how do i get my baby to sleep at night?..

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Karina - posted on 05/21/2009

Change the milk and wrap her up tight in a receiving blanket...also you can try 1/2 teaspoon of cerael just half it always works...she will sleep through the night!!!!

Misty - posted on 05/21/2009

First try to remember that this is NORMAL. it takes a while for you and your baby to adjust to the new sleep paterns. remember they've come from inside you when they could sleep and wake as they pleased, now they are in our world and we want them to conform immediately. it just takes time. when my baby was colicy i put him on his tummy and i put a small pillow or rolled up towel under his belly to lift it up a little, then patted him on the back. this usually loosened any burps or gas and the motion also helped soothe him. and don't be afraid to ask for help from friends and family. someone could come sit with her so you can get a good nap in. also trying to make a baby stay awake does not work. when you make them stay up longer than they want to, it usually gets them over exhausted and then they have a hard time actually falling asleep. you can find info on that in any parenting book. good luck and sleepy nights. oh - also try music. i put on soft classical lulabys and it helps a lot.

Belinda - posted on 05/21/2009

The only way that I ever got any sleep with both of my children was to have them sleep with me. We finally had a schedule after I started the co sleeping. to bed by 10 up at 2:30 for diaper change and bottle and back to sleep until 7am and a nap around 10 or 11 am It worked great I know that there are parents out there that don't like it. But I believe that it works and I have never had an issue breaking either one of my kids. I hope this helps the first couple of months are so hard but they are so worth it

Christine - posted on 05/21/2009

sure thing, well if she was colic, the best advice i can give you is white noise from a tv... but if she is just gassy...burping her is the best way to go. It also sounds like her shcedule is sompletely backwards, the best thing to do is to let her cry!! ... i know it is tough but as long as you know she is fed, her diaper is dry, she is not hurt or full of gas, then the best thing to do is just to leave her be.,..i know its irritating and annoying but the more you go to her every grunt, the more used to it she will get... so she will get so tired of crying and moving around she will eventually cry herself to sleep. That is how i got my child to sleep through the night at 2 months.. until this day 4 years later...she isa great sleeper... good luck!

Mandy - posted on 05/21/2009

i have seven girls,and iam a single mum,i am a great believer in routine.i give my girls a bath every night in johnsons blavender bedtime routine.then its straight down after a bottle,it takes a couple ov weaks to get them used to it but they do get there in the end you need to do the same thing every day at the same.i hope this helps you .just keep your chin up its hard but you will get there,good luck hun

Glenda - posted on 05/21/2009

Hi, I find it very strange how people these days are desperate to get their children to sleep through the night, Some are even proud to say that their child "slept through the night at 3 weeks". Babies wake in the night because they need the feed, and need the calories to cope with the development that is not obvious to us i.e brain development, and development of their internal organs. Also because their tummys are so small they cannot take enough at one feed to last through the night.

Kyanne - posted on 05/21/2009

My son is now 5 weeks old and he used to be up every hour during the night but what helped him is be snugged tight and kept warm. what i did is rapped him up in a recieving blanket and at walmart i got a suggle thing (it has two adjustable sides and a little padded pillow and you just lay them in between them and it keeps them snug as a bug) and he sleeps in it in his crib and its helped alot and im finally getting sleep now. He is awake all during the day and then at night sleeps for about 5 or 6 hours and then wakes up to eat or even sleeps already all through the night. and also putting im in bed with me sometimes helped him sleep longer. thats about all the advice i have.

Cassie - posted on 05/20/2009

Babies that young should not eat cereal or solids that young! Not until 4-6 months but preferably 6 months. Their little tummies can't handle solids that young! Your baby should still be waking several times a night to feed. Cereal does provide some calories but they are empty calories and have no nutritional value. It is not safe or healthy to feed such a young infant cereal!

Dawn - posted on 05/20/2009

my suggestion is that you have to feed the baby some cereal. my baby have been sleeping all night since she been born cuz when she was a week and a half old she was on cereal and it didn't affect her at all.

Amy - posted on 05/20/2009

P.S It might seem like shes in pain because shes probably hungry! At that age they should be eating every 2 hours like clockwork, My doc told me though around 8 weeks, if she sleeps during the night dont wake her to eat, but if she wakes up then give her a bottle and put her back to sleep! My daughter didnt stop taking a bottle at night till 15 weeks old!



