Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

9 month old sleep

24 replies

LadyLuck81 · 27/07/2015 12:24

I know I chose to breastfeed but the not sleeping unless fed to sleep is really wearing me down.

His older sister is off nursery for the summer and H is about to be away for 7-10 days in a foreign country for work and spending ages getting him to sleep every nap and at every waking is just losing its appeal rapidly.

With his sister she took a dummy so getting her to sleep without boob worked but this little one isn't interested.

I've tried releasing latch when drowsy and laying down and he screams.

I've introduced a blankie. No difference.

I am not a fan of CIO.

I don't know what I want from here really. A magic wand that makes him sleep would be ace. I want to enjoy being the extended BF co-sleeping mummy but I'm just frustrated which in turn leads to guilt.

Any tips?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MoominaMama · 27/07/2015 14:11

How old is your DS?

MoominaMama · 27/07/2015 14:11

How old is your DS?

SleepForTheWeak · 27/07/2015 14:14

No advice but my 9mo gets up 4-6 times during the night and will only go back to sleep if fed - you're not alone!

Everytime I say 'surely it can't get any worse' - it does

We've managed to get her self settling at bedtime but during the night is as worse than ever x

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 27/07/2015 14:43

9 months moonin

OP posts:

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 27/07/2015 14:44

SLeep - that's some comfort. Not ma lot but I'll take what I can get

OP posts:

MoominaMama · 27/07/2015 14:46

My DS is 11 months and is just reaching the point where I dont have to feed to sleep. This has also coincided with his sleep getting much better from being on thr move (crawling). As soon as he crawled he was like a different child sleep wise. Is your DS on the move yet?

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 27/07/2015 15:36

No not yet moomin. He rolls about but not properly on the move yet. I hope when it happens that helps!

OP posts:

MoominaMama · 27/07/2015 19:07

Fingers crossed for you. X

Cadburyhome · 28/07/2015 22:24

have your tried a ewan the dream sheep? worked wonders for my little bobbie milk monster. also meant daddy could settle him at night.

MioNome · 28/07/2015 22:47

My 8.5mo has just started crawling and sleep has gone from shit-but-bearable to shit-but-unbearable.

I too have to feed/rock/bounce to sleep at bedtime and naps and I feel like it's working less and less and he fights it more and more. At night I bring him into bed around midnight but he still wLws every couple hours for quick comfort suck/proper feed. I can deep with the co-sleeping and nights feeds but the bedtime and nap time battles are wearing me down. I feel it's not working for either of us.

Just had three weeks with the in-laws in Canada and now the reality of returning to home with DS1 who's 3 and not in nursery over the summer is depressing me. I need to sort DS2s naps and bedtime out but no idea where to start. He's a real screamer so even 'gentle' techniques are going to be a fucking nightmare
Sory, have ranted about my own problems on your thread...

MioNome · 28/07/2015 22:49

I guess all I can say is you're not alone!

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 29/07/2015 07:16

Thanks Mio. I'm sorry you're in the same boat. It's a rough ride.

I've not heard of a ewan the dream sheep. Is it magic? I'll take a magic solution please. I'll have a look on eBay.

OP posts:

SleepForTheWeak · 29/07/2015 08:47

DD has had a Ewan since birth - although it signals for her that it's sleepy time it wouldn't soothe her back to sleep if she wakes....

She's too hardcore for that!

GozerTheGozerian · 29/07/2015 08:55

DS2 is also 9mo, feeds to sleep and wakes 2-3 times a night. I'm also an accidental co sleeper - he starts in his own bed but I lose the will at about 2am and he ends up in bed with me. To be fair we sleep better then (all relative of course; sleep is still NOT GREAT).

I can only offer solidarity i am afraid! He has started crawling and it's made no difference at all, except now when he wakes he's usually cross because he's trying to crawl and he's been thwarted by his grobag.

I keep telling myself it will improve soon - DS1 was bottle fed and also a poor sleeper but he at least had a dummy. He did improve by himself though and started sleeping through by about a year.

Keep going!!!!

