sleeping through the night

Kelly - posted on 06/10/2009

yea i know my mum told me to do it xxxx

Chelsea - posted on 06/10/2009

yh bbz mi bby is 6 moinths old but 4rm 9 at nite till 5 or 6 in da morin she wuld sleep 4rm bout 3 months old bless her n dats gd kelly. xxx

Kelly - posted on 06/10/2009

my baby is 10 weeks old and i started doing a routine as soon as she was born and now she sleeps 9 hours

Jamie - posted on 06/10/2009

my daughter didnt sleep through the night until she was 9 months old and we did everything the same as we did with our son who slept through the night at a month old, it all depends on the baby....just hang in there and know itll get better :)

Tamara - posted on 06/10/2009

Quoting Melissa:

please can you stop taking up these threads with your links i believe someone has said this to you before. if you would like to state your opinion and post a link that is fine people can look at it if they chose but dont copy paragraphs full so that we have to skip thru it every time we look at the thread

I'm not copying the entire paper or brochure but simply snagging the most relevant paragraphs and quoting them to back up my point.  Feel free to scroll past them if you don't wish to read them.

Tamara - posted on 06/10/2009

Quoting Rachel:

Also just because you dont have a problem with you daughter still in your bed whats to say your daughter wont develop or already hasn't for that matter a sleeping problem that could seriously make her life harder in the long run. When shes 20 years old living on her own and has the hardest time falling asleep at night because you coddled her at night till she was 20 months old, how are you gonna feel?

As cosleeping has been practiced for, quite literally, millenia over the world and continues to be practiced all over the world, there have been NO reports of sleeping troubles as an adult from cosleeping as a child.  So your question is, at best, a distraction from the discussion at hand.

Mel - posted on 06/10/2009

please can you stop taking up these threads with your links i believe someone has said this to you before. if you would like to state your opinion and post a link that is fine people can look at it if they chose but dont copy paragraphs full so that we have to skip thru it every time we look at the thread

Tamara - posted on 06/10/2009

Quoting Rachel:

Its quite interesting to me that you would believe some random DR.'s on the INTERNET of all places about parenting advice but not your pediatrician. Or for that matter the American Academy of Pediatrics. I could find you at least 1000 websites right now tell you that hitting you child is beneficial. Obviously we all know thats crap but I could find it. You cant always believe what you find on the internet!
As for the co-op sleeping. To each his own but..

"Despite the possible pros, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents not to place their infants to sleep in adult beds, stating that the practice puts babies at risk of suffocation and strangulation. And the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agrees.
Cosleeping is a widespread practice in many non-Western cultures. However, differences in mattresses, bedding, and other cultural practices may account for the lower risk in these countries as compared with the United States.
According to the CPSC, at least 515 deaths were linked to infants and toddlers under 2 years of age sleeping in adult beds from January 1990 to December 1997:

* 121 of the deaths were attributed to a parent, caregiver, or sibling rolling on top of or against a baby while sleeping
* more than 75% of the deaths involved infants younger than 3 months old"

Just because it hasn't happened to you yet...doesn't make it impossible. It would seem to me your the one putting your child in harm. But yes I do agree there are beneifts..To the mother and the mother only. It makes it easier for you when your child wakes up, all you have to do is roll over.
Also just because you dont have a problem with you daughter still in your bed whats to say your daughter wont develop or already hasn't for that matter a sleeping problem that could seriously make her life harder in the long run. When shes 20 years old living on her own and has the hardest time falling asleep at night because you coddled her at night till she was 20 months old, how are you gonna feel?

What the CPSC fails to note is that there are a few different types of cosleeping and that sharing a bed with an adult caretaker (preferably the mother and/or father) can be made quite safe.

From the Indiana Perinatal Network's brochure on safe infant sleeping:
◆ Never sleep with your baby or put your baby down to sleep on a waterbed, recliner, futon or sofa.
◆ Always position your baby on her/his back.
◆ Babies should never sleep with adults who use drugs, alcohol or medications that cause sleepiness.
◆ Never expose your baby to smoke.
◆ Never let your baby sleep with other children, even if you are present.
◆ Never sleep with your baby if you are overly tired or excessively overweight.

Adult Beds
◆ Always use a firm mattress that fits tightly against the headboard and away from the wall because babies can slip between the wall and bed and suffocate.
◆ Never use heavy blankets, pillows or comforters that could cover your baby’s head and face.