Hope this helps!

Amy - posted on 05/20/2009

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time! The same thing happened with me and my daughter who is now 5 months, she was also born at 3:20 am, it is very normal for babies at that stage, Have you tried putting her in a swing? That worked wonders for my husband and I, thats how she slept for the first few months. Also you shouldnt be giving her water, babies get all the water they need in there formula/breastmilk, I just read yesterday that Drinking extra water places them at risk for water intoxication (overdilution of the bloodstream), which can cause seizures. (from www.babycenter.com), Hang in there IT DOES GET BETTER, trust me lol...My daughter finally started sleeping from about 10pm-6am at 3 months, But all babies are different,



If you are still worried about her, Go see your doctor, dont wait too long, It wouldnt hurt...He might have some good suggestions!



Good luck :)



And congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!



Amy M

Shaawnna - posted on 05/19/2009

Everything that has been said is good advice. The thing I would say is that you are
mommy and you know your baby better than anyone else. You can take the advice of others but in the end you need to do what is best for you and baby. Some find routines best others don't. Some find rocking and feeding to sleep okay and others don't. If you try to test all theories to see which works for you then you and baby end up stressed. God has made women very strong and while this is a very tough time you have the strength in him to make it though. You need to do what is comfortable to you. I personally had no strict routine but there was a routine there. I let my babies sleep for 2 hrs at a time in the day and then woke them up. I then stacked their feedings before bed giving them bottles or nursing time closer together so that they were getting full. This way they slept longer. Both my children slept through the night early on, Not because my way is right but because we were on the same schedule. I took them places like crazy during the day so that they were still getting their sleep but it was randomly interrupted. At night it was quiet and uninterrupted. You are strong and with prayers and naps in the day you can get through this. I am not saying you have to do it my way or anyone else's way but find your way and pray that God and friends and family will give you the strength you need. God be with you and sustain you through this time. Enjoy you miracle anyway you see fit.

Amy - posted on 05/19/2009

PS I don't believe in crying it out until you've exhausted every other method and until they are much older. Try swaddling, a pacifier, food, swinging, anything. You CANNOT spoil a baby this young! Hold and love your baby as much as you can because soon you'll have a 2 year old independent toddler what wants nothing to do with mama! :)

Amy - posted on 05/19/2009

I read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "Babywise" and blended the two philosophies together. Both of my kids were sleeping at a very early age, plus they wake up happy and are able to self sooth (now are age 2 and age 8 mo). Other friends have used these two books as guidelines and they have good sleepers and happy babies as well. Also, both of my babies were loud sleepers and moved out of the bassinet in my room into their own cribs in their own room at 8 weeks. We all slept a lot better. I swear by these two books and recommend them to every new mom. Good luck!

Melinda - posted on 05/19/2009

The best thing I've done with all my girls at that age, is make every moment a routine. Keep her busy...wake her at ??? hour you want during the day, put her in diff things...bouncy, swing, floor, playtime is always good. When she's that small, it's hard to keep her awake. Let her sleep longer during the 11am-2pm hours...usually normal nap times, then wake and play some more. Make it a definate routine at night with bath, feed, change, rock, etc. and then off to bed. IT IS OKAY TO LET HER FUSS AND CRY FOR A LITTLE WHILE. JUST CHECK ON HER OFTEN, BUT DON'T PICK UP, bcz she will cry for you for a while, and make it a point to comfort her and change, feed when necessary. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVER NIGHT, BUT IT WILL EASE THE TENTION YOU FEEL AND HAVE BETTER CONTROL OF HER SLEEP PATTERNS. (not a guarantee, but it requires work). Hope you find a good routine and have fun with it. She's only little once. :)

Mel - posted on 05/19/2009

thanks Denise Apsley, i agree that is a fantastic routine. mine has a 9pm bedtime, unfortuntely she has to be held to go to sleep at night because of her feeds taking 40 minutes + , but my partner baths her, dresses her then holds her while putting her feeds thru, she cries for about 10-15 before falling asleep, we just make sure her head is cool enough with a damp cloth. during the day however she gets put down for her nap, after her lunch she'll play for about half hour these days with only one sleep a day, then she falls asleep, while shes nice and relaxed. For younger babies however, if you are going to go in and cuddle them, it is said not to talk to them just pick them up give a cuddle then put them down. and Yes Tamara i got this from the professionals to! an old counsellor of mine said at night you just whisper if you have to speak to them or if they wake up at night.

