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Original poster

5 month old won't sleep!

4 replies

MySunnyReader · 27/12/2024 19:58

I'm wondering whether this is normal but I'm at my wits end!. I have a 5 month old who is waking every couple of hours overnight and trying to get him to nap during the day is such a Misson, he will only sleep in the pram or car as long as its moving, as soon as you stop he is awake, he will sleep in the carrier but only if I stand and rock in a quiet room, even with all these conditions met he still will wake up after 30-45 minutes, I woundnt mind but he wakes up still tired and grumpy and stays that way until the next sleep where it is a battle again.
With night time I am currently using the chair method for bedtime, sometimes it works sometimes he screams and he will not be settled in the cot, just screams and screams until he is hysterical. Feel like I'm losing my mind, is this normal? Any suggestions to make life more bearable would be greatly appreciated! Many thanks in advance

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TinyMouseTheatre · 27/12/2024 22:22

You're doing better than I ever did. I couldn't have coped with things like the chair method, I stick them in bed with me so that we could all get some sleep Wink

Row23 · 28/12/2024 06:26

It is normal at this age for their sleep to go a bit haywire. I remember this well - rocking my son to sleep for half an hour and then he’d wake after 20 mins! So frustrating.
We ended up calling a sleep consultant to just give us some guidance on how to change what we were doing (sometimes you need an outside perspective to help see what to change). But we didn’t start until he was 6 months old, as before that their sleep still changes or something so there’s no point try to change it.
We then used the chair method / gradual retreat and also moved him into a bigger crib and into his own bedroom. The combination worked well and it didn’t take long until he slept much better. We also did the same for naps.
It will get better - whether you just ride it out and wait for his sleep to eventually lengthen on its own, or if you try to help him settle.

Original poster
MySunnyReader · 28/12/2024 20:08

Row23 · 28/12/2024 06:26

It is normal at this age for their sleep to go a bit haywire. I remember this well - rocking my son to sleep for half an hour and then he’d wake after 20 mins! So frustrating.
We ended up calling a sleep consultant to just give us some guidance on how to change what we were doing (sometimes you need an outside perspective to help see what to change). But we didn’t start until he was 6 months old, as before that their sleep still changes or something so there’s no point try to change it.
We then used the chair method / gradual retreat and also moved him into a bigger crib and into his own bedroom. The combination worked well and it didn’t take long until he slept much better. We also did the same for naps.
It will get better - whether you just ride it out and wait for his sleep to eventually lengthen on its own, or if you try to help him settle.

Thank you for your reply, its nice to know I'm not alone and maybe I just need to ride it out until his sleep lengthens naturally I suppose, it's just hard when your in the trenches and need some sleep!

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Original poster
MySunnyReader · 28/12/2024 20:09

TinyMouseTheatre · 27/12/2024 22:22

You're doing better than I ever did. I couldn't have coped with things like the chair method, I stick them in bed with me so that we could all get some sleep Wink

I seem to end up giving up at about 4am and he comes into bed then!!

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