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Original poster

Ferber night 1

81 replies

icingonthecake7 · 21/01/2024 22:25

I have a 7 month old who was born at 37 weeks quite small (5lb) and has always struggled with sleep.

he will go down for naps with rocking/ walking/ patting and shushing but I was getting exhausted and actually hurt my back doing this (he put on weight and climbed the centiles from 0.5 to 25% so not so small anymore!)

today, I decided to start the Ferber method after reading his book and some positive stories online. I just wanted to share my experiences over the week and seek any solidarity/ helpful advice as I go through what I can only describe as one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my motherhood journey to date!

OP posts:
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Happyhappyday · 30/01/2024 02:43

Good for you OP! I nap trained my DC at 6 months and she went from a bit grumpy all day to a happy, smiley child every day. There is LOADS of good, high quality research showing the myriad serious effects of poor sleep on children and grown ups (because you are a human too and allowed to want to not torture yourself!) and no high quality research showing short periods of crying with an otherwise well looked after child are harmful.

Studies on Romanian orphans and abandoned dogs are not relevant to adored children with responsive parents 🙄.

Honestly, the no sleep training brigade seems to enjoy martyring itself. No one is going to thank you, least of all the children who’s poor sleep habits you’re fostering.

Hoppyhops · 30/01/2024 12:39

Thanks for sharing this, OP. My DS is 7 months and sleep is pretty inconsistent- I have thought about Ferber but he’s still hungry and feeding in the night so I’m not sure if it’s right, just yet. Not against NOT sleep training either but I know how tired my little one is and how much happier he is after a good rest so I’m edging towards it to help him. Was your little one feeding much before you did this?

TheShellBeach · 30/01/2024 16:48

Hoppyhops · 30/01/2024 12:39

Thanks for sharing this, OP. My DS is 7 months and sleep is pretty inconsistent- I have thought about Ferber but he’s still hungry and feeding in the night so I’m not sure if it’s right, just yet. Not against NOT sleep training either but I know how tired my little one is and how much happier he is after a good rest so I’m edging towards it to help him. Was your little one feeding much before you did this?

I would give it a go for three nights.
If your baby wakes up in the night, feed him, then do the sleep training techniques again till he goes back to sleep.

It is highly likely that he won't wake up for a feed after a couple of nights, though. At 7 months, babies don't need milk at night, so it will not do him any harm.

Original poster
icingonthecake7 · 01/02/2024 13:51

@Hoppyhops i was combination feeding before starting training and usually his last bottle would be around 7pm. I’d try a dream feed at 10/11 but he was only having 20-30mins and waking up/ so I dropped the night bottles at 7months.

he would then wake and look for the breast as we were co sleeping - but this was every 45 minutes and it’s actually what spurred me on to do the sleep training. I think he was using it more as a funny/comforter rather than for nutrition though.

when I started on day 1 I did do a breastfeed and back to the cot but soon after he was sleeping through 7-7 and just waking up and having his milk in the morning. He was eating 3 full meals a day by this time so I was happy he was getting a good amount of milk and calories during the day.

good luck with whatever you decide!

OP posts:
Hoppyhops · 05/02/2024 14:19

@TheShellBeach @icingonthecake7

Thanks, both. We’ve had some better evenings lately where he is just going down after his bottle and falling straight to sleep. It’s because I’ve basically dropped a nap and so he’s actually tired going down- I don’t think he was at all tired enough before.

He’s still restless though, and needs a lot of dummy replacing, shush patting etc. so I’m still considering Ferber but DH will take some convincing. Thanks for sharing your experience, @icingonthecake7

TheShellBeach · 05/02/2024 14:25

Hoppyhops · 05/02/2024 14:19

@TheShellBeach @icingonthecake7

Thanks, both. We’ve had some better evenings lately where he is just going down after his bottle and falling straight to sleep. It’s because I’ve basically dropped a nap and so he’s actually tired going down- I don’t think he was at all tired enough before.

He’s still restless though, and needs a lot of dummy replacing, shush patting etc. so I’m still considering Ferber but DH will take some convincing. Thanks for sharing your experience, @icingonthecake7

Get your husband to read this thread!

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