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

And for good measure:  The Safe Sleep Committee

Robert White, MD—Chair
Julia Brillhart, RN, MSN—Executive Director, Indiana Perinatal Network
Judith Ganser, MD, MPH—Director, Maternal Child Health Services, Indiana State Department of Health
Nora Geissler, RN—Community Liaison, Indiana Perinatal Network
Deborah Givan, MD—Riley Hospital for Children and Chair, SIDS Council Advisory Board, Indiana State Department of Health
Marsha Glass, RN, BSN, IBCLC—Infant Feeding Specialist
Barbara Himes—SIDS & Infant Loss Support Coordinator, Indiana Perinatal Network
Maureen McLean, RN, MSN—State Perinatal Network Liaison, Indiana State Department of Health
James McKenna, PhD—Notre Dame Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory

You quote the CPSC saying that 515 of children's deaths result from cosleeping from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1997.  Of those deaths, how many were from a parent being extremely obese, overtired, on medication, under the influence of alcohol or drugs?  What was the sleeping environment like?  These are questions that you leave unanswered in your quoting the CPSC.

From Neuroanthropology.Net, Cosleeping and Biological Imperatives:  Why Human Babies Do Not and Should Not Sleep Alone.  Dr. James McKenna Ph.D, Edmund P. Joyce C.S.C. Chair in Anthropology, Director of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory University of Notre Dame

http://neuroanthropology.net/2008/12/21/...

Often news stories talk about “another baby dying while cosleeping” but they fail to distinguish between what type of cosleeping was involved and, worse, what specific dangerous factor might have actually been responsible for the baby dying. A specific example is whether the infant was sleeping prone next to their parent, which is an independent risk factor for death regardless of where the infant was sleeping. Such reports inappropriately suggest that all types of cosleeping are the same, dangerous, and all the practices around cosleeping carry the same high risks, and that no cosleeping environment can be made safe.

....

One of the most important reasons why bedsharing occurs, and the reason why simple declarations against it will not eradicate it, is because sleeping next to one’s baby is biologically appropriate, unlike placing infants prone to sleep or putting an infant in a room to sleep by itself. This is particularly so when bedsharing is associated with breast feeding.

When done safely, mother-infant cosleeping saves infants lives and contributes to infant and maternal health and well being. Merely having an infant sleeping in a room with a committed adult caregiver (cosleeping) reduces the chances of an infant dying from SIDS or from an accident by one half!

....

In Japan where co-sleeping and breastfeeding (in the absence of maternal smoking) is the cultural norm, rates of the sudden infant death syndrome are the lowest in the world. For breastfeeding mothers, bedsharing makes breastfeeding much easier to manage and practically doubles the amount of breastfeeding sessions while permitting both mothers and infants to spend more time asleep. The increased exposure to mother’s antibodies which comes with more frequent nighttime breastfeeding can potentially, per any given infant, reduce infant illness. And because co-sleeping in the form of bedsharing makes breastfeeding easier for mothers, it encourages them to breastfeed for a greater number of months, according to Dr. Helen Ball’s studies at the University of Durham, therein potentially reducing the mothers chances of breast cancer. Indeed, the benefits of cosleeping helps explain why simply telling parents never to sleep with baby is like suggesting that nobody should eat fats and sugars since excessive fats and sugars lead to obesity and/or death from heart disease, diabetes or cancer. Obviously, there’s a whole lot more to the story.

Mel - posted on 06/10/2009

Quoting Rachel:

Its quite interesting to me that you would believe some random DR.'s on the INTERNET of all places about parenting advice but not your pediatrician. Or for that matter the American Academy of Pediatrics. I could find you at least 1000 websites right now tell you that hitting you child is beneficial. Obviously we all know thats crap but I could find it. You cant always believe what you find on the internet!
As for the co-op sleeping. To each his own but..

"Despite the possible pros, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents not to place their infants to sleep in adult beds, stating that the practice puts babies at risk of suffocation and strangulation. And the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agrees.
Cosleeping is a widespread practice in many non-Western cultures. However, differences in mattresses, bedding, and other cultural practices may account for the lower risk in these countries as compared with the United States.
According to the CPSC, at least 515 deaths were linked to infants and toddlers under 2 years of age sleeping in adult beds from January 1990 to December 1997:

* 121 of the deaths were attributed to a parent, caregiver, or sibling rolling on top of or against a baby while sleeping
* more than 75% of the deaths involved infants younger than 3 months old"

