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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To try Ferber method?

56 replies

ChamomileHoneyTea · 23/01/2024 08:07

LO is 7.5 months now and I am on my knees with sleep deprivation. We co-slept until he was 7 months at which point I couldn’t deal with it. For the last 3 weeks I’ve been doing gradual retreat to coincide with moving him into his own room. We had one good night where he almost slept through about a week ago but since then nothing. He falls asleep independently for naps and at bedtime but still wakes constantly in the night, usually 4-6 times a night, and is hard to settle. Aibu to abandon this gentle method and try Ferber?

OP posts:
ChamomileHoneyTea · 23/01/2024 08:41

@shivawn 2 naps- first is usually 2 hours and second is 30-60 mins. Thing is I don’t know how I am supposed to create a proper schedule because this is dependent on wake up time which varies from night to night. E.g this morning woke up at 8am but yesterday was 6am.

OP posts:
shivawn · 23/01/2024 08:21

Also, just to add, make sure your schedule is rock solid before you start. If he's overtired or undertired then no amount of sleep training is going to force him to sleep.

Having read your OP again I see that he falls asleep independently at bedtime which makes me think it could be a schedule issue, mine drastically cut night wakeup once he could fall asleep independently.

What's the current schedule? Is he on 2 naps?

Beetawix · 23/01/2024 08:20

You being sleep deprived is no good. You need rest to be the best version of yourself, and the best Mum. You could always give it a go. As much as people reason it’s harming and dangerous, many children were raised in this way until gentle parenting became a more of a thing and it hasn’t done them any damage. You have to do what you feel best.

Sausagesinthesky · 23/01/2024 08:17

I mean it will “work”, but dig a little deeper on why….but it’s your baby OP 🤷🏼‍♀️

shivawn · 23/01/2024 08:16

Do what's best for you and your family OP. Sleep deprivation is so hard and waking up to 6 times a night at 7 months is a lot. How do you currently settle him when he wakes? Is he having many feeds during the night? Mine was still having 1-2 feeds in the middle of the night at that age so I wouldn't let him go hungry but I'd try reducing the amount of wake ups.

KillSwitch · 23/01/2024 08:12

Hi OP - we did the ferber method with my first and by the third day he was sleeping through! I personally don't think it's that bad a method as you're still going in to comfort baby, rather than leaving them to cry themselves to sleep with the cry it out method.

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