7 mo waking hourly since 3mo- desperate! Should I sleep train?

[Rosegaia82]

Hi there, I am mother to an very happy and extremely energetic and strong 7 mo boy.
During the day he will accept a bottle but won't drink much from one (2oz max) and feeds a little but not often Or for long, I can't make him feed more or tank him up, he just won't.
He has reflux and is on omeprazole, he isn't allergic to soy or cows milk protein as far as I can tell, I tried an elimination diet at 4 mo.
He has woken hourly every night since 3mo and will ONLY settle on the boob, sometimes feeding, sometimes not. He becomes inconsolable very quickly if I try to rock him or my husband steps in.
Needless to say we co-sleep so I can get some sleep but it's not from choice and is very uncomfortable for me and I'm sure for him, especially now he is rolling and seems to like to sleep on his front (he can't do this next to me in bed).

I am contemplating spending money on a sleep consultant and its money I really don't have to waste - can anyone recommend one or had success with a similar problem?

I don't think his reflux is responsible for his waking but I do think CIO may be too much for him as crying mKes him more sick.

I am utterly desperate - I feel this has coloured my enjoyment of my time with him. I've not had 4hrs sleep in a row since he was born.

I have no family living near me to take him in the day etc.

Has anyone had a similar situation that improved? Is there ANYTHING I can do? I really don't want to do CIO...
Thank you so much.

Oh OP that's hard.... You have my sympathy, I have no suggestions but watching this post with interest. My 5 mo DS is similar. He will not sleep for more than 45 minutes to an hour for naps and at night. The most he has ever slept is 90 minutes but that's only if he is in our arms. I was breastfeeding him back to sleep but now I try to only give a feed every 4 hours at night and on demand during the day. but I still need to rock/hold/walk him back to sleep. Last night it took 2.5 hours to get him back to sleep only for him to wake again 45 minutes later... I also have a 4 yo DD who was a great sleeper but is now getting up at night as DS is so loud.... Lets hope we get some good tips on here.....

Oh -it must be very hard with another child. It's really put me off having another one although I know time makes you forget how awful it is.
Yes I hope we do get some tips, I feel like I'm the only one in the world with a baby like this sometimes! All my friends' babies sleep great!

What about a dummy? Worth the perseverance

I had to sleep train and also used a dummy. I didn't leave the room tho, I comforted by shushing & stroking hair & laying down again and again and again if they kept getting up. I gently said go to sleep sssssh as my only words as around this age they are quite clever with understanding their routine and what key words mean if repeated often enough

I also read on MN that someone paid a sleep consultant only to have them say don't pickup and remove from cot - just keep laying baby down gently

They WILL cry - this is also what all sleep consultants say there is no magic wand to get them to go to sleep we must teach them that their cot is their bed this is sleep time

And repeat

I ate pasta dinner & lots of chocolate on the 2 nights it took to sleep train and 3rd night she woke twice but each time settled herself straight back after a moment or two of grizzling

HTh!

He'll take a dummy in the day but never at night, he clams his mouth shut and gets more distressed if I try to slip it in!!
Thanks that's useful- was your daughter about my sons age (7 months) or older? Do you mind me asking what you did? Did you lay her in bed awake? Did you feed her at all overnight? Thanks very much!

I stopped doing night feeds as he was on so,ids in day too so wasn't hungry. Me and DH too turns sitting with him doing pat shush and stroking him. He cried a lot but after about a week he stopped waking so much. It was hard work though.

I had to sleep train when i went back to work. Not easy since it goes against your very owns instincts but it was necessary. I would let the baby cry for increasing intervals and it took a couple of weeks. Dc is a very good sleeper now.

If you are looking for a sleep consultant, we had one and she was excellent. You can PM me for details

I actually brought the routine back an hour - ie started earlier - so:

• dinner at 5pm (since she dropped the 3/4pm nap at the same time)
• bath 5.30 /5.45 dummy in sing lullaby while getting pjs on then say 'time to go to sleep in X's bed!' Happy tone of voice crucial! Into nursery.
• into cot tuck in lay down kiss 'night night'

Now - this is when they'll cry and cry.

You go back
stroke hair
kiss again
say 'it's ok sleep time go to sleep X'
Lay down gently
Tuck in,
dummy in if using

And walk slowly back from cot near cot but still in room

And just be prepared to repeat this!

That's all that can be done. It will take up to 37 times laying back down it did for me first time.

Second night make it identical to first night.

Third night same etc

By the 3rd night I only had to lay down say night night and tuck in she was grizzly but lay still and resettled herself if she woke. Sometimes they dream so remember this they cry when dreaming too.

I still hardly slept tho waiting for her to waken and I still checked her lots to see if she was breathing. Couldn't believe my luck.

It is worth it. They will cry so be prepared and eat well before you do it you'll need the energy and calmness of mind that only chocolate treats after a pasta dinner can give

I have a 7month old who can't self settle. He will fall asleep in the car and pram wih and without a dummy. Otherwise I have to rock him to sleep with a dummy, and he is waking anywhere between 5 and 20 times a night.

I have done a couple of nights using CIO which was awful and I don't want to do it again.
Last night we did CC.... Gave him his milk, woke him after so he was very sleepy and put him down, he cried initially and I put his dummy in, he went straight to sleep for 2hours. Then he cried. We did 5mins of crying then in to room shush, pat, dummy and walked out... For 90mins. He was so angry and upset. He was sweating, thrashing around etc. he has a blood shot eye as well today. He only slept for 30mins. Went in, shush, pat, dummy, stroked head.... Sleep for 2hours, then he woke again. I did the same routine and he went ape shit so I brought him in to our bed. I knew I wouldn't be able to do this all night.

I think tonight I might try sitting in the room with him. I cried so much leaving him to cry but something's gotta give. I am tired. He has been a rubbish sleeper since 14weeks and he is now 30weeks.

My friend used a sleep coach. She had her 10month old sleeping through the night straight away with minimal crying

That must be teething. It must be as he showed he was able to sleep in that location for 2 hrs. It's just not easy. This week baby has a terrible cold plus teething new teeth every couple of days. Poor thing. We just have to ride it out and comfort as much as they need I guess

I use bonjela on our baby it really helps.

I also found Dana Obleman on You Tube - she takes a very matter of fact approach - and it is reassuring