the OP has gone to the Dr. by now and gotten some solid advice from her Dr. Also OP if you really do want to continue to breastfeed go see a lactation consultant they can give you better advice about breastfeeding then anyone on here.

Heather - posted on 12/19/2008

you might want to check and see if your feeding him enough, my sister was having the same problem and eventually she started pumping to see how much milk she was producing and it was hardly any! we joke that she starved her daughter for a month.... not that she did., but she switched to formula, and it helped, also ask the doctor if maybe he is too small for a little cereal in the milk... i gave my son cereal mixed with his breast milk before bed, just a little, and he slept for hours.

User - posted on 12/19/2008

too hot or too cold? how about a nuk/binky for him to suck and sooth himself. A swing is great too. every baby is different and some sleep really well ,others dont. when he goes in for his next well visit ask your pediatrican for tips. she might say to add a supplement for formula. he looks healthy and cute to me! congrats

Tonya - posted on 12/19/2008

Hey, I understand your frustration!! My baby girl did not sleep well till 3 months (when I went to work!!) Luckily for my husband, she started sleeping all night at that very week (when it was his turn)!! Anyway, she is very gassy (breastfed exclusively). We started in the bassinet in our room and she slept the same as if she were in any other place. It was just that one night, she decided she was gonna sleep 6-7 hours. It all happened at once. I tried different things, but she gets breastmilk now with 2-3 tablespoons of rice cereal in it. She spits up a little more than with straight breastmilk, but sleeps better. Also the swaddling helps. I notice a differnce when I don't. I guess she just got used to that!!!

Jenny - posted on 12/18/2008

I also recommend swadling. Kidoppadamus (sp?) makes an awesome swaddle blanket. Since my daughter was born in November, we got a light fleece one, but they come in waffle weave as well. When I saw her getting sleepy we would just swaddle her and lay her down. Also, I see know that when I turn on her white noise machine she yawns, as if to say, yep it's time to sleep now.

Tanya - posted on 12/18/2008

Usually a baby that fidgits or cries or seems restless is an uncomfortable baby. It could be anything from the undershirt being too tight to just wanting socks on thier feet.

My son had colic and as I was a young mother I had to try different things , the thing that worked for me was wrapping him in a blanket (like they do at the hospital) and playing country music. He loved it and usually 10 min later he was asleep and stayed asleep. I dont reccomend sleeping all the time with your baby, yes they are cute and small and its soo nice to have them next to you but this develops BAD HABITS. You are not showing your child to be independent and how to respect to thier "own space" and your's



You begin raising your child from the moment they are born. When my daughter was 4 she told me that she remembered being a baby and repeated somethings that we had done as a family that really she should not have remebered. dont kid yourself they are little people right from the start.



Once and a while isnt bad but some parents do it out of conviencence and trust me when you want some alone time and your child will not sleep with out you next to them , you'll remeber reading this. My best friend did that and now her daughter goes in her room everynight to sleep and she has to fight with her to try and break the routine.



I was instructed by the hospital on how to do after care for my son's circumsition and what the dr told me was WRONG. I called my mother and the best advise she could give me was to trust my instincts, not read this book or that book. trust myself as a mom and confied in women who raised their childern without all the mumbo jumbo that Dr's are filing our heads with.



If you are confused about something put yourself in the babies shoes.. would you want to cry for 20 min hard and have no one come and see you.That is awful and shouldnt be used although I read a lady's post and she made sence , some mothers cant handle crying babies and in some cases it is better if mother and child seperate for a few min , just min not hours and the most important thing is if your baby stops crying go and see. dont assume that they are ok...

Some babies like thier bath in the AM some in the PM the best thing that I could say is create a routine with your baby.. it takes maybe a week but they respond well to routine and you can use the same routine as they get older.

Jenny - posted on 12/18/2008

To me is sounds like you have two issues. First of all, as you probably know breastfeeding is best. My daughter is 13 months and since I knew I was going to have to work outside the home, I pumped majority of the time. I did have to supplement with formula, but made it almost a year with breastmilk. Even if she gets a bottle of breastmilk or two a day is better than none!