Donna - posted on 05/19/2009

try putting her in the swing at night next to the couch and then lay on the couch. She'll be content and safe enough for you to get some well needed rest. I did that with my youngest, my oldest had colic and nothing worked, I pretty much cried my way through the first three months. Good luck just know it does get better and she will eventually sleep through the night. Just know that the first time she does sleep through the night, you'll be too paranoid and checking on her every hour to get any sleep yourself

Natalie - posted on 05/19/2009

Quoting Tamara:

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

At 7 WEEKS old, this little baby needs the comfort of his mommy.  Simply laying him down to sleep awake and expecting them to sleep on their own at this age is pure foolishness.  That's a behaviour I'd have an easier time believing at 2 or 3 years old, not 7 WEEKS.  Please recall at this age, babies don't have a circadian rhythm nor do they have a sense of "what's appropriate"  they only know what they need whether it be hunger/thirst, a diaper change, comfort, being held, etc.  To treat a baby in the way you suggest is simply callous.

 

Honestly, I am going to be very sad when my daughter decide she doesn't want to be walked to sleep anymore or snuggled in the middle of the night.  We've parented her to sleep and through the night when she wakes up for 19 months now and I do not look forward to that ending because we as a family have come to truly enjoy the closeness of the night time routine of walking and cuddling.

I totally agree with you Tamara !!! i think sometimes people think babies have our adult sense of manipulation  or selfish wants, like they actually think "hhmm i don't want to be here on my own I want mum, if i cry, i know she'll come" .....and thats crazy to think they are thinking that at such an early age, they don't know their arse from their elbow.  

If a baby is crying at 7 weeks, they need something, and if it is comfort then so be it,  it's worth remebering that all they ever knew up till a short while ago, was your body, your warmth, they were always with you, even hearing your heartbeat and blood pumping and then suddenly your not always around anymore and they obviously have to get used to that.

Natalie - posted on 05/19/2009

Quoting Alex:

hi there my daughter was almost the same ... we thought she had colic or reflux but it turned out she was teething and got her 1st tooth at 8 weeks old.. crazy i know but true.. that may not be what is happening to your little one .. but definately dnt rule it out.. another thing we did was made sure she had a definate routine during the day .. and then a separate routine at night to help her learn the difference. she is almost two months so she should be fine to get into a routine.. things like when she wakes in the moring for her first feed ( and i mean daylight) morning feed say 7-9 am after that you can take her out to play on a mat in the fresh air that often tires babys out but it means she is understanding sabout the sun and daylight.. maens playtime.. then you can put her to bed but dnt let her sleep for more than 4 hours
try and wake her up after 2 if you can and play with her before she is due fro her next feed // do things like this throughout the whole day .. but try not to just keep her awae all day she is still to little to do that// then as night time or bedtime approaches(5-7pm) you can do things like giving her a bath .. then giving her a massage and then feeding her as you sing her a song or read her a story .. then you have to put her down in her cot or bassinet awake
dont nurse or feed her to sleep she has to establish a way of getting herself to sleep without any of those things .. otherwise you will be patting, rocking, feeding her to sleep for ever trust me its not worth it lol .. anyway .. hopefully i have given you some ideas .. please let me know how you go .. all the best .. xoxox Alex

Sorry, but i think this is a bit crazy ! to say don't feed a 7 week old baby after 7pm till ....what ......7am????  (you say morning feed at 7am!?) seriously ? .....I'm no expert but i know for sure my daughter is a breast feed baby who needed feeeding every two hours at 7 weeks, i got the odd three hour gap if i was lucky but she physically needed food !, maybe a formula fed baby is different (tho i would be shocked at 7 weeks still) but my daughter is a 5 month old breastfed baby and still has 4 or 5 feeds between 7pm and 8am.