Just because it hasn't happened to you yet...doesn't make it impossible. It would seem to me your the one putting your child in harm. But yes I do agree there are beneifts..To the mother and the mother only. It makes it easier for you when your child wakes up, all you have to do is roll over.
Also just because you dont have a problem with you daughter still in your bed whats to say your daughter wont develop or already hasn't for that matter a sleeping problem that could seriously make her life harder in the long run. When shes 20 years old living on her own and has the hardest time falling asleep at night because you coddled her at night till she was 20 months old, how are you gonna feel?

right on my mother NEVER let me sleep in her bed, her bed was for her and her bfs i knew better it was not my place cause my mum was not stupid enough to do this. i used to not sleep at night to get up constantly have night sweats and wierd episodes at night where id cry for an hour or so and back to bed. this was when i was about 2-7. my mum was not dumb she didnt say just get in my bed and go to sleep she said "go back to bed and go to f****** sleep" and good on her. i feel for those poor babies that end up crying and crying because some mother has gone and let them co sleep too long and now they dont understand they have to sleep by themselves.

Natasha - posted on 06/10/2009

Quoting Tamara:

Quoting Rachel:

Im not sure where you got those studies from or who AskDrSears is but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, The National Sleep Foundation and various other accredited resources:

"When infants are put to bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to become "self- soothers" which enables them to fall asleep independently at bedtime and put themselves back to sleep during the night. Those who have become accustomed to parental assistance at bedtime often become "signalers" and cry for their parents to help them return to sleep during the night."

So therefor to get your child to be a "self soother" you should......wait its coming....let them self sooth right? And by no mean do I mean totally ignore them as I have already stated. You should check on them every 15 minutes to reassure them that you are there and that you love them and thats its ok. Also to make sure that they are ok.

"Have your child form positive associations with sleeping. A child should not need a parent to help him/her fall asleep. One recent study demonstrated that having your child sleep in your bed puts them at risk for suffocation or strangulation. The child who falls asleep on his or her own will be better able to return to sleep during normal nighttime awakenings and sleep throughout the night."

"When you go to your child's room every time he or she wakes during the night, you are strengthening the connection between you and sleep for your child. Even babies who are held and cuddled when they wake in the middle of the night soon learn to expect this and do not learn to go back to sleep on their own. Except during conditions when the child is sick, has been injured or clearly requires your assistance, it is important to give your child a consistent message that they are expected to fall asleep on their own."

All of this information can be found through the American Academy of Pediatrics website which will connect you to The National Sleep Foundation website. Or here is the web address:

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.hu...

And not that it is any of your business but my pediatrician is also a close family friend so I think it is his place to give me parenting advice. He has 7 children and has done this with all of them and it worked. But if your child isn't sleeping through the the night by 6 months go ahead and listen to all of these women and continue to not sleep through the night. It doesn't change my life...Im getting 10 hours of sleep a night. But if you would like to listen to the experts..me not included in this statement.. then maybe you should take my advice and try it.

B76AF64A-53A8-EA8B-E8EA-0F94324C2895

1.02.28

AskDrSears.com is the website of Dr. William Sears and his wife Martha Sears RN as well as their children, Dr. Jim Sears and Dr. Bob Sears.  I referenced and quoted their handout on CIO which not only quotes the studies but give references to them as well so you can investigate them yourself.

Having safely coslept for over 20 months, I have yet to to strangle or suffocate my daughter.  If you refer over to the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory atthe University of  Notre Dame, headed by Dr. James McKenna, (http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/articles...) the articles there show that not only is cosleeping beneficial for mother and child but also lowers the risks of SIDS, encourages the nursing relationship, etc.

Honestly, I have no problem helping my daughter back to sleep as it shows her that I am there to meet her needs no matter the time of day or night.  My child is only now starting to sleep through the night at 20 months, and I'm actually ok with that.  We managed to get through nightwakings, needing to nurse constantly at night, walk constantly after she was weaned at 18 months, and now its to the point where she's willing to fall asleep on her own and only need a hand on her back or some such to get her back to sleep.

As far as I'm concerned, Peds. are there ONLY for medical advice.  They're often off the mark when it comes to parenting advice, IMO, as I was offered really just awful parenting advice from my ped.and had to just  bite my tongue while i smiled and nodded to make it through the majority of my appointments with out strangling my ped. for her sheer foolishness in the realm of parenting.

I wonder how co-sleeping works when you have multiple babies? Babies/Chiildren have to be taught to sleep in their own beds at some stage.

Natasha - posted on 06/10/2009

Babies can feel your body language. If you are more tense during the day and relaxed during the night. Maybe that is affecting the feeds. Maybe your daughter can relax at night and enjoy her quiet time with you?