Your other issue is sleep. It took my daughter a month to gain back her birth weight of 6 1/2 lbs. At her newborn assessment appointment the nurse told us a little light, sound and warmth will keep the babies asleep. This totally worked for me and she has slept in her bed for naps and at night, all night since she was 10 weeks old. We put a nightlight in her room and played a white noise sound machine. We would fill tube socks with rice and put one on each side of her. I personally don't like back sleeping, b/c what if they spitup? Where is it going to go but backwards and they could choke in their sleep. Anyway, she slept on her side until I was confident (3-4 months old) that she would be able to turn her head while on her tummy. Now at 13 months old I find her asleep on her tummy and her back.

Gretchen - posted on 12/18/2008

Do not give him formula! I think you would then have to deal with gas and digestion issues! I am dealing with a lot of the same things. Do not let him snack! I have the same problem with my son so I make sure that every time he eats it's a meal and not just a snack. I think because you are having to feed him after a 1/2 hr it's because he is not eating a full meal but just as I call it, snacking. If he has a full belly I think honestly you will have a longer time that he will sleep.

Jamie - posted on 12/18/2008

do not give formula... that is a myth that if you fill their belly they will stay asleep. i read healthy sleep habits, health child. it helped me learn more about how babies sleep so far it is helping my son is 3 months today. i never thought he would sleep in his bed until i started noticing his sleep signals and putting him down to sleep then and not waiting til he was overtired and couldn't stay asleep. good luck.. and really formula will only work to make your supply less abundant because you aren't feeding as often then you will have to feed more and more formula.. vicious cycle.

Michelle - posted on 12/18/2008

i did both breastfed and bottle fed... my daughter was also a fussy sleeper but i realized it was due to pain because she had alot of gas.. i changed the bottle i was using and started using Dr. Brown glass bottle which eliminated gas completely and she was able to sleep more... before going to sleep i would give her a bottle of formula and then i would breast feed her until she falls asleep..

Joan - posted on 12/18/2008

I would research GERD, since it does flare up worst when they are lying down, it seems possible that this could be the problem. Also it would be a good idea to follow up with the pediatrician to rule out this or any other medical issues. My daughter (now 12 mo) had this problem for a few months and it was reduced by Prevacid and also changing my diet as she was exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. I found that if I cut back on dairy, she was much less colicky. It does sound like your baby is getting plenty to eat given his weight; at that age, weight and number of dirty diapers are your guide! My daughter also responded really well to swaddling at night when she was tiny. She would fight it and struggle to get out for a minute of two, but once she settled down, it was a lifesaver. Without swaddling, she would sleep maybe 2 hours; swaddled, she would go for 4 or 5. Eventually she got too big to swaddle (although the SwaddleMe blankets in size large worked for several months) and by then she would sleep 7 to 8 hours unswaddled. Later, maybe around 8 months, she went through a phase where she would wake up every 2 hours again. I would bf her for about 3 minutes, she'd fall asleep, and then would be up again in 2 more hours. She just wanted company! Sleep is more important than company so at that point I did let her cry it out if it had been less than 4 hours since her previous feeding. Now she sleeps 11 to 12 hours a night, unless she has an ear infection. . . but that is another story. I guess my advice would be to keep trying different things until you find the magic formula. It will be different from one month to the next. . . even week to week, and day to day sometimes! Being a mom keeps you on your toes! I know it is not much comfort while you are going through it, but you will figure it out and someday all the sleepless nights will be just a distant memory. Hang in there!

Sonya - posted on 12/17/2008

Hi, i breastfeed my first boy and with out even realising it and then even when i had realised was so tired, so instead of giving him a proper feed he was really just having a snack and then falling back asleep, i was so grateful everytime he fell asleep that i would just let him, it was very hard on me. So yes i started...well my husband started giving him one bottle at night so i could get some sleep, this worked and he would sleep for up to 4 hours after the bottle!!! I used a goats milk formula as it is less sweet and more like breast milk than the other formulas. Darragh went from brest to bottle and back again with no problem. When i had my twins i expressed for the first while (as they were in hospital) but used bottle when they got home, i soon realised i needed to have a much better routine with them then my first born, i was so tired one night that they cried themselves back to sleep, i woke the next morning and realised the sky hadn't fallen in and that they were fine, so i started a routine, if they woke at other tims i ignored them. At the end of the day everyone was happier for it, they soon got into their routine and i got some sleep!! Good Luck!!