Natalie - posted on 05/19/2009

i remember this stage with my daughter, it lasted about 5 weeks with her, people say babies just have to get their days and nights sorted as they don't know the difference, i was at my wits end but then one night it just kind of clicked ! i did little things like in the day i let her sleep in a moses basket in the living room and i left the telly on all day so she got used to noise in the day (i only left the telly on cause it was only me at home so the telly was good background noise) it meant that at night i could wind down with her by there being no noise (tho i did resort to the baby channel a few times they play sleepy music for babies) so she could mamybe get the differencce, it ell you what also worked a treat for me, in desperate times was a swinging chair, you have two speeds and the slow always got her to sleep when all else failed....that chair was a life saver !

I'm not assuming you would, but i have seen some of the advice on here about letting them CIO, whatever your thoughts are on it, i wouldn't advise it at 7 weeks, that is waaaaaaay to young in my opinion

Autumn - posted on 05/19/2009

my pediatrician told me when my daughter was a week old to make noise and as much light in the day time as possible and at night be very business like. he said when she wakes up not to talk to her or look at her and turn on as little light as possible.....luckily for us this has worked. we turn on the stove light in the kitchen to change her diaper and heat up a bottle and she is usually back to sleep within 20 mins or so. good luck figuring out what is going to work for you!

Lynette - posted on 05/19/2009

i know how u feel my daughter baby is 1 now she never slept much since she was born so daughter asked her health vistor she said bath her and give her a bottle she now got her baby in bed and asleep b4 7pm

Tamara - posted on 05/19/2009

Quoting Melissa:

  You may think i am wrong but many would say you are wrong. my mother in law is the most caring mother ive ever seen, does evrything for her kids still brings her 23 year old home for her lunch break and everything, yet she always said CIO is the only way. you dont cuddle them to sleep, you rock them in the pram, or leave them in the cot. she told me dont check on her it will make her worse and it always did.  if you are still cuddling your child to sleep at 19 months when she wakes you are going to have some severe issues with getting her to go to sleep on her own let alone sleeping in her own bed, and i dont think you are doing right. but this is my opinion so please dont say that other people's opinions are wrong, when looking at what you are doing it is not right either. You have your views but it doesnt mean you should push them on other people (im reffering to the rear facing car seats here). Please accept other people's views on things especially when they are not doing anything wrong

It's not just my opinion.  Scientists have been saying for quite some time that children and babies need to be touched and paid attention to even at night

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998...

http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/babyslee...

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/t051200...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy...

Even Dr. Ferber himself says that you should NEVER let an infant that young CIO.  The earliest CIO (if used) should be used is between 4 and 6 months and not before.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-ferber-m... (emphasis in quote is mine)

In a nutshell, Ferber says you can teach your baby to soothe himself to sleep when he's physically and emotionally ready, usually sometime between 4 and 6 months of age.

Denise - posted on 05/19/2009

Melissa Donnelly - you are right, babies have to learn that when you put them in a cot it means it's time to sleep. If you don't have a night time routine you are in for years of sleepless nights. A good night time routine is,
9pm bath the baby
after bathing do not talk to your baby ( this is quiet time) take baby to their own room and dress them for bed and give them a feed (bottle or breast). when the feed is finished lay baby in the cot and leave the room. the baby will be so relaxed they should drift of to sleep without any problems. Regards, Denise

Kirstin - posted on 05/19/2009

I started giving all 3 of my children some baby ceral in a bottle right before they went to bed. yes even at that age, and all 3 of my kids slept better on their bellys. i never had any problems with them sleeping that way.

Mel - posted on 05/19/2009

Quoting Tamara:

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

At 7 WEEKS old, this little baby needs the comfort of his mommy.  Simply laying him down to sleep awake and expecting them to sleep on their own at this age is pure foolishness.  That's a behaviour I'd have an easier time believing at 2 or 3 years old, not 7 WEEKS.  Please recall at this age, babies don't have a circadian rhythm nor do they have a sense of "what's appropriate"  they only know what they need whether it be hunger/thirst, a diaper change, comfort, being held, etc.  To treat a baby in the way you suggest is simply callous.

 

Honestly, I am going to be very sad when my daughter decide she doesn't want to be walked to sleep anymore or snuggled in the middle of the night.  We've parented her to sleep and through the night when she wakes up for 19 months now and I do not look forward to that ending because we as a family have come to truly enjoy the closeness of the night time routine of walking and cuddling.

