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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

controlled crying - does it work?

17 replies

danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:02

my son is 11 months old, he still wakes at 11pm for a feed and i am told by midwives this is normal. also he always seems to have a wet nappy at this point, so i change him as well. he has recently started waking between 4am and 5am and crying alot. i have been going in to get him and again i change him and feed him. i was thinking about trying the controlled crying method, but the thing is, if he has a wet nappy, surely that'll wake him anyway? how do you get a baby to sleep through the night and does their nappy ever last through the night? help!! i'm so tired as i am 8 months pregnant as well...

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CarGirl · 03/01/2009 22:03

How does he go to sleep at night, do you feed him/cuddle him to sleep ie. does he have a sleep prop?

danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:12

i feed him about 7-8oz of milk and sing (badly) to him, he usually snoozes off just as he's finishing his milk. sometimes he cries a bit, but always settles shortly after

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notnowbernard · 03/01/2009 22:14

For dd1 - yes

For dd2 - no

CarGirl · 03/01/2009 22:17

I start by getting him to go to sleep after being awake a short while after his milk otherwise he associates going to sleep being something you do whilst already drowsy with a full tummy of milk - does that make sense?

Miyazaki · 03/01/2009 22:17

It didn't for my dd1, and it broke my heart so solidly that I never ever considered doing it again for dd2.

If it helps both of mine spontaneously started going through till about 6-7am from 11pm at about 12 months.

You must be tired with that short gap - Are you bf'ing? If not, can your dh/p do the 11pm feed so you can go to bed earlier and get a good stretch in before the 4am/5am wake up?

snickersnack · 03/01/2009 22:21

It does work, for some children, and not for others.

It worked for dd after just one night - she was also 11 months, waking 2 or 3 times a night for a breastfeed. I didn't mind that, but got fed up with her taking an hour to settle after each feed. One night of fairly low level moaning and she slept through and didn't really look back.

For ds, no. We tried it for 5 nights when he was 13 months and there was no change at all in his behaviour. He didn't get particularly upset at any point, but the length of time he was awake for didn't shorten, and his wakings didn't reduce. He just eventually stopped waking about 3 months later (but is still a bit erratic).

Re the nappy - I'd be amazed if ds (18 months) had a dry nappy if he woke at 11pm. I wouldn't change it, though. Does it leak? If not, I really wouldn't bother. ds's nappy is soaking in the morning and I don't think it makes any difference to his sleep. Is your ds in cloth or disposables? If he's in cloth, try a fleece liner, perhaps, to keep him dry? If he's in a disposable and leaking you could try a nappy wrap over the top and see if that stops it.

danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:32

ca girl, yes that does makes sense - thanks - did your little one cry as was awake when you put him down?
thanks for the message x

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danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:37

miyazaki - thanks, the thought of him going through at 12 months would be sooo amazing...
fingers crossed.

i have been pretty sick, yeah - it's a pain!! my husband is incapable of changing a nappy - that is another problem though, which i need to address!!

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CarGirl · 03/01/2009 22:39

I put mine in their cots awake from a very young age so no they didn't ever cry perhaps occasionally moan a little. I only did control crying with one of mine, she was 4 months and I realised that her 4am feed had become a couple of comfort sucks rather than a feed IYSWIM. So I stopped feeding her, the first night she complained off & on for 20 minutes before she fell asleep - I sat with her and patted her etc, the next night was about 5 miutes and then she stopped waking up at all.

I think sort out his "sleep prop" before looking at cutting it out at night. Does he fall asleep on the bottle if you feed him during the night? YOu could try offering water instead.

Miyazaki · 03/01/2009 22:39

well if he doesn't do nappies, maybe he can do a feed? Fair exchange...

He'll get there I'm sure - sometimes they do these things just when you have stopped noticing (given up hope!)

Miyazaki · 03/01/2009 22:40

I meant your ds for the last bit!

danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:42

snickersnack- thanks, i will try those nappy options, i'm sure that's what's waking him...

did you ever try sugar water for a night feed as a way of stopping your babies wanting to be fed at night?

god i hope he starts sleeping through!!

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MegBusset · 03/01/2009 22:42

By wet nappy do you mean a leaky nappy? If the nappy is leaking every night then I would switch brand I've found Pampers the most reliable at night. If it's not leaky then don't change it I'm sure it won't wake him up. I haven't changed a nappy at night since DS was about 3mo, aside from the v occasional leak!

Controlled crying worked for us when DS was 9mo was very quick (2 nights) and not too painful, though I don't think it works for all babies. For us what seemed to make the difference was making sure DS fell asleep on his own ie without boob, rocking, dummy, or anyone in the room. As soon as we fixed that, he started sleeping through pretty reliably.

danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:44

miyazaki- what does ds mean?? sorry i am new to this and what does dd1 and dd2 mean i assume 1st baby and 2nd?
i need to get with the program!

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Miyazaki · 03/01/2009 22:46

sorry it is son and daughter - I think it is dear or darling (bit ick!) and dp - partner or dh - husband. dc - children.

there is a list of acronyms somewhere at the top of the page.

danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:47

thanks meg, i will try the CC, that'd be amazing if it works in 2 days....

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danielle1973 · 03/01/2009 22:54

thanks miyazaki!! xxx

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