Mel - posted on 06/09/2009

to Rachel - i tried to tell Tamara this that you cant always beleive what you read but she refuses to listen to anyone else's views and continues shoving her opinion down everyone;s necks i think she needs a hobby or something. And with the co sleeping i too found websites saying how dangerous it is, but sh still insisted it was safer haha. thats one girl you cant reason with or tell her whats right all you can do is make sure others know that she is wrong. :)

Rachel - posted on 06/09/2009

Its quite interesting to me that you would believe some random DR.'s on the INTERNET of all places about parenting advice but not your pediatrician. Or for that matter the American Academy of Pediatrics. I could find you at least 1000 websites right now tell you that hitting you child is beneficial. Obviously we all know thats crap but I could find it. You cant always believe what you find on the internet!
As for the co-op sleeping. To each his own but..

"Despite the possible pros, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents not to place their infants to sleep in adult beds, stating that the practice puts babies at risk of suffocation and strangulation. And the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agrees.
Cosleeping is a widespread practice in many non-Western cultures. However, differences in mattresses, bedding, and other cultural practices may account for the lower risk in these countries as compared with the United States.
According to the CPSC, at least 515 deaths were linked to infants and toddlers under 2 years of age sleeping in adult beds from January 1990 to December 1997:

* 121 of the deaths were attributed to a parent, caregiver, or sibling rolling on top of or against a baby while sleeping
* more than 75% of the deaths involved infants younger than 3 months old"

Just because it hasn't happened to you yet...doesn't make it impossible. It would seem to me your the one putting your child in harm. But yes I do agree there are beneifts..To the mother and the mother only. It makes it easier for you when your child wakes up, all you have to do is roll over.
Also just because you dont have a problem with you daughter still in your bed whats to say your daughter wont develop or already hasn't for that matter a sleeping problem that could seriously make her life harder in the long run. When shes 20 years old living on her own and has the hardest time falling asleep at night because you coddled her at night till she was 20 months old, how are you gonna feel?

Tamara - posted on 06/09/2009

Quoting Rachel:

Im not sure where you got those studies from or who AskDrSears is but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, The National Sleep Foundation and various other accredited resources:

"When infants are put to bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to become "self- soothers" which enables them to fall asleep independently at bedtime and put themselves back to sleep during the night. Those who have become accustomed to parental assistance at bedtime often become "signalers" and cry for their parents to help them return to sleep during the night."

So therefor to get your child to be a "self soother" you should......wait its coming....let them self sooth right? And by no mean do I mean totally ignore them as I have already stated. You should check on them every 15 minutes to reassure them that you are there and that you love them and thats its ok. Also to make sure that they are ok.

"Have your child form positive associations with sleeping. A child should not need a parent to help him/her fall asleep. One recent study demonstrated that having your child sleep in your bed puts them at risk for suffocation or strangulation. The child who falls asleep on his or her own will be better able to return to sleep during normal nighttime awakenings and sleep throughout the night."

"When you go to your child's room every time he or she wakes during the night, you are strengthening the connection between you and sleep for your child. Even babies who are held and cuddled when they wake in the middle of the night soon learn to expect this and do not learn to go back to sleep on their own. Except during conditions when the child is sick, has been injured or clearly requires your assistance, it is important to give your child a consistent message that they are expected to fall asleep on their own."

All of this information can be found through the American Academy of Pediatrics website which will connect you to The National Sleep Foundation website. Or here is the web address:

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.hu...

And not that it is any of your business but my pediatrician is also a close family friend so I think it is his place to give me parenting advice. He has 7 children and has done this with all of them and it worked. But if your child isn't sleeping through the the night by 6 months go ahead and listen to all of these women and continue to not sleep through the night. It doesn't change my life...Im getting 10 hours of sleep a night. But if you would like to listen to the experts..me not included in this statement.. then maybe you should take my advice and try it.

B76AF64A-53A8-EA8B-E8EA-0F94324C2895

1.02.28

AskDrSears.com is the website of Dr. William Sears and his wife Martha Sears RN as well as their children, Dr. Jim Sears and Dr. Bob Sears.  I referenced and quoted their handout on CIO which not only quotes the studies but give references to them as well so you can investigate them yourself.

Having safely coslept for over 20 months, I have yet to to strangle or suffocate my daughter.  If you refer over to the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory atthe University of  Notre Dame, headed by Dr. James McKenna, (http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/articles...) the articles there show that not only is cosleeping beneficial for mother and child but also lowers the risks of SIDS, encourages the nursing relationship, etc.