  You may think i am wrong but many would say you are wrong. my mother in law is the most caring mother ive ever seen, does evrything for her kids still brings her 23 year old home for her lunch break and everything, yet she always said CIO is the only way. you dont cuddle them to sleep, you rock them in the pram, or leave them in the cot. she told me dont check on her it will make her worse and it always did.  if you are still cuddling your child to sleep at 19 months when she wakes you are going to have some severe issues with getting her to go to sleep on her own let alone sleeping in her own bed, and i dont think you are doing right. but this is my opinion so please dont say that other people's opinions are wrong, when looking at what you are doing it is not right either. You have your views but it doesnt mean you should push them on other people (im reffering to the rear facing car seats here). Please accept other people's views on things especially when they are not doing anything wrong

Mel - posted on 05/19/2009

Quoting Abby:

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

she is only 7 weeks old, so i dont think it's an expectation or a refusal to sleep. if she's not tired she wont sleep,

they're just confused at this age! and if u put them in bed awake, when do they learn that bed is for sleeping and not playing if uve never put them in their when they're asleep?

mine plays for sometimes over an hour before going to sleep. has for a long time she still knows its for sleeping. yeah i agree her baby is still young but they all got to learn when its night time, its sleep time

Barbora - posted on 05/19/2009

Hi, we have followed a routine with our daughter according to Gina Ford's book- Little contented baby and its absolutely great! She is 5 months and sleeps from the very first day we started this. She only woke up once at nite for a feed and settled herself back straight away, now she sleeps through the nite. Really works!

Rebecca - posted on 05/18/2009

i 4got to say he's 8 wks today so a simmilar age

Rebecca - posted on 05/18/2009

we give bubby a super sized bottle (240ml) at about 930 - 10 pm and he sleeps right through I'm not saying it will definitely work but it might

Heather - posted on 05/18/2009

Colic or Reflux can be a big part of it. My daughter had both and my husband and I where lucky to get three hours of sleep a night. The dr finally had to put her on a med for the reflux. I tried a little bit of cereal in her bottle at night. Mix a little in with her formula or breast milk. It can keep her fuller longer and help with the gas and reflux. There is a "bewitching hour" in the evening that can last all night. It is normal. What else.... If she is gasses lay her on her stomach with a heating pad on low with a towel on it. The heat can break up the gas bubbles. If all else fails talk to her Dr about giving her something. The WILL grow out of it. I promise :)

Danielle - posted on 05/18/2009

I have 3 words for you..."Save Our Sleep". by Tizzie Hall...It's my bible. Babies crave routine, I started my daughter Brylie on it when she was 5 weeks old, I noticed a difference in a couple of days, she was no longer napping during the day, she was sleeping for 2 hours at a time, and during the night she was waking up later and later each night until she was sleeping through ( at about 3 months). She now sleeps from 7pm til 7am, with a dreamfeed at 10:30pm. I can't tell you how much this book has helped us, not just the fact that we get a whole nights sleep, but she is just a much happier baby all round. The book has information on everything you will need to know about your baby from birth up to 2 years. She has a website www.saveoursleep.com take a look. I got my book online for about $30 I think, it was the best $30 I've ever spent, and I have not looked back, I only wish I'd heard about it when I had my first child. Good Luck ;)

Abby - posted on 05/18/2009

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

she is only 7 weeks old, so i dont think it's an expectation or a refusal to sleep. if she's not tired she wont sleep,

they're just confused at this age! and if u put them in bed awake, when do they learn that bed is for sleeping and not playing if uve never put them in their when they're asleep?

Abby - posted on 05/18/2009

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

she is only 7 weeks old, so i dont think it's an expectation or a refusal to sleep. if she's not tired she wont sleep,

they're just confused at this age! and if u put them in bed awake, when do they learn that bed is for sleeping and not playing if uve never put them in their when they're asleep?