Satina - posted on 12/17/2008

Hey I'm sorry to hear your little one isn't sleeping! That's never any fun! Have you tried proping him up at all? Both of my boys had issues with sleeping and we found out that with the first sone it was because his he had an under developed esophagus so whenwe would lay him flat it was not comfortable and with our second son he had sever acid reflux. We just folded up a baby blanket and placed it under one end of the matress where his head will be. I wouldn't try formula for the simple fact that it can cause tummy troubles and other reactions so it may cause MORE problems. You could try pumping and putting about a tablespoon of baby rice cereal in the bottle. We did this with our second son however we did it because it made the rice thicker so it made the milk stay down better but some say it helps them sleep longer. I hope you find something that helps! Oh have you tried a lovey (stuffed animal or blanket) or instrumental lullaby music playing quietly. Good Luck!

Kelina - posted on 12/17/2008

I also wouldn't advise giving him a bottle. I found that my niece would end up throwing up ost if not all of her bottle after being breastfed for the first two weeks of her life. Does he not sleep at all for longer periods of time? My niece was really fussy about getting put down and i found that if i put her into her crib when she was drowsy and then laid a hand on her tummy she would actually settle down and go to sleep. I also wouldn't reccommend layhim on anything but his back. Statistically SIDS is significantly higher in both boys, and babies who are placed in any position other than on their back. I hope that helps. Good luck!

Cheryl - posted on 12/17/2008

i totally agree Kaite, and i am assuming u are talking about me . I do have to apologise to everyone reading this post, but i never critised how anyone else parents their child. i just pointed out that the mums views on here didnt warrant being called disturbing and that i had used some of the techniques the mums had advised and they had infact worked for me too.

Kaite - posted on 12/17/2008

Wow, first off, I must comment on the back-and-forth bickering. I understand that parenting is a very controversial topic, in-and-of-itself, but c'mon ladies, we're all trying to do our best. As for the two of you who both insist that you're right, it's because you are! Everybody's situation is different, and what may be disturbing to one, may have been a lifesaver to another. I'm not trying to attack the original disputers advice of letting a baby cry themselves to sleep at 2.5 months, but it's something I couldn't have done, I don't have the heart to. I would have imediately thought something was wrong, but as he got older, I was able to let him cry longer. Never more than 20 minutes, I couldn't handle it. And not to attack the women with the research, but truthfully, what that mother did, may have just saved her sanity, and let her move on to the morning and be a better mommy. No Mommy can be a good Mommy if she's being told she's disturbing, or is at the brink of breaking down, because she feels she can't do anything to console her own child. However, I did find I was able to feel more comfortable with letting him cry on his own when I got a different monitor, and he got older. The one we use now has the sensor pad you put under their mattress, and it alerts you if the baby goes too many seconds without breathing (moving, even so slightly). This question/answer column is more of a problem/advice sort of thing. Move on from being judgemental, give your opinion, and let the questioner decide whose advice to pursue.



Personally, my advice would be to look into some homeopathic remodies. My son was born with a congenital heart problem, so my problems/solutions will vary from most. He too had a sleeping 'issue' to begin with, but thats NORMAL. Nobody said EASY. I didn't sleep consistantly for many months, and still struggle with it from time to time. I will say that a baby that young is probably crying for a reason.



I am a massage therapist, and one of my things I chose to study deeper into was infant massage. It is amazing what can be accomplished. Try finding somebody in your area to give you some pointers. Also, you could try getting aromatherapy oils of Lavendar, and Chamomile. They are known for helping babies rest better at night. (the reason Johnsons put Lavendar in their "bedtime" line of products). Get the real stuff. Finding it may be difficult as I'm not sure your access to essential oils, but if you look hard enough, you can find them. I get mine from a local Psychic Shop, as they are the only ones in my area carrying them.



During my infant massage class it was also pointed out that babies may want to sleep next to you. I understand the risk of "rolling on your baby and suffocating them" as it does happen occasionally. But think about it, we, as adults feel more safe and secure if we sleep with somebody (husband, or wife, or even a dog) But we put our children in these jail cell-like cribs, where they lay alone, and feel alone. Some babies just want to feel their mommy is close to them. Even puppy dogs sleep close to their mommy, they pile ontop of each other for weeks because it feels better, and they sleep better than trying to be alone. Each person will have their own opinion on this, if youre afraid of rolling onto your baby, then don't do it. Whatever you feel most comfortable with, is probably the right thing to do. As it was said, we have instincts for a reason. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.



