Getting a 9.5 month old through the night without crying it out - any tips?

[Tiredoutmum]

Hi there

I'm sure there are hundreds of similar posts but Im too tired to go through them all, so wondered if I might beg for some fresh advice?!

My DD (my second child) is 9.5 months and still waking at least once, often twice and sometimes more during night. She is exclusively breastfed and Im committing the lazy sin of feeding her (which I restrict to a minute or two) to get her to go back again quickly, or I am too tired to look after my DS (almost 3).

I am not prepared to let her cry it out alone but I do need to break the cycle. Can anyone pass on any tips as to how they tackled this gently? Am prepared to let her cry whilst Im in the room, or for a max of 5 mins alone. And have people gone cold turkey on the breastfeeding or offered water instead?

Many thanks!

I sympathise as was in a simial position a while ago. My DD (now 9 months) was unable to self settle as I rocked her to sleep so when she woke couldn't get herslef back to sleep. She was waking a couple of times a night and I was feeding her to sleep as the easy option! I got to the point I was so tired, then went down with bad cold and decided I needed to do something.

Also didn't want to leave her to cry, so did a gentler approach of return and check. There were tears! but basically you go back in and re-assure as often as you like. Try to do it with tone of voice and gentle stroking rather then picking her up.

The first night it took her about 1 hour to get to sleep (not constant crying I must add!). Once asleep she slept till 2am. Same again and she went back to sleep until 7am. The second night she was asleep within 45 mins and slept until 4am. Then back to sleep until 7ish. The third night she was asleep within 20mins, no crying just sort of chatted to her dolly and didn't wake until 6am! a miracle!! That was over 4 weeks ago and she has slept through from 7pm until 5/6am every night.

I think we just got the timing right. She was ready to do it, getting plenty of food in the day and I needed to try somehting! It seems to have had a knock on effect to improving her daytime sleep too :)

I know it won't be like it forever (htikn more teeth are about to appear!) but it was defnitely worth it for us.

I found the sleepytot webiuste really helpful.

hi,
you might like to pop over to

here- loads of other people in a similar sleep deprived state to yourself!

Thanks lazarroo, sounds great, will give tbat a go and fingers crossed! X