Sleep deprived mom needs suggestions/hope

[Anonymous]

Ok-here is a "familiar" story. My DD was a great sleeper until 5 mos, but for the past few months has gone from bad to worse. Last two nights I only got 3 hrs of sleep. I am not into the CIO method, and was wondering if there is ANY hope/suggestion for me??? Parents that did not use the CIO method and got their children to sleep through the night-PLEASE SPEAK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it separation anxiety that has made her a night-time challenge?

[Anonymous]

Could she be teething? Some children start early. I'd ask your ped what signs you should look for and if it is okay to give her Tylenol if she appears to be in pain (as opposed to wanting to play or just having trouble settling down).

[Anonymous]

I am a cheater - I've co-slept with both of my children, and they have both slept through the night.

[Anonymous]

We used Elizabeth Pantley's book (the no-cry sleep solution) when our DD's sleeping went sour. It took more than a month but we went from 3-4 night wakings back to none. It took some patience but I really would recommend it, I'm starting to feel like a normal human being again after feeling like a zombie since December. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

to PP that co-slept: are you still co-sleeping with your child? If not, how did you wean them off that habit???

[Anonymous]

Could she be teething? Some children start early. I'd ask your ped what signs you should look for and if it is okay to give her Tylenol if she appears to be in pain (as opposed to wanting to play or just having trouble settling down).

I dont think she is teething-atleast I have not noticed any excessive drooling, biting behavior or hardness in her gums.

[Anonymous]

CIO didn't work for us. My DH insisted we try one night; I agreed out of despair. our little one just gets more shaken up the more he cdries. It gets worse and worse. Some kids release tension by cryying, some gain more tension by crying. We're in the second camp.
We did get him to sleep eventually, shushing, rocking in the rocking chair, patting him on the back, all those helped. People told us not to nurse him, but he was clearly hungry. Eventually, he learned to eat more during the day and sleep more at night.
It does get better eventually!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a cheater - I've co-slept with both of my children, and they have both slept through the night.

I don't think it is cheating. I have never ever had any of the sleep problems I keep reading about on this board, due to wonderful co-sleeping. Not for everyone, but for those that do it, ahh sleep, wonderful sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CIO didn't work for us. My DH insisted we try one night; I agreed out of despair. our little one just gets more shaken up the more he cdries. It gets worse and worse. Some kids release tension by cryying, some gain more tension by crying. We're in the second camp.
We did get him to sleep eventually, shushing, rocking in the rocking chair, patting him on the back, all those helped. People told us not to nurse him, but he was clearly hungry. Eventually, he learned to eat more during the day and sleep more at night.
It does get better eventually!

How old was your DC and how long did it take?

[Anonymous]

For the PPs that co-sleep...I have definitely given co-sleeping a thought-BUT I hear that it will be impossible to get your bed back for YEARS...is this true????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the PPs that co-sleep...I have definitely given co-sleeping a thought-BUT I hear that it will be impossible to get your bed back for YEARS...is this true???? [/quote
I don't think years, but I have not got them out of my bed yet, so I am not a good person to answer this question. I really don't think it will be that hard and I would do it this way again if I had 20! Sleep is a beautiful thing and sharing it with my little ones is just heaven. Sometims if we had a bad day, I just cuddle them and we all feel better. I have two that co sleep with us. We have a king size bed so it works for us.

[sunnyskies]

We coslept for the first 5 months. Then he got too distracted so we put him in the crib. But on those nights that he can't sleep, we bring him into bed again (maybe once every two or three weeks?). However, usually nursing before bed and then back patting helps. We also give him a paci on occasion and only for sleeping.

I know some say to not do those things (like nursing before bed until he is very drowsy or asleep), but we do and he really is a great sleeper.

I don't know if that helped.....

We love cosleeping, btw. I wish we did it more but he is ready for bed by 7:30 and obviously, I'm not!

[sunnyskies]

BTW - we found that he was still needing a night feeding until he was at least 7 months. He had nights when he slept thru the night and then nights that nothing worked until we figured out he was hungry (around 2 or 3am). Once we figured that out, that helped alot. Then he eventually just dropped the night feeding. Maybe your little one is still hungry?

Also - our DS started getting teeth at 4 months. He would have a really bad night or two, and then a tooth would just show up. This coincided with needing more food at night which coincided with us starting solids (per my ped). Maybe this is what is going on with your DC too....

[Anonymous]

sunnyskies wrote:We coslept for the first 5 months. Then he got too distracted so we put him in the crib. But on those nights that he can't sleep, we bring him into bed again (maybe once every two or three weeks?). However, usually nursing before bed and then back patting helps. We also give him a paci on occasion and only for sleeping.

I know some say to not do those things (like nursing before bed until he is very drowsy or asleep), but we do and he really is a great sleeper.

I don't know if that helped.....

We love cosleeping, btw. I wish we did it more but he is ready for bed by 7:30 and obviously, I'm not!

Why not cosleep if you love it. I put mine in bed, put a pillow on the outside of them, never had a problem with falling or getting out of bed. Just wondering. I think your ideas are great.