Help with 9mos old sleeping problem

My DS is 9 mos and is a horrible sleeper we have just recently gotten him down to waking up btwn 2 or 3 o'clock for a feeding ( I BF) and then 5:30. We have tried for months every single thing - CIO, sitting in the room and calming him from a chair, holding him w/o feeding him, etc. he will not get out of this and my DH and I are physicaly and mentally exhausted. I have almost every single sleep book out there and tried it all ( I think) I go back to work next week and my DH will watch him and then go to work when I come home. Needless to say we both need sleep. Please help someone anyone b/c we desperatley need it. No one I know has this problem with their child.

Re: Help with 9mos old sleeping problem

Was he a good sleeper before and now you are having problems? Is he teething? I went through the same thing but DS was teething so we gave him Motrin and let him fall back to sleep in our bed because that was the only thing that worked. Now at 10mths and his tooth broke he is back to sleeping in his own crib with no waking up.

Re: Help with 9mos old sleeping problem

He was never a good sleeper up until about 2 months ago he was up every 3 hours. I am just soooooooo... tired. He is not teething either there has only been 2 or 3 nights were his teeth were bothering him and we knew right away. Ughhh I am at my wits end.

Re: Help with 9mos old sleeping problem

Matty was a terrible sleeper for a long time- he still gets up once 50% of the time- but not for a long time- for less than a minute- we give him his binky and his teddy.

Honestly, I don't think you should be feeding him during the night anymore- he doesn't need the food at night anymore. He is asking for it for comfort and to snuggle- not out of hunger. I hate to say it, but I think CIO is the only way to go here. I know you tried it before but I think you have to do it again and be consistent. Go in and say we love you but its sleepy time and mommy and daddy can't pick you up now. That's what worked with Matty- he was waking up 2 or 3 times a night- he never cried for more than 30 minutes. HTH

ETA- Matty is 9 months now. Please FM me if you want to talk- I understand how horrible things can be on no sleep! I really think the only way to do it will involve crying

Message edited 8/28/2007 4:05:34 PM.

Re: Help with 9mos old sleeping problem

Posted by casey31

Matty was a terrible sleeper for a long time- he still gets up once 50% of the time- but not for a long time- for less than a minute- we give him his binky and his teddy.

Honestly, I don't think you should be feeding him during the night anymore- he doesn't need the food at night anymore. He is asking for it for comfort and to snuggle- not out of hunger. I hate to say it, but I think CIO is the only way to go here. I know you tried it before but I think you have to do it again and be consistent. Go in and say we love you but its sleepy time and mommy and daddy can't pick you up now. That's what worked with Matty- he was waking up 2 or 3 times a night- he never cried for more than 30 minutes. HTH

ETA- Matty is 9 months now. Please FM me if you want to talk- I understand how horrible things can be on no sleep! I really think the only way to do it will involve crying

Re: Help with 9mos old sleeping problem

One of the things we started doing when DD kept waking up and I was nursing her was to send DH in at night instead of me. He used to go in with a bottle of water. It didn't take DD but a few nights to realize that all she was going to get was water from Daddy. She stopped waking up at night! At 9 months, you definitely have to break his bad habit. As you said, you need some sleep. You might have to let him cry a little....hard but worth it in the end.

Message edited 8/28/2007 8:09:11 PM.