Honestly, I have no problem helping my daughter back to sleep as it shows her that I am there to meet her needs no matter the time of day or night.  My child is only now starting to sleep through the night at 20 months, and I'm actually ok with that.  We managed to get through nightwakings, needing to nurse constantly at night, walk constantly after she was weaned at 18 months, and now its to the point where she's willing to fall asleep on her own and only need a hand on her back or some such to get her back to sleep.

As far as I'm concerned, Peds. are there ONLY for medical advice.  They're often off the mark when it comes to parenting advice, IMO, as I was offered really just awful parenting advice from my ped.and had to just  bite my tongue while i smiled and nodded to make it through the majority of my appointments with out strangling my ped. for her sheer foolishness in the realm of parenting.

Tamara - posted on 06/09/2009

Quoting Cyndi:

I'd try cereal in her formula.

NO NO NO NO NO NO!  You NEVER EVER EVER put cereal in a bottle with either formula or breastmilk.  It is a CHOKING HAZARD and can lead to obesity as well as diabetes.

Mel - posted on 06/09/2009

lol i see Tamara is at it again controlled crying isnt harmful for every link she posts you can find just as many saying controlled crying actually is better in the long term, if you comfort them every time they are upset they come to want to be picked up all the time and if they dont get their way they cry more hence the reason they become more upset later trying to learn their mummy did the wrong thing picking them up all the time and wondering why its not still happening as they get older. teach them young and you and baby will both get a good sleep and the baby will be a great sleeper from a young age. look how many it works for. google it if you like

Annette - posted on 06/09/2009

My best advice it to talk with a pediatrician and ask them for advice. We struggled for a long time and she gave us great advice. Not every child is alike and what works for some does not work for others.

Rachel - posted on 06/09/2009

USA Today Busts Sleep Myths

Does adding cereal to a baby's diet help him or her sleep longer? Not really, according to a USA Today article that busts medical myths. The article states that parents and pediatricians have been perpetuating the myth that cereal helps infants sleep more. Studies as far back as 1974 have shown that infants who are given cereal don't get any more sleep than babies without cereal in their diet, according to USA Today. The article also disproves another sleep myth that says you should never wake a sleepwalker. "No sleepwalker has ever died as a result of being woken up," the article says. We've definitely never heard of someone dying from waking up during sleepwalking, but plenty of people have been injured during sleepwalking. It can actually be quite dangerous not to wake a sleepwalker.

Cyndi - posted on 06/09/2009

I'd try cereal in her formula.

Rachel - posted on 06/09/2009

Quoting Tamara:

Quoting Rachel:

Ok ok...I have the answer. My daughter has slept through the night since she was 4 and half months! This works.. I PROMISE! My pediatrician told me this. Feed your child before bed (bath, book ect..whatever, a routine) then put them in there crib in their room. They will cry! Check on your child every 15 minutes but DO NOT PICK THEM UP. Your just checking on them to make sure they are actually ok, such as they dont have a fever, their not exploading out of there diaper, ect. This first night they will cry for about 2 hours before they go to sleep. They will wake up probley 3-4 times during the night but leave them in the crib and check on them every 15 minutes. They dont need to eat there livers are developed enough to store enough nutrition for 8 hours once they are 4 months. The first morning you can take them out of the crib after its been 8 hours and no less! The second night do the same routine...they will cry for about 1 and a half hours and check on them every 15 minutes. They will wake up 2-3 times this night but still do not take them out of their crib until 8 hours have been up. The 3rd night do the same routine and they will cry for 45 minutes until they fall asleep. They will wake up 1-2 times and same same..8 hours! The 4th night so the same routine and they will fall asleep in 15 minutes. They might wake up once but probley not. 8 hours of beautiful sleep on the 4th or 5th night. When you get them out of their crib after they have been crying they realize they get what they want by crying. You have to be strong and realize that it will work. Please please for you own good try this. Your child should be sleeping through the night by 4 and half months old. Any questions please feel free to send them to me.

Your pediatrician is not there for parenting advice.  His recommendation to simply let a child cry until they pass out from exhaustion and a realization that mommy and/or daddy won't comfort them is not only cruel but physically harmful.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/handou...

Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. 5, 9, 11, 16

Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. 17

One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. 14.

Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brainstem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. 6

Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. 19

Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)

Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to consol them at 10 months. 15

Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children 1.