Also, I deffinatly agree with taking your baby to the Chiropractor. Babies spines become displaced as adults do. Think, those babies had to endure being curled up in a belly for development, and then pushed through the birthcanal for delivery. It's easy to imagine their little bodies could have endured some physical trauma.



*Note* My son went through night terrors at 4 months of age after his open-heart surgery. The ONLY aromatherapy blend i could find to work was Lavendar and Frankensence *spelling?* , not chamomile. But Chamomile works more often with Lavendar. The blend I use is not conventional for helping sleep-patterns, but there are qualities in both that help him sleep well. Although the smell orginially reminded me of a Catholic church, It was easy to get used to as it helped him to sleep more soundly.



I put 2-3 drops of each oil on the foot of his crib sheets every other night. Again, thats what works for me, and he is 9 months old I'm sure somebody will disagree with my opinions, but they are just that opinions.



When mainstream suggestions aren't working out, go ahead and try some "hippie" stuff. It's interesting, and more along the lines of how things used to be.



I hope you don't find me being "pushy" as it wasn't my intention, I've never commented on this site before, it was just hard to watch grown women with children fight argue like children, when we teach ours to be peacful and to let everybody be unique. I understand you're both passionate about your beliefs, we all are when it comes to our babies, but realisticly, not everybody can have the same results with any one thing.

Sarah - posted on 12/17/2008

SWADDLE HIM. I know you said he doesn't like it, but I promise you, if you get a good swaddling blanket and wrap him very securely, it will make the difference. He may struggle or even fight it, but eventually he will go to sleep and he will not startle himself awake. Nordstroms sells a thin, but large swaddling blanket. I PROMISE you if you do this every nap for the next two months you will be so happy. If he wiggles out, you are not doing it right or tight enough.

Cheryl - posted on 12/17/2008

Julie, i understand u have your opinion, but that doesnt mean u have to "crap" on other peoples. As for leaving a 2.5 month old baby to cry, i know from first hand, as it was only 3 months ago i had a baby that age, that some babies just cant be comforted. Alex is my second child and i think i may have been spoilt with my first baby because i had no trouble at all with anything, but little Alex, bless him, was a handful. But what i found most of all was that once he was well fed, clean nappied, burped within an inch of his life, he just wanted to be put down. I used to read his grizzliness as him wanting to be held, but that just made it worst..for weeks i would pick him up and try rocking him to sleep but he would get madder. Then one day out of frustration i put him in his cot, and left the room for 5 mins. MIRACLE !!! fast asleep !! And he actually slept for longer than 10 minutes for the first time during the day . The next time he was restless and i was sure it wasnt for anyother reason, i did the same thing with the same result. Looks like my little man just wanted some space to fall asleep on his own. Some babies , like my first, love falling asleep on u, other babies, like my second, would prefer to do it themselves. Its not neglect, its what u figure out works for ur baby.

Sarah - posted on 12/17/2008

Hi

I was only able to breastfeed my son till he was three weeks old because I wasn't producing enough milk for him. The doctors said that maybe if I would of pumped between feedings then things could of been different, but I can't take back the time. Anyways, he always fell asleep on the breast, and even when I started him on formula feeding, at 2 months he was falling asleep on the bottle. People say that you are to wake your baby every three hours to feed, well in my experience I found that waking him after the first week only resulted in him not eating well, or barely staying awake to eat. Your baby knows what he wants, the hard part is finding out what that is. The only suggestions I can give have pretty much been given, but try dipping your son's soother into a non alcoholic gripe water and maybe he might sleep much longer, because the whole time he could of been "gassy". It worked for my boy. It's in the name "soother" if that doesn't work, other sleeping positions might do the trick aswell..I think the main thing to remember is your baby is the boss at this stage, give him what he wants if you just fed him but he is still sucking and showing feeding signs, feed him more. Also like the others said babies have growth spurts as well. At one point my son had 6-8 ounces every 2-3 hours for two days straight. We thought that he just didn't know when to stop but the doctor said that a baby will stop when they are done. It's called regulating themselves. Eventually he will develop a schedule..at that age my boy wouldn't eat, sleep or anything very well..and now at 5 months he eats very well, and he sleeps through the night with the occasional wakening...and of course we can't forget that babies do have "their days." The important thing is to stay calm, because your baby can sense your frustration and that won't help him to sleep either. Before you know it your going to look back and those exhausting days will be a blur..good luck

