6month old wont sleep long, please help

[cba]

Ok, you would think by baby number four I would have most things sussed. Then along comes our fourth little bundle of joy.

He is exactly six months old and up until a few days ago exclusively breastfed, i have now started on a little baby rice.

This problem has been going on a while and the saying rod for own back is probably true but nothing I do helps.

He basically wont self soothe, always needs the breast and feeds every hour through the night. I am exhausted. I have even tried a dummy, he wont have it anyway.

I tried to let him settle himself to sleep today but he got himself in that much of tiz he was sweating all over.

So, how can I break this cycle. Will only feed to sleep and wont self settle. Sleeps in bed with me and feeds constantly. I have tried leaving him when he comes into light sleep but just screams and scream. When I say leave him I mean comfort with cuddles and not feeds. PLEASE PLEASE HELP

!

bumping for you! >

I have a 7 month old who has done exactly this , but only when he's teething. All the time? I'd be an insane person by now!

I had the difficult one first and my mum (I'm one of 4) sat with me and made him cry it out. He did eventually start going to sleep by himself, but I'm not sure I would have stuck with it if she'd not been there. If you can get someone else there to distract you it;ll be easier.

You need to get him out of your bed too. Best thing at 6 months is their memory is so short it'll be awful for a couple of days and then they'll forget about it. x

It's not for everyone but we went down the controlled crying route. The HV was with me when we did it the first time for a daytime nap (up until that point I had been completely unable to put DD1 down and had to hold her whilst she slept during the day.......big contributing factor to my PND I think). She was only 3 months, and whilst it was hard, it did work very quickly (2 or 3 days I believe. She's been great at getting herself off to sleep ever since (she's nearly 25 months now).

There are other methods such as 'pick up put down' 'sush pat' and 'gradual retreat'.......google them for more info or have a look at the Baby Whisperer website.

God...you must be exhausted! I really feel for you. I am a big fan of the Baby Whisperer - I have found the 'sush pat' and 'pick up put down' methods to be the best for me - I didn't want to do control crying and so I think these methods are a great alternative that really work. You just have to decide that you are ready and willing to change things and be consistent, as hard as it will be and you'll want to scream and give up, things can change. Good luck.

How is his daytime sleep? I found with ds that once that was sorted (ie he had good, regular daytime naps at roughly the same time) his nighttime sleeping got much better.

Am in a similar boat to you with dd, almost 6mo - she is not so bad at night but rubbish during the daytime. I'm hoping I can get the daytime sorted out soon - but it is so hard juggling the disparately different needs of a 3yo and 6mo, so I do feel for you with 4, it must be so hard trying to get a pattern going.

His metabolism may be used to being fed so frequently, so maybe he needs sort of training to break the cycle. He also may be so tired that he can't feed properly, but too hungry to sleep properly - so trying to extend the time between feeds during the day might mean he takes a proper feed so sleeps longer.

What about trying to gradually extend the periods between feeds (both day and night), and letting him cry for a bit longer if you can bear it - 15 minutes at first, then 30, then longer and longer over the course of a few days.

Good luck.