Sleeping issuesatio

[Cakemuncher]

Hello

My lovely dd is 5 months and has taken to waking in the night again and screaming. Even after a feed and a change, she won't settle. In desperation I have started taking her into our bed. This works a treat and she goes back to sleep soundly. My husband is keen to break this habit but I just think that if it lets us sleep hen where's the harm. I have spoken to plenty of mum's who do this. What t do the mumsnetters think?

Lots of mum's co sleep. With mine I tried to be consistent and didn't bring them into the bed with me. But it's different horses for different courses. If you're happy and the baby is, that's grand? Admittedly she may learn to wake herself up completely when she goes through a lighter part of her sleep cycle, just so she can come in your bed as the days go by, but as long as you're ok with that carry on. On the otherhand if your H really doesn't want her in the bed with you, you may need to try and chat about it all and come to some sort of compromise I guess?

Mine definitely slept worse the more over tired they became and woke more as well. So I was always a great believer in making sure they had generous naps in the day to help. Although that may sound counter intuitive it does work.

The book I found the most helpful for sleep advice was Marc Weissbluth's It's not an easy read but he has advice for every age and stage and it's usually spot on. He does advocate controlled crying a lot but I followed his advice but tried PUPD or leaving only for a few mins and returning and that worked for me fine instead but using everything else in his book as a guide iyswim?

4/5 months is classic sleep regression territory as well. From memory, sleep regressions are caused by mental development surges and come at 5, 8, 12, 19, 26, 37, 46 and 55 weeks. Although the early ones come so close together that they sort of roll into one....

I tried co-sleeping but DP hated it. He couldn't sleep for worrying he'd squish DS1 in the night, and I had every sympathy. I used to let DS1 drift off in my arms and then transfer him back to his cot. I then gradually started putting him back in his cot more and more awake, until finally I could put him down wide awake. It took about 6 weeks of being very disciplined about how sleepy I let him get before putting him down.

Thanks for those suggestions folks. I might try putting her back down - if I don't fall asleep first that is!