Bobbie - posted on 12/17/2008

By his weight I think he is getting enough. It really could be reflux. My daughter has what is called silent reflux were she spits up and she swallows it before it comes out. It took along time to get the dr. to figure that out. I also breastfeed and my daughter is not 7 months old and still breastfed. She still has issues sleeping on her back. I just ordered a AR pillow on line and am waiting for it to arrive. My daughter still sleeps in her swing at night cause that is the only way she will sleep longer then 10 minutes. My daughter is also sensitive to a lot of stuff in my diet I have had to take out dairy and bunch of other stuff too. In the early days I did switch her to formula for a night and boy was that a bad idea. It made it worse. I would talk to your Dr. and start with a change in your diet first and trying a more upright sleeping position.

Nadia - posted on 12/17/2008

Still works for me every time

Shelley - posted on 12/17/2008

I would try Nadia's suggestion....gripe water. worked for us every time!!!!

Lisa - posted on 12/17/2008

My now four monh old, was exactly like this! i started putting her on her tummy to sleep, patting her into sleep, then when she was really asleep, i'd leave her for 10 mins or so, then roll her over. I also covered her with one of my t-shirts as a light blanket (an unwashed one) so it smells like me. She now sleeps completely thruogh the night. i think with every baby its just trial and error until you find how your baby likes to sleep, but then again, keeping to the same routine is important as well.... im not much help!

Good luck!!!

Dee Dee - posted on 12/17/2008

Be patient. I know it is frustrating. I have 4 boys--2 colicky for 6 months....I feel your pain. Acid reflux could be a culprit. There is a life saving book called something like, Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Baby...Look it up on amazon...sorry can't give you the exact title, but it will answer all of your sleep questions and help establish your baby's sleep patterns and routines he needs. My four boys, 5yr, 5yr, 3yr, 1 yr sleep in the same room. My mother in law is amazed how when they go down for a nap they don't complain and instead go happilly in and lay their head down on their pillows. The book saved my life...usually sleep patterns (naps) start establishing around 4 months. Hang in there.

Christen - posted on 12/17/2008

You said your'e worried about not feeding him enough- you realize that the 95th percentile is a BIG baby, right? You're doing a great job with the breastfeeding, mom- your baby is growing perfectly!

Nadia - posted on 12/17/2008

Good point Angela I can't believe no one addressed that.

on the subject of gas have you thought about good old fashioned gripe water?

Angela - posted on 12/17/2008

Supplementing with formula may help, but I would think twice about adding any rice cereal since an infant's digestive system isn't ready to handle that at such an early age. (I have an adult friend who can testify to the problems she experiences because her mom fed all of them cereal too early.) I've heard of rolling up towels and tucking them on either side of the baby, for an added sense of security. Someone else has suggested elevating the "head" end of the crib mattress. Never underestimate the power of a good burp!

Janet - posted on 12/17/2008

happiest baby on the block DVD

Sara - posted on 12/17/2008

does he sleep better in the swing or car seat? there is nothing wrong with letting him sleep somewhere other than the crib as long as its safe and you can sleep too. My daughter slept in her swing for the first month, it seemed to soothe her the best and mommy also got 6 hr stretches of sleep in!

Julie - posted on 12/17/2008

Cheryl, I'm not trying to be snarky, but I can't keep quiet out of respect for someone's opinion when it goes against the most up-to-date research on how to keep your baby safe. The original poster's child is only 2.5 months.

Since 1992, when the AAP began recommending that babies be put to sleep on their backs, the annual SIDS rate has declined more than 50%.

As other posters have said, letting your child at that age cry for more than 5-10 minutes is child neglect. They cry for a reason.

