how do I get my 7 month old to sleep through the night?

Answer 1

I think he will do it when he is ready. My baby is 11 months old and still wakes up at 3 o´clock in the night for a cuddle or for a little bit of mummy´s milk. It is important to meet his needs, even if sometimes you are tired and just want to go back to sleep. Take him in your bed, if neccesary. Don`t let him cry in the dark, he will feel lonely and unwanted. Imagine you are scared and crying and everybody ignores you! Trust me, things will get better when he gets older and his nervous system matures. And there is another point: even now, when my baby doesn't wake up in the night, I am terrified in the morning! I always think that something is be wrong and I jump out of bed, go to his room to see if he is still breathing.
This book really helped me. It is called `Nighttime parenting. How to get your baby anf child to sleep`by Dr. William Sears.
There you might find some usefull suggestions.

Answer 2

No idea - but all parents go through it! My son (now 13) did not sleep through the night until he was 3 - and he stopped having afternoon naps at about 2 - even at nursery. My daughter (now 7) slept through from about 6 weeks! However, I treated both the children exactly the same, with bathtime etc., as other people have suggested. For both the children, I found they slept much better when they were on solid food for all their meals. I did discover that my son slept for longer when he had water during the night, not milk.

My husband and I took it in turns every other night, so each of us got a good night's sleep in turn. If you are on your own, see if you can find a relative or friend to have him one night a week so you can catch up on your sleep. If you are ratty, it will make your situation worse.

It may sound silly but are you getting up to your child as soon as he cries? Or do you leave him for a while to see if s/he goes back to sleep on their own?

As an aside, we have since discovered that my son has ADHD, which is why he did not sleep!

All I can say is that all mothers sympathise with your situation and I promise you that eventually things will get better. Just a small warning - the first time your child sleeps through the night, you will be terrified s/he will not wake up!

Good luck!

Answer 3

Can I just say that the amount of sleep a baby gets during the day will not affect night sleep. In fact if your baby is deprived of day time naps she will become overtired and sleep very poorly at night. I learned that the hard way so please believe me. The first thing to do if you don't already do it is to start a bedtime routine. Starting bathing at about 6.30pm, then read a nice book together in a darkened room and cuddle in, then give milk. After feed put baby in cot and kiss good night and go away. If she wakens keep lights off and stimulation to an absolute minimum. Your baby will soon differntiate between night and day. Stick to the same routine religiously. Babies love routine. During the day as soon as you see your baby yawning rubbing eyes becoming fussy, put her in her cot and tell her its time for a nap, then walk away. If she cries keep going in and reassuring her , it will take a week or 2 but eventually your baby wil learn that its time to nap and how to fall asleep herself. Once she can do this, when she wakens during the night she will be able to get herself back to sleep.

Answer 4

The best and kindest method, which will also do the least harm to your baby, is to wait until she/he is ready. You can't make a child who isn't developmentally ready walk. You *can* try to force a child who isn't ready to sleep through the night, but it isn't in her/his best interests.

If you let baby cry alone, she/he will produce high levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) even *after* the crying stops. So calories that should be used for growth and development will instead go towards stress reduction. In addition, what message does this give your baby? That when she/he is completely dependent, the people who love her/him most in the world won't respond. Lastly, consider it from a *human* perspective. How would you feel if you came home in tears, and your spouse told you to "go to your room until you stop that horrible noise!!"? Do you want your baby to experience that?! Crying is not good for a baby physically, emotionally, or psychologically.

And most babies *do* outgrow night waking. Those that don't will at least mature to the point that they don't wake *you* at night!! My 22 year old still wakes up at night on a regular basis, but it doesn't interrupt *my* sleep!

Answer 5

My son is 22mo. He started sleeping through out the night at 4mo. It is hard at first but you just have to put them in their own room and crib. Turn off all the lights, close the door. They will cry for the first couple of days. You just gotta let em cry. Always keep a monitor is the baby's room. I give my son his sippie cup with milk or water. You baby will eventually get used to it. Also only let him nap only once during the day. It really works. You also get lots of sleep!!!

Answer 6

It's trial and error, and a lot of willpower. You have to get the child in a routine, and you have to be very strict with yourself and the child. Start the beddtime routine at the same time every night, including weekends, - tea, bath , storytime, milk, sleep. I found it easier to have a nightlight in the room, rather than leaving the door open. It may be hard to do, but please persevere - the time you will get to yourself that you need - even if it's just to catch up on sleep - you can't put a price on it

Answer 7

start off with a good bedtime routine, bath-story-hugs then bed, let your baby drop of asleep alone or if he/she is upset if you leave start by standing at the end of the cot and the next day by the door and gradually creep out of the room. once they can settle themselves to sleep, sleeping through the night usually comes soon after as they don't need you to put them back to sleep they just drop off themselves.
don't engage in any talk or eye contact etc as this encourages them to carry on staying awake as they are getting you attention.
good luck, its difficult for the first couple of nights as the baby isn't getting what they want but it does get better and easier.

Answer 8

Get a good routine going - bath, drink, sleep. Make sure he/she has plenty to eat before he/she goes to bed (porridge or something equally filling) and the very best of British luck to you. My 19 month old still won't go all night - she prefers to sleep in Mummy and Daddy's bed and now she can get out of her own bed there's no stopping her!

Answer 9

your baby should't be desperate for a botthe in the night now so take a bottle up with you with water in it ,when you go into him at night dont speak to him, dont turn the light on if possible, that's what he wants ,offer the water or just a pat on the back but dont speak, he will get use to this and find it's not worth waking up for
its only because he need to keep track of you,, he will get use to it good luck it wont happen over night though,

Answer 10

Chloroform , Alcohol , Hammer ,
Count sheep , Kalms tablets, Valium
whatever works really
If you find the above methods unsuitable then try traditional methods of rocking the baby , singing lullabies or music boxes , soothing words and hold the baby till it calms down and stops crying
As I said , whatever works really