Dr. Brazy at Duke University and Ludington-Hoe and colleagues at Case Western University showed in 2 separate studies how prolonged crying in infants causes increased blood pressure in the brain, elevates stress hormones, obstructs blood from draining out of the brain, and decreases oxygenation to the brain. They concluded that caregivers should answer cries swiftly, consistently, and comprehensively. (3) and (4)

Im not sure where you got those studies from or who AskDrSears is but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, The National Sleep Foundation and various other accredited resources:

"When infants are put to bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to become "self- soothers" which enables them to fall asleep independently at bedtime and put themselves back to sleep during the night. Those who have become accustomed to parental assistance at bedtime often become "signalers" and cry for their parents to help them return to sleep during the night."

So therefor to get your child to be a "self soother" you should......wait its coming....let them self sooth right? And by no mean do I mean totally ignore them as I have already stated. You should check on them every 15 minutes to reassure them that you are there and that you love them and thats its ok. Also to make sure that they are ok.

"Have your child form positive associations with sleeping. A child should not need a parent to help him/her fall asleep. One recent study demonstrated that having your child sleep in your bed puts them at risk for suffocation or strangulation. The child who falls asleep on his or her own will be better able to return to sleep during normal nighttime awakenings and sleep throughout the night."

"When you go to your child's room every time he or she wakes during the night, you are strengthening the connection between you and sleep for your child. Even babies who are held and cuddled when they wake in the middle of the night soon learn to expect this and do not learn to go back to sleep on their own. Except during conditions when the child is sick, has been injured or clearly requires your assistance, it is important to give your child a consistent message that they are expected to fall asleep on their own."

All of this information can be found through the American Academy of Pediatrics website which will connect you to The National Sleep Foundation website. Or here is the web address:

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.hu...

And not that it is any of your business but my pediatrician is also a close family friend so I think it is his place to give me parenting advice. He has 7 children and has done this with all of them and it worked. But if your child isn't sleeping through the the night by 6 months go ahead and listen to all of these women and continue to not sleep through the night. It doesn't change my life...Im getting 10 hours of sleep a night. But if you would like to listen to the experts..me not included in this statement.. then maybe you should take my advice and try it.

Sarah - posted on 06/09/2009

Hi Angie! i think a good routine is a good way forward. does she go down to sleep ok?? i wouldn't have thought she would be waking from hunger at 7 months, but you could try giving her 'hungry baby' milk in her last bottle (most brands of formula do it).
i find the best thing to do with the 'cry it out' thing, is to go with your own instincts. if you go in the minute she starts crying, try leaving it a little to see if she'll settle herself. OBVIOUSLY don't leave her crying til she passes out! (i've NEVER known a parent do that by the way, it is NOT what controlled crying is!!) but in my opinion it's ok to leave them crying a little to try and show them that night time is for sleeping. a child needs sleep to process what they've learned throughout the day, so getting a good nights sleep is important! go in when she wakes up, check she's ok, then give her a cuddle and put her down, leave her a little while, then go back in, lay her back down, stay away a little longer etc. or.....stay by the side of the cot, no eye contact (else she'll want to play) and gradually move further away as she calms down. she'll be able to see you, but won't be getting any stimulation from you, therefore you'll be showing her you're still there, whilst still showing her that it's time to be in bed.
there's loads of other little ways like that, to help them get their sleep!
as i've said it's obvious not to leave them screaming for hours, but a little bit of crying won't hurt!
hope this helps!! :)

Tamara - posted on 06/09/2009

Quoting Rachel:

Ok ok...I have the answer. My daughter has slept through the night since she was 4 and half months! This works.. I PROMISE! My pediatrician told me this. Feed your child before bed (bath, book ect..whatever, a routine) then put them in there crib in their room. They will cry! Check on your child every 15 minutes but DO NOT PICK THEM UP. Your just checking on them to make sure they are actually ok, such as they dont have a fever, their not exploading out of there diaper, ect. This first night they will cry for about 2 hours before they go to sleep. They will wake up probley 3-4 times during the night but leave them in the crib and check on them every 15 minutes. They dont need to eat there livers are developed enough to store enough nutrition for 8 hours once they are 4 months. The first morning you can take them out of the crib after its been 8 hours and no less! The second night do the same routine...they will cry for about 1 and a half hours and check on them every 15 minutes. They will wake up 2-3 times this night but still do not take them out of their crib until 8 hours have been up. The 3rd night do the same routine and they will cry for 45 minutes until they fall asleep. They will wake up 1-2 times and same same..8 hours! The 4th night so the same routine and they will fall asleep in 15 minutes. They might wake up once but probley not. 8 hours of beautiful sleep on the 4th or 5th night. When you get them out of their crib after they have been crying they realize they get what they want by crying. You have to be strong and realize that it will work. Please please for you own good try this. Your child should be sleeping through the night by 4 and half months old. Any questions please feel free to send them to me.