Abby - posted on 05/18/2009

we had the same problem, make sure that u make the difference between night and day blatantly obvious! night feeds are pitch black no noise etc and try not to change the little one unless necessary as this always wakes them up!

i wouldnt worry bout feeding or cuddling little one to sleep. my little man fed as he fell asleep in my arms, but he is now 9.5 months and hasnt done it for a good 10weeks, he stopped it himself not me! if ur baby needs feeding in the night then feed her if she wants a cuddle give it to her. she is still adjusting to a new life

if bottle feeding thne try hungrier milk if needed! good luck it will sort itself out! x

Miranda - posted on 05/18/2009

If she is not crying when she wakes don't go to her. Going to her or rocking her when she is not crying will only encourage her to continue waking. Let her put herself back to sleep; she will eventually get on the right track.
If she seems to be having a lot of pain at night you may want to consider teething.
My youngest was teething at birth and had a tooth by 8 weeks.
I gave her two teething tablets when I was ready for some real sleep; usually by midnight. Hold the tablets between your fingers and let her chew on you fingers; they melt right away. Even if she is not teething the tablets will relax her and you can get some sleep.
You also may consider gas. If you are nursing access what you eat and cut out the gassy stuff. I had to modify my diet to suit my baby's tummy. Broccoli, milk and tomato based foods are really bad for causing painful gas in nursing infants.
Good luck... It's hard having one that is not sleeping at night. Mommies need rest to stay sane; LOL.

Amy - posted on 05/18/2009

Try putting a Box fan in the room (facing away from baby) babies love the constant noise. My daughter used to wake up in the night, until we put the fan in her room.

It might not do anything but it does not hurt to try.

Ashley - posted on 05/18/2009

Hi Melissa,
Wow you must be tired, and your little girl probably is too. At 7 weeks she does still need to eat at night, but at her age she should be able to go for about 5 hours at night without a feed. And the fact that she settles down at 4 or 5am and sleeps until you wake her is a good sign, we just need her to do that at a more reasonable hour. It almost sounds like she has her day and night mixed up??? Or am I misunderstanding?
If that is the case you may want to try waking her during the day to eat, even if she doesn't settle down until 5am. It might be a good idea to go ahead and wake her around 7am (even though you are exhausted too) and start a daily routine of eat, awake for no more than an hour and 15 minutes and then sleep. Also, start a bedtime routine so she learns the difference between night time and day time. Something in the same order every night and happens at the same time every night. I start my daughter's bedtime routine around 5-5:30pm and she's in bed around 6pm (most babies circadian rhythms work on a 6pm-6am clock, so they start wanting to sleep around 6pm most nights). Then after 6pm let the baby wake you if she wants to eat. If she goes down at 6pm she should be able to go until about 10-11pm without a feeding. When she does wake up at night keep all of the lights low and dim, whisper to her, and just feed, burp, change her and back to bed. Hopefully after a few days that will help.

Vanessa - posted on 05/17/2009

i agree with Tamara, babies and young chidren need lots of mothering/parenting for their night time needs......it pays off huge in the long run.

my 3year old has no trouble falling asleep by herself.....and she is a very confident and secure 3 year old. (so they will not expect it forever, thats crazy!)

Tamara - posted on 05/17/2009

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

At 7 WEEKS old, this little baby needs the comfort of his mommy.  Simply laying him down to sleep awake and expecting them to sleep on their own at this age is pure foolishness.  That's a behaviour I'd have an easier time believing at 2 or 3 years old, not 7 WEEKS.  Please recall at this age, babies don't have a circadian rhythm nor do they have a sense of "what's appropriate"  they only know what they need whether it be hunger/thirst, a diaper change, comfort, being held, etc.  To treat a baby in the way you suggest is simply callous.

Honestly, I am going to be very sad when my daughter decide she doesn't want to be walked to sleep anymore or snuggled in the middle of the night.  We've parented her to sleep and through the night when she wakes up for 19 months now and I do not look forward to that ending because we as a family have come to truly enjoy the closeness of the night time routine of walking and cuddling.

Tamara - posted on 05/17/2009

Quoting Melissa:

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

At 7 WEEKS old, this little baby needs the comfort of his mommy.  Simply laying him down to sleep awake and expecting them to sleep on their own at this age is pure foolishness.  That's a behaviour I'd have an easier time believing at 2 or 3 years old, not 7 WEEKS.  Please recall at this age, babies don't have a circadian rhythm nor do they have a sense of "what's appropriate"  they only know what they need whether it be hunger/thirst, a diaper change, comfort, being held, etc.  To treat a baby in the way you suggest is simply callous.

Honestly, I am going to be very sad when my daughter decide she doesn't want to be walked to sleep anymore or snuggled in the middle of the night.  We've parented her to sleep and through the night when she wakes up for 19 months now and I do not look forward to that ending because we as a family have come to truly enjoy the closeness of the night time routine of walking and cuddling.

