Should i pay for advice

[mrsdawnfrancis]

Hi, I have had trouble getting my son who is 9months to sleep.
He has never slept through the night and constantly wakes for feeds or cuddles. More often than not ends up in our bed! I need some advice but all the HV wants to do is controlled crying- I did try it but I didn't like it.
I have rung a sleep clinic today out of interest and they can offer consultation and support but obviously at a price- has anyone ever used them and are they worth the money???

Thanks!

None of mine were sleeping through the night at 9 months - what I found was that soon after the 9-10 month mark (ie when solids kick in) night-time feeds could be shortened to about two minutes. When they were waking up for a couple of minutes, having a suck and going back to sleep again I moved into the spare room at the beginning of the night and left DH with a bottle of expressed milk. Every time, they'd wake up the first night, have the bottle and go back to sleep, less so the next night and after a few nights weren't bothering at all. It was completely painless.

Before paying for advice, I'd see what responses you get here and invest in The No Cry Sleep Solution - it has all kinds of ways to help your baby sleep through without the horrible, horrible CIO/CC route.

I'd second the no cry sleep solution.

Sleep clinics will provide support but if you're committed then buy the above book and put it into action with a support thread on here. Give it say 6 weeks and if no significant improvements then perhaps go down the sleep clinic route.

We are using the no cry sleep solution with DD (6 months old). Definitely a softly, softly approach. You won't see results overnight but it's definitely having an impact.

I paid for a sleep workshop and didn't find it helpful. A local centre was offering a taster for £5 so signed up for it when DD was around 9 months, however, the teacher took ill so it was cancelled and didn't get to go until DD was 12 months and sleep was much better. However, i got to attend a 'full price' class which should have been £80. Huge waste of money, didn't actually tell you anything just made you question your expectations and why they are there. The only advise she gave was to have a bedtime routine, which is pretty standard! One of the women who attended was quite annoyed with the teacher as she told this woman that by doing CIO (which she was trying as had tried other things) she was only telling her child to stop crying, she wasn't actually getting him to sleep. The woman argued that she was trying to get her child to stop crying AND go to sleep. The teacher just kept repeating her point and when challenged couldn't elaborate. She quoted a lot of research, not value for money, but that was just my experience.

I paid A LOT for a highly experienced maternity nurse. Was worth it. I felt like a miracle had happened (& no, she didn't use CIO). But my DD1 was still 12m before reliably sleeping through. What I got was my evenings back, only waking once, lots of tips.

Thanks all- I have borrowed the no cry sleep solution off a friend and will give it a go! xx

Good luck OP! Let us know how you get on.

I paid for phone consultations with Mill Pond sleep clinic. Best thing I ever did. DS went from waking 4 times a night at 7 months to sleeping through within a fortnight. Best money we ever spent!

I paid for Skype consultations with a sleep lady - also best money I have spent in my grand total of 9 months of parenting! She picked up that baby had reflux (which GPs, lactation consultants, and osteopaths had all not...), helped me to teach her to go to sleep by herself using gradual retreat, and probably saved my marriage

Have a look at BabyCalm to see if they have a teacher near you only £35 for 3 hours so much cheaper than lots of other sleep intervention.