Controlled Crying - 6 months

[Bluebella]

Hi all!

My second baby is now 6 months old and is STILL waking every 2-3 hrs at night, last night even more frequently!

I am breastfeeding but he has had odd bottle of formula. He is on two meals a day of solids.

I am really getting so tired, and have to go back to work soon, so I am thinking, shall I try controlled crying?

Baby goes to bed at 7pm, and usually wakes about 10pm ish, I was thinking to feed him on this feed but the next wake ups to try CC.

What do you think? What are your experiences?

A lot of my mates are against this, and I feel bad to let him cry. Surely he is not hungry at night every two hours? My feelings are, he is waking out of habit.

Any advice appreciated x

We did CC with both of ours from about 8 months. Both of them were sleeping through solidly within a week and have been excellent sleepers since (no evident emotional damage what-so-ever). As long as you know that all of your babies needs are met (dry, fed, warm enough, not too hot etc.) then I'm all for it.
That being said, I do feel that consistency is key. Going in and feeding at one point and not going in at another could be giving mixed messages and things might take longer to settle this way.
I would be tempted to advise that you wait a month or two if at all possible so that you know the night feeds are definitely not needed, and then go for it all in.

Agree with the consistency point. If it's what suits you, never mind your friends opinions. You might find its tougher on you than you think though. We did sleep training at 4 month's and I cried more than him some days but it was absolutely 100% worth it. You can't have weak days where you give up tho cos it's not fair on the kid! Why don't you just try it and see if it works for you?

Rule out any causes like reflux or intolerance to dairy or tongue tie first.

OP I think that's pretty normal, the waking.
It's just one of those things you tend to feel tired with a 6 month old.

I would say instead of leaving baby to cry you just rock baby instead if feeding?

You feel bad leaving baby to cry for a reason

I'm trying so hard to not be one of those 'how could you' posters but 6month old Dd is on my lap and that's telling me its wrong.

I would wait until he is on 3 good meals a day so you're 100% certain he isn't hungry.

Fwiw DD was like this at 6 months and now at 8.5 months she only wakes twice, I think the first time we disturb her whenever go to bed then she has a feed about 4. So a massive improvement from 10 weeks ago and it has coincided with her eating more.

I went to a sleep clinic run by the HV the other week and she said if they wake at exactly the same time each night it is habit. If the times change (even if it is always between 3am - 4am) then they are genuinely hungry / thirsty / hot / cold / whatever.

Maybe try gradual retreat or pick up/put down instead?

My now nearly 8mo dd2 was waking hourly at 6 months coinciding with colds and viruses etc.
She used to sleep 12 hours from 3-5 months.
Last night we were down to two wakings so definitely getting better.
Hang in there. Eating solids does make a difference as does consistency.

Ha my 12 month old STILL wakes every 3 hours! But did go phases when she was better.

As said night wakings are normal. Kellymom has good info on it.

I'm confuse ring trying pick up out down.

Thanks every one. Well I didn't do it! I didn't have the heart lol. I think I will wait two more months and see if any change. Hut for instance today he has had a bit of toast for breakfast not sure much of that went down lol. However he had tomato chicken dish at lunchtime, about half a pouch equivalent, and at tea he had cauliflower cheese again half a pouch size followed by banana and yoghurt. Plus he had 4 breast feeds and two bottles of formula today. However I will carry on with the weaning and see if another two months and more food consumption helps. If not I think I will have to do it, the sleep training. My gut feeling is that baby wakes for comfort on boob. I am tempted to not give him boob during night only bed time so he wakes give him a bottle of formula instead. Thanks everyone x

What about doing it a bit gentler then?

With dd I began to stop her night feeding at 7m. She was waking every 2 hours ish. I basically set a time in my head and wouldn't bf her before that was done. So started at 3 hours, if she woke before that I'd cuddle and comfort, walk, rock, anything but no feeding. Then extended to 4 hours after she was settled at 3 (took about a week), then 5 hours... Finally a hard 3 nights of no bf after evening put down.

She still wakes at 9m if she's poorly or teething, or sometimes just because, but she is starting to sleep til 5am reassuringly frequently.

I know you asked about CC, but hope this helps. I did PUPDCD with DS, I have to say it was and is one of my most major parenting regrets (and it didn't work). I've found a lot of sense in the book the No Cry Sleep Solution, written by a mum of 4 who bf.

It will end, though I know it's hard to see it just now.

Good luck.