Mel - posted on 05/17/2009

i agree with putting them to bed awake this is the best way otherwise they will
keep wanting to be put to sleep. you need to let her put herself back to sleep if she keeps waking. it sounds like the only way. if she wants a feed give it to her but put her straight back down. she cant keep expecting you to get up because she refuses to go to sleep. good luck

Katherine - posted on 05/17/2009

Try getting a wedge for your baby because it might be painful for your baby to lay down. Thing of it if it were you and you were in pain laying down, remember your baby wants to sleep...except her tummy gets hungry! Oh and don't try putting your baby in a routine it's a baby, it's like telling water not to be wet, you'll just frustrate yourself and stress baby out. Babies only respond on instinct right now as their building and growing in the other areas.

Dorea - posted on 05/17/2009

I guess i was one of the REALLY lucky moms my son slept through the night by the time he was a month old. I found that he was not gettinf enough to eat to keep him asleep thru the night so i gave him really watered down oatmeal bottles. that seemed to the trick and he slept well. he's now 18 months old and sleeps for 10-12 hrs through the night. it does get easier.

Jessica - posted on 05/17/2009

my son was the same way for awhile i just had to try to sleep when he slept

Tamara - posted on 05/17/2009

Quoting Alex:

hi there my daughter was almost the same ... we thought she had colic or reflux but it turned out she was teething and got her 1st tooth at 8 weeks old.. crazy i know but true.. that may not be what is happening to your little one .. but definately dnt rule it out.. another thing we did was made sure she had a definate routine during the day .. and then a separate routine at night to help her learn the difference. she is almost two months so she should be fine to get into a routine.. things like when she wakes in the moring for her first feed ( and i mean daylight) morning feed say 7-9 am after that you can take her out to play on a mat in the fresh air that often tires babys out but it means she is understanding sabout the sun and daylight.. maens playtime.. then you can put her to bed but dnt let her sleep for more than 4 hours
try and wake her up after 2 if you can and play with her before she is due fro her next feed // do things like this throughout the whole day .. but try not to just keep her awae all day she is still to little to do that// then as night time or bedtime approaches(5-7pm) you can do things like giving her a bath .. then giving her a massage and then feeding her as you sing her a song or read her a story .. then you have to put her down in her cot or bassinet awake
dont nurse or feed her to sleep she has to establish a way of getting herself to sleep without any of those things .. otherwise you will be patting, rocking, feeding her to sleep for ever trust me its not worth it lol .. anyway .. hopefully i have given you some ideas .. please let me know how you go .. all the best .. xoxox Alex

Not feeding a 7 WEEK old baby at night because they need to "self-soothe"?  That's freakin' insane not to mention no doctor worth their salt will recommend it.  I still rock my daughter to sleep at 19 months and will be very sad to see it end.  They're only small once, there's no need to force them to grow up early. :(

Jamey - posted on 05/17/2009

I give this advice to all my friends that are new moms but let me start off by saying water is very tough on an infants intestines so do not give any unless absolutely necessary. So when you lay her down in the bassinet/crib I assume her head is always at the same end of the bed every time well try to put her head at the other end. For example if you were to lay in your own bed where your feet usually go without moving your bed well do the same for her and always on her back never the belly. Also make a routine for bedtime and this could be the last feed around 8-10 pm any where in that time frame is good, but save time for the routine. There is nothing worse then a screaming hungrey baby at bath time. I would do a bath or at least a sponge bath and then read a book and then do that last feeding. A lot of parents make the mistake of reading the book after the feeding which is fine as long as the baby is in the bed already because if they are in your arms they will always want to fall asleep in your arms and last but not least try to lay her down awake and when you go in to sooth her if she whimpers that's ok but if she is crying go in touch her belly gently without saying a word and then leave the room. Sometimes just that reassurance is all it takes and you will not have to pick her up every time. And for you mom I know broken sleep is the worst but if you can get in the habit of napping when she does do it. Hope all of this helps-let me know! good luck

Tamara - posted on 05/17/2009

Oh and if you can, cosleep. It was and is a HUGE sanity saver on many a night.

Mandi - posted on 05/17/2009

I use to talk to my daughter when she woke up in the middle of the night. Non-stop. I don't know if she was just tired of me talking or was ready to go back to sleep but i always thought that worked.