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Original poster

8 month old wont sleep for longer than 2 hrs at a time...help!

9 replies

MrsTMD · 15/12/2011 19:22

Hi,im new to this site and I have an 8 month old son who has never been a good sleeper.he fights naps during the dat and it always takes a long time to get him 2 sleep at night.he is very active during the day, breastfed and eating 3 solid meals a day.i have a good routine of bath, bed, feed, song and do not feed him to sleep.but he still wakes every couple if hours and I cant take it anymore.i also have a 4 yr old daughter so cant catch up on sleep during the day.any advice wud b appreciated.thanx.xox

OP posts:
Cinquefoil · 15/12/2011 19:34

No advice other than to say you are not alone. DS is 9 months, has always been a rubbish sleeper, and is only now managing to sleep for two hours at a time.

I feel your pain.

I can't catch up on sleep during the day, either, as he will only nap if in a sling and I am in motion.

But, I don't have an older child to deal with, so I imagine it's very difficult for you.

The way I manage is to co-sleep and go to bed with him, which means we're in bed by 7pm. I do, then, manage to get about 6-7 hours of sleep a night, although they are broken hours. I guess that might not be an option for you if you have an older one?

I know how awful sleep deprivation can be, and am so sorry that I can't offer you any constructive help.

Original poster
MrsTMD · 15/12/2011 19:39

Thanku 4 ur reply.its kinda reassuring to know that at least its not just my little one.he used to come into my bed around midnight just so I wasnt having to get up all the time but hubby has had enough n said he doesnt sleep when he is in our bed so this week I have been keeping him in his cot but I just feel like a zombie all the time!hope ur lo starts letting u get more sleep soon.xox

OP posts:
Cinquefoil · 15/12/2011 20:08

I hope someone will be along soon with some more practical advice. In the meantime, remember it is just a phase . . . "this too shall pass", and all that.

Do what you have to do. I sleep with DS in a different room to DH. It's not ideal, but it's the only way all three of us get any sleep. DH wasn't happy at first, but after a week of (for him) sleeping through with no interruption, he came around. Wink

I'm not over the moon about the arrangement, but at the moment my aim is to get as much sleep as possible, for everyone in the family. Things will change soon enough.

nectarina · 16/12/2011 15:22

I haven't got any practical advice I'm sorry to say, but I feel your pain. I have quite a nice set up with OH - he gets up to crying baby and tries to rock her back to sleep, if it doesn't work he gives her to me, I feed her back to sleep and then OH puts her back in her cot. means I don't properly wake up.

Flimflammery · 16/12/2011 15:33

I recommend the Baby Whisperer book and even more helpful info on their website here. You need to read the stuff about sleep routines quite thoroughly and be consistent with whatever approach you take. For babies of 8 months they recommend 'pick-up put-down', it worked for my DS at 8 months. It's NOT the same as controlled crying.

CinderellaSweepsUp · 16/12/2011 15:40

More sympathy here, nearly 8 month old Ds hasn't slept more than 3 hours in a row since he turned 4m. It must be so hard with 2, really feel for you.

We do something similar to nectarina,
Dh will try at least once per night to settle the baby himself, if all else fails baby ends up in bed with me for at least part of the night. is there any way your dh could do this even once or twice a week so you can catch up a little? Or get up early with both on a weekend after the first feed so you can get a couple of hours then?

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 16/12/2011 15:47

I agree with Flimflammery - it sounds like some sort of sleep training is needed as he has got into a bad habit of waking and not being able to self-settle.

Pick up put down does work - I've seen Tracy Hogg do it on her TV programme, but you have to be committed and willing to see it through to the end. Also, if you are breastfeeding, it may be easier (and kinder to LO) if your partner can do it. Good luck. :)

Original poster
MrsTMD · 19/12/2011 20:37

Thanku 4 ur msgs.i will have a look at the baby whisperer and c if it helps.no my dh says he needs his sleep at night bcos if work and doesnt have much patience at night.will let u.know how things go.xox

OP posts:
fififrog · 19/12/2011 21:58

I found pupd was confusing for my LO. Basically training her to accept someone just being there and maybe shushing was a better approach. You need to find what works for your son, but our DD went from being impossible to settle without feeding to self- settling most of the night and with no physical contact most of the rest of the time. Of course, that said she's now going through a tricky phase, but I feel more able to cope because I know she can self-settle.

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