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PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HELP ME?!?!?!

8 replies

juliajules · 11/07/2007 14:17

Hi ladies,

I'm currently being driven totally mad by my 7 month old. Over the past few weeks he has become a nightmare sleeper, after being really good. He still goes down, wide awake, at about 6pm ish, really well. Lays smiling in his cot, not a peep from him, until he falls asleep - pretty much straight away. He has now started waking up - usually at around 11.30pm, and this pattern is reapeated throughout the whole night. I hear him suddenly start wailing - real, full on crying - but when I go in, he stops, sometimes even smiles at me - but he definitely immediately goes quiet. I can pop his dummy back in, stroke his head , do the whole ' shh shh ' bit, and he usually falls back to sleep. Only to repeat the whole performance maybe an hour later, sometimes half an hour later - maybe a couple of hours will go by - but he always does it again. He is not hungry. Not ill. He is in a Gro bag, correct tog for temperature. His room is very dark.He is not teething. Last night I was up to him 5 times before I eventually caved in and popped him in bed with me at 3am. I worry he will wake my 9 yr old daughter. I have also tried ignoring him - but he justs gets more and more wound up, so eventually takes longer to calm him.If I go in immediatley, I can get him back off again - but I cant keep going in there 10 times a night. I am a single parent, I am due back at work very soon, and I need this sorted. Why oh why is he doing this ? He has naps during the day which vary in length, but usually 45 mins in the morning and an hour or so at lunch, so he is not over sleeping during the day. Please help me with your wise words ladies, Im getting desperate. Thank you. Julia

OP posts:
bananabump · 11/07/2007 14:40

Hi, no experienced advice here (still pregnant!) but thought I would bump this for you.

hmm... actually from what I've read on here (and possibly heard off supernanny?) it sounds like all he really wants is attention, and what I've heard recommended for that is basically to go in and stand next to his cot, avoiding lots of eye contact and fuss, and just put your hand on his back/chest and say "back to sleep now" until he nods off.

Then I think the idea is to gradually become less involved, like standing next to the cot but not having your hand on him, then sitting on the floor looking down or with eyes closed, then getting closer and closer to the door etc over subsequent nights. Basically making yourself more and more boring at night so there's less to wake up for. I don't know if this is designed for a baby as young as yours though.

Someone will be along who knows the technique I've read about, I'm sure. Bet I've explained it all wrong.

Seona1973 · 11/07/2007 19:51

do you think it is the dummy that is the problem?? i.e. it comes out and he needs you to come back and put it in for him to go to sleep again. It definitely sounds like a settling issue as it is happening regularly throughout the night when he goes into light sleep - he maybe cannot settle himself without the dummy so has to cry for you to come and do it for him. This was the reason I got rid of ds's dummy when he was months old - I was fed up having to put his dummy in several times a night.

Seona1973 · 11/07/2007 19:52

5 months old that should say (number lock was on!)

Wilkie · 11/07/2007 19:54

Julia - think our DSs were seperated at birth!!!!

Wilkie · 11/07/2007 19:57

And agree with Seona (acutally talking to her on another thread)....sounds like the dummy to me but figuring out a way to get rid of it is a whole other issue

juliajules · 11/07/2007 20:29

Hiya

Yeah, interesting re the dummy theory. I don't always use it - he is so happy to go down at bedtime that I never pop it in then - but yeah, it is the first thing I do when I get up to him in the night. Sometimes he takes it, sometimes he pulls it out in a rage! May try the checking method thingy tonight - or even a small gag. Thank you for all your replies - will check out your other thread.

OP posts:
Wilkie · 11/07/2007 20:39

If all else fails Julia a sledge hammer should do the trick

Surr3ymummy · 12/07/2007 17:37

Julia

It sounds like the dummy, but if not, are you really sure he's not hungry? He could be going through a growth spurt. Have you thought about feeding him a bit more during the day and seeing if that helps?

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