7 month old sleep help please

DD's sleep has been getting progressively worse and I need to do something! She use to wake once most nights, that turned to twice, then sometimes 3 times. The past week she's been up every two hours or more and we are both exhausted. I've always just picked her up and nursed her, then put her back in the crib. Once in a while I'll try rocking her and sometimes I can get her back down.

I really think it's just separation anxiety. She's totally relaxed once I pick her up but even when DH has tried, she won't calm down and looks for me.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking I need to do CIO at night but I don't know how either or us will handle it, especially already being sleep deprived. Any experiences? I'm thinking I'll try going in at 5 minutes intervals but that usually makes her cry harder. I just don't know how long I'll be able to hold out. I hate even the thought of it but something needs to change and I don't think I can wait any longer for it to change on its own.

7 month old sleep help please

Ugh I'm sorry you're dealing with this. DS goes through phases where his sleep is awful and then just when I'm ready to give in and try CIO, he starts STTN again. He's 7 months too. Does she take a paci? These days we're usually able to just pop the paci back in his mouth without picking him up and he falls back asleep on his own. I would see if you can get away without picking her up because that might just wake her up even more.

I don't have any CIO advice because I haven't done it myself yet but I understand how you feel! I've considered it many times but I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet. Whatever you need to do to make sure everyone is happy and healthy and gets a good night sleep, do it. Good luck!

Re: 7 month old sleep help please

I am so sorry too...and I feel your pain...we recently let my eight month daughter CIO...I felt like I had no choice she was getting up every hour for a sip of bottle and then going back to bed...and sometimes not even going right back to sleep...we have a 3yr old so i feel like we never gave her a chance to cry a little because we were so afraid she would wake him up but we finally did it and although i cried a little myself the first night...it has been totally worth it now if i could only get her to nap like that...good luck with whatever you do

Re: 7 month old sleep help please

Every 2 hours, oh man, that's rough. I'm sorry. I have done CIO in the past with both my kids and it works. It can be tough and you definitely have to be ready for it. Hopefully one night will be enough. My son only cried for one night (for 1 hour straight) and he has slept through the night since. I did it when he was 6 months old and still waking up for a bottle. (He's 1 now)

If you aren't ready for CIO, maybe go in there and rub her back until she falls back asleep?

Re: 7 month old sleep help please

I'm sorry, but my DD is not the best of sleepers either and she is 12 months now. I can't CIO, not at 3 months, not at 6 months and not at 12 months.. I'm a wuss like that. What worked for us was cosleeping, and it may not be for everyone. She slept longer, and I was able to catch some shut eye as well. She still wakes up for a bottle but its much less.

Re: 7 month old sleep help please

I'm with you momma. DD2 is 6.5 months and still getting up 1x a night to nurse. I know 1x isn't awful but I really think she can STTN without that feeding. I will only feed her one time though. If she wakes up more than once we just rub her back/give her a pacifier etc.
I'd consider CIO and I think I will eventually but she shares a room with her older sister so I'd feel bad.

7 month old sleep help please

DS started doing that at about 7 1/2 months which coincided with his teething. He goies thru it for a few days then STTN for a few days. After 3 months, we finally have it figured out.
I gave him teething pellets at bedtime (7-9) mos, then we tried tylenol/motrin.
Finally, I caved and started with the teething gel (little teethers), this does the trick.
He still has night where he wakes up but it is usually bc he lost his paci and we just put it back in his mouth and he doses right off. I make sure he gets his last bottle right before bedtime and have his diaper change. If he wakes up in the middle of the night it is usually for his paci, anytime after 5 am its usually hunger, after a bottle he goes back to sleep for an hour or 2.

HTH

Re: 7 month old sleep help please

DS is 5.5 months and wakes up more than he did when he was born! He wakes up at least 3 times a night, AND hes cosleeping! He falls asleep in our arms and SCREAMS the second we put him in the crib. The only place he'll not scream the second we put him dowm is our bed but wakes up every hour after. Sorry im no help but your not alone!! I feel for you!

7 month old sleep help please

I don't think she's teething. She already has her two bottom teeth and she's not acting like she did when she got them. She also doesn't take a paci but she sucks her thumb. I think I'm going to try moving her second meal a little earlier since sometimes I have trouble getting her to nurse well before bed. Although it doesn't seem to matter how well she eats, she always wakes around 11. I really think she just wants me, which is sweet, but she has me ALL day.