Methods for babies sleep?

Question

I have heard a lot of different things about getting babies to sleep. I have heard the cry it out method which I tried last night and I hated it! My son falls alseep while drinking his bedtime bottle which I know they say is bad, but we cant get him to stay awake through it. He doesnt fall asleep with every bottle, just the bedtime one unless he is fed in the afternon and hasnt taken a nap yet. He is 7 months old. He likes his pacifier, and when he wakes up in the night I am prone to stick the pacifier back in his mouth so that he will go right back to sleep. The problem is when I am frantically searching for the pacifier in the dark and cannot find it he becomes so awake that he doesnt want to go back to sleep. He does this sometimes at 4:45am! He always used to sleep all night without a peep but now recently he wakes up a lot at night. I know he is teething and have tried tylenl before bed but it doesnt help. I know he shouldnt rely on the pacifier as a sleep crutch but

I dont know how to break him of it without letting him cry, and I just read some research that said the cry it out method is bad for them on a neurological level. I just want all of us to get a good nights sleep, please help!

Answer 1

There are a few non CIO methods, and I will let you in on a secret. CIO is popular because for most babies you see a result in a week, for non CIO methods it can take a month or so of gradual change. However one isn't healthy and one keeps a positive sleep association.

Now personally, though I hate pacifiers, if it works for you it works for you. Babies have a powerful urge to suck. So I would just get a pacifier clip and clip it on his sleeper. Or keep a bunch of spares somewhere obvious in the dark. They also say sucking reduces the risks of SIDS *lol*.

Frequent night waking is also a sign of an impending or recent developmental milestone. Hehe you think you are having fun now, wait til he learns to pull himself to standing, THEN get him to sleep. Mine sits up before he eve wakes up and doesn't really seem to know to lay down.

If you really want to try sleep training some people love Elizabeth Pantley. Personally it didn't work for me, made me insane. Instead of nursing back to sleep, I would nurse, unlatch him so he wouldn't fall asleep nursing, he'd cry, latch back on. So what used to take 5 min now took 30 of frustration. BTW she does have plans for almost every situation breast or bottle, crib or family bed. I went back to trusting my instincts and working with my son and well he's sleeping in his crib some but still up almost as often *lol*