Your pediatrician is not there for parenting advice.  His recommendation to simply let a child cry until they pass out from exhaustion and a realization that mommy and/or daddy won't comfort them is not only cruel but physically harmful.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/handou...

Research has shown that infants who are routinely separated from parents in a stressful way have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower growth hormone levels. These imbalances inhibit the development of nerve tissue in the brain, suppress growth, and depress the immune system. 5, 9, 11, 16

Researchers at Yale University and Harvard Medical School found that intense stress early in life can alter the brain’s neurotransmitter systems and cause structural and functional changes in regions of the brain similar to those seen in adults with depression. 17

One study showed infants who experienced persistent crying episodes were 10 times more likely to have ADHD as a child, along with poor school performance and antisocial behavior. The researchers concluded these findings may be due to the lack of responsive attitude of the parents toward their babies. 14.

Dr. Bruce Perry’s research at Baylor University may explain this finding. He found when chronic stress over-stimulates an infant’s brain stem (the part of the brain that controls adrenaline release), and the portions of the brain that thrive on physical and emotional input are neglected (such as when a baby is repeatedly left to cry alone), the child will grow up with an over-active adrenaline system. Such a child will display increased aggression, impulsivity, and violence later in life because the brainstem floods the body with adrenaline and other stress hormones at inappropriate and frequent times. 6

Researchers have found babies whose cries are usually ignored will not develop healthy intellectual and social skills. 19

Dr. Rao and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health showed that infants with prolonged crying (but not due to colic) in the first 3 months of life had an average IQ 9 points lower at 5 years of age. They also showed poor fine motor development. (2)

Researchers at Pennsylvania State and Arizona State Universities found that infants with excessive crying during the early months showed more difficulty controlling their emotions and became even fussier when parents tried to consol them at 10 months. 15

Other research has shown that these babies have a more annoying quality to their cry, are more clingy during the day, and take longer to become independent as children 1.

Dr. Brazy at Duke University and Ludington-Hoe and colleagues at Case Western University showed in 2 separate studies how prolonged crying in infants causes increased blood pressure in the brain, elevates stress hormones, obstructs blood from draining out of the brain, and decreases oxygenation to the brain. They concluded that caregivers should answer cries swiftly, consistently, and comprehensively. (3) and (4)

Laura - posted on 06/09/2009

Hi Angie,



I'm a first time mum and had the same problem with my daughter and got fed up by 7 months. I started using the baby sleep solution program and it really helped. This is the part that helped me the most because i had alway fed her to sleep-



Feeding your baby to sleep



Feeding your child until he or she goes to sleep may be creating a problem with their sleep patterns. Your baby will soon begin to recognize that you feed him or her at bedtime. This will become something they depend on and expect. Normally, this will be the situation with each waking throughout the night as well.



There are of course, techniques you can use to stop your baby from depending on feedings to fall asleep.



Firstly, change the time or the amount of time you feed your baby when nearing his or her bedtime. Doing so will gradually remove the association of bedtime with feeding.



Another option is to feed your child earlier in the evening instead of as a bedtime routine. When you do these things your baby will not associate feeding with bedtime. This will help your baby to learn to fall asleep on his or her own accord.



Here's the link if you or anyone else is interested in the program but like everything time will probably help too.



http://c3509b-954yey3hl7b0q2n9ne-.hop.cl...



Good Luck

Mel - posted on 06/08/2009

what about formula mixed with breast milk in a bottle? maybe shes just not used to it. either that or try putting some rice cereal in her bottle or spoon feeding it before bed. try soothing without a feed when she wakes up the first time maybe give her a feed only once over night. if you try and soothe with the dummy she might go back to sleep maybe shes just in a habit of waking that often. i cant say ive been thru this ive always had a really good sleeper so i feel for you and others that i see going thru this

Jennifer - posted on 06/08/2009

I was lucky that both my girls slept really well in the begining. My oldest started waking up through the night at about 8mo. For us having a consistent routine helped and making sure she got her naps in during the day. We still have the occasion middle of the night wake up, but she usually goes right back to sleep. Make sure she isn't overtired and that there is a decent amount of time btw. her nap and bed time, usually 4 hours. It might feel like forever, but stick with whatever routine you decide with and you will look back and think that wasn't so bad. Good Luck.