And being upset that a 3 week old ONLY slept for 6 hours? My pediatrician told me not to let my son sleep more than 4 hours before waking him to feed. They may be sleeping for long periods because they don't have enough calories. There is such a thing as failure to thrive.

Naomi - posted on 12/17/2008

Formula does not actually work any better at keeping baby asleep longer. You need to make sure you are feeding him everytime he ask for it - offer breast before pacifier if you use one and if you don't use one then maybe you should try to introduce one at night right AFTER he finishes eating so he'll stay asleep longer. This is normal for babies to do. My second son did this for months and months. He had separation anxiety and would scream if I left the room. I started putting him in his own crib and tried leaving him to scream until he fell asleep - after 3 hours I would finally fall asleep and wake up an hour later to him still screaming. The only solution would be to start co-sleeping. It doesn't have to be dangerous. They have safe things you can put in the bed between you and your hubby or bassinets you can put next to the bed with a drop side to nurse him during the night. Taking a baby who has separation anxiety away from his mommy only makes him worse.

Nadia - posted on 12/17/2008

Hey there.



I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.



I brestfed and supplemented with formula from birth, It worked out really well for us because I never really produced quite enough milk for my girl. Maybe give it a try?



But saying that, we coslept and brestfed on demand at night for the first 6 months or so of her life. So maybe a bedside sleeper if he just wants to be near you might help?

Maybe the formula will help? There is no harm in trying, keep trying different things you will find something that works for your little one

To be honest, she's 10 months now and I have a harder time getting her to sleep all night now, so yeah i'm in a similar boat. lol.

Fay - posted on 12/17/2008

The best advice is to go talk to your pediatrician and work out a plan and find out what is best to work for you. Do not put your baby on his stomach and babies at 2.5 months do not have a mature enough digestive system for cereal. This will cause you more problems in the end. Also, if you want to strictly breast feed your baby then I would think twice about offering a bottle. Every situation is different and every baby is different. Your pediatrician is your best bet. Good luck to you and your family.

Erin - posted on 12/17/2008

That is EXACTLY how my little boy was and we took him to the doctor. He was given medication for GERD (reflux). The first medicine did not work as well as the second (prevacid). For us, it was a night and day difference.

Blaine - posted on 12/17/2008

I went through a similar thing with my son, Corbin. Now he is 5 months old and sleeps for 12 hours straight. All of our problems decreased when I started pumping and giving him bottles to ensure that he was getting enough at each feeding. I was having a difficult time reading his cues. He would cry and I always thought he was hungry or gassy so I would feed him or give him gas drops. I think I fed him so much I compounded the gassy problem!! Once I started bottle feeding (Dr. Brown's) him more during the day I knew he was getting enough so I could figure out that he was actually tired or overstimulated. I am not even sure if he was gassy as often as we thought. Our life changed dramatically. I still breastfeed in the mornings and occasionally before bed, but he gets bottles with expressed breastmilk mixed with formula otherwise. Pumping helped to increase my milk supply also. Hope this helps a little....

Jacqueline - posted on 12/17/2008

My son is almost 3 now, but as I think back in time....

He hardly slpet during the day- just short naps every now and then. He went thru this phase where he would fall asleep on me but the second I would put him down- he would instantly wake up. I just ruled it out to a "comfort" thing. There were days I would be lucky to be dressed by the time my husband came home.,,,and he was bottle fed as he would never latch on to me- I tried everything there too. Had the public health nurse in, went to a breast feeding clinic- I was doing everything right- he just didn't want it that way I guess.

Anyhow, what I was getting at was he was always a good night sleeper.

Best thing I can say is....try and be patient- not always easy I know, we've all been thru it. Take it as his need to be close to you and undenying love for you.

Cheryl - posted on 12/17/2008

My son LOVED vibration.. a bit controversial, but he would sleep for hours in his bouncer with it set to vibrate....sometimes all babies need to get a good nights sleep is a good daytime sleep... With small babies like that it is proven that the more they sleep during the dat the BETTER they sleep at night, obviously that changes when they get older, but try to keep ur baby asleep as much as u can when he does fall asleep during the day...gently pat him when he begins to stir and make shushing sounds,,u should get another half hour or so more of sleep from him, then his next sleep will be better and so on...

Dorothy - posted on 12/17/2008

Talk to your Dr. there may be a simple solution but medical.