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 29/07/2015 09:35

His big sister didn't sleep through until she was 3 and required massive amounts of bribery to do that! I can see his sleep going that way too.

It's currently nap time (he's rubbing eyes, yawning and bashing his head) but instead of sleeping he's practicing getting up on his hands and knees and rolling about.

Maybe I just need to embrace the waking. Learn to love it.

Some kind of mind altering or hypnotism may be required to make that work.

OP posts:

daisydalrymple · 29/07/2015 13:12

Hi ladyluck, I just came on here to post something similar about my ds2, also 9 mo. He's actually dc3, and I feel I've made the same mistakes every single time. Bf to sleep as who can keep a newborn awake during a feed. But at what point do you start putting then down drowsy but awake??? Everytime I started that each of them wailed awake so it would all start again..

9 months down the line and with the older two in summer hols, nap time either consists of long walks for us all or me stuck upstairs feeding! Bedtime is also a pain as it can take up to an hour, and DH works long hours and has a fair few overnights a month, so ds1 and dd are often left to read / watch TV whilst I settle DS2. And I'm then up and down a few times during the eve to resettle. He sleeps with me from when I go to bed and stirs for a few feeds.

I have no idea how to break this cycle as I need to start ending the bf whilst he's awake, then cuddle to sleep, then next stage put in cot awake and cuddle, then progress from there. Gradual retreat I guess, but break the feed to sleep cycle first. He pings awake and gets so angry though, arching back, won't be cuddled... Hard to believe it's the same gorgeous baby

MioNome · 29/07/2015 16:13

Gozer - your comment re grobag made me chuckle. DS2 tried to sit up but finds he's pinned himself down and can't sit fully and so sort of bobs up and down getting more and more furious and hot and red and screechy!

SleepForTheWeak · 29/07/2015 21:57

Daisy, I managed to stop DD (9months) feeding to sleep at bedtime. It was fairly painless, a few nights of resistance and some tears, but she got used to going into her cot awake. I just sit on a chair in her room and sing to her if she's upset - she's usually asleep within 10mins.

I thought, I'VE CRACKED IT!!

Unfortunately, 2 weeks on, she wakes up even more than normal during the night and doesn't respond to the same techniques as at bedtime.

So, in short, even if you manage to get your baby self settling at bedtime the chances are they will make up for it during the night!!

Or, maybe that's just my DD....

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 29/07/2015 22:12

SleepForTheWeak that sounds tough. I hope that habit stops quickly.

He fell asleep off the boob in his cot tonight. I think it was an aberration. He has a tooth coming, I can see it literally just under his gum and his poor mouth is swollen. I expect he'll be joining me in bed shortly.

OP posts:

daisydalrymple · 30/07/2015 16:21

Ahh, thanks sleepfortheweak (funny, there was an ongoing support thread I was on called sleep is for the weak (siftw), with ds1...8 yrs ago [huge sigh] I still haven't learnt!!!)

It's actually the needing the boob to resettle in the night that's obviously the most draining, even though he's in with me and nudges me in his half-sleep for the boob, he goes straight off whilst I ping awake. Maybe I should try that one first then based on what you've said.

Consistency. That's what I need. Well I am consistent with feeding to sleep and back to sleep I guess...[wanders off muttering how hard can it be...]

SleepForTheWeak · 30/07/2015 17:29

I need to master feeding lying down, that might help me out a bit!

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 30/07/2015 18:51

Feeding lying down is good. But if you've small boobs (I do) you end up contorted to get the 'off' side in their mouth and then if you fall asleep like that you wake up half crippled. But at least you've slept!

If I had the energy I'd feed and put back in his cot but it's so demoralising getting up every time.

OP posts:

SleepForTheWeak · 30/07/2015 19:03

DD usually goes back in her cot, I have a very comfy nursing chair in their room though that we both sometimes fall asleep on

On bad nights (like what we have been having recently) she'll end up in with us, but it's still a pain having to prob myself up etc.

Oh the hardships!!

Original poster

LadyLuck81 · 30/07/2015 21:36

Best of British for tonight.

OP posts:

Flip