Rachel - posted on 06/08/2009

Ok ok...I have the answer. My daughter has slept through the night since she was 4 and half months! This works.. I PROMISE! My pediatrician told me this. Feed your child before bed (bath, book ect..whatever, a routine) then put them in there crib in their room. They will cry! Check on your child every 15 minutes but DO NOT PICK THEM UP. Your just checking on them to make sure they are actually ok, such as they dont have a fever, their not exploading out of there diaper, ect. This first night they will cry for about 2 hours before they go to sleep. They will wake up probley 3-4 times during the night but leave them in the crib and check on them every 15 minutes. They dont need to eat there livers are developed enough to store enough nutrition for 8 hours once they are 4 months. The first morning you can take them out of the crib after its been 8 hours and no less! The second night do the same routine...they will cry for about 1 and a half hours and check on them every 15 minutes. They will wake up 2-3 times this night but still do not take them out of their crib until 8 hours have been up. The 3rd night do the same routine and they will cry for 45 minutes until they fall asleep. They will wake up 1-2 times and same same..8 hours! The 4th night so the same routine and they will fall asleep in 15 minutes. They might wake up once but probley not. 8 hours of beautiful sleep on the 4th or 5th night. When you get them out of their crib after they have been crying they realize they get what they want by crying. You have to be strong and realize that it will work. Please please for you own good try this. Your child should be sleeping through the night by 4 and half months old. Any questions please feel free to send them to me.

Ashley - posted on 06/08/2009

What time are you putting your baby to sleep? Most babies want to be in bed by 6-6:30pm. They sleep much more restfully going down at this time. A bedtime routine will help, like dinner around 5:30pm a bath/or pj's since you can't do a bath very night, a book, and lastly a bottle. Then have her on her way to sleep around 6-6:30pm. It will really help her sleep better...and you too.

Wendy - posted on 06/08/2009

Hi Angie, I know exactly how frustrating and exhausting it can be. I worked full time and did 100% of baby care since my husband sleeps through even the loudest screaming baby. My son did not sleep through the night consistantly until he was almost 2 years old. Only suggestion I have is to just shower your little sweetie with attention whenever she needs it and thank God you have her. Even though this time may seem very long, it is over in the blink of an eye and you will probably never regret spending those hours with your daughter, I know I don't.

Kathi - posted on 06/08/2009

I feel like I have been posting this a lot, but I can not suggest it enough. Go to the bookstore and buy the book by Kim West (The Sleep Lady). My only regret is that I did not read it months and months ago because it totally changed our lives. I know it sounds over the top, but it's true. You can look her up at www.sleeplady.com. Totally amazing, gentle way to get your baby to sleep through the night.



We thought our little girl wanted to stay up late as well and just thought that she just didn't need as much sleep (she is quite stubborn as well). What we didn't realize (since her big brother was a model baby who figured it all out on his own) was that she did not know how to get herself to sleep and stay asleep. She was staying up until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open. Then she would wake up in the middle of the night and not know how to get back to sleep. This went on until she was 18 months old! I bought the book and after about 6 or so days she was averaging 11 hours of sleep per night (straight through) with a 2.5 hour nap during the day. It's been 2.5 months now of pure bliss for my husband and myself. She is in bed between 7:30-8pm and up around 6:30 the next morning. All I can say is to give it a try.

Angie - posted on 06/08/2009

We can't give her baths every night because she hs very bad excema. We are still working on a night routine because she wants to be up late. She is quite stubborn.

Tamara - posted on 06/08/2009

My daughter is 20 months and is just now starting to only wake 1-2x/night that requires me to settle her back down. It just will take time. Don't cut back her food as that'll only make things worse. Attend to her needs whether it be a bottle, cuddle, whatever since they're only little for so long.

LaCi - posted on 06/08/2009

Mine woke up every 2-3 hours until he was 10 months old, and then magically slept all night, and every night since. I think you just have to wait it out, sorry I'm not at all helpful

Kerri - posted on 06/08/2009

my son would not sleep through the night until he was 8 months old. what i did was let him cry for about 5-10 minutes and then get up and get him a 6 ounch bottle. for about 2 weekes her got 6 ozs, then i would give him 4 ozs for a few weeks. we then went down to 2, then one and after about a month he was sleepiong through the night.

Vernita - posted on 06/08/2009

what time do you do baths? does she have a nightly routine that you stick to? my son is just getting better about sleeping through the night and hes 8 months we take our baths around 7,lights off after that( so he knows play time is over and its wind down time) i did this since 5-6 months and he gets sleepy round 8 and goes btwn 8-9 every night wakes up once during the night and then i get him up when i get ready for work around 6 :30 to hand off to my mom who watches him while im at work. So now my problem is crib training! what a nightmare but i dont regret sleeping with my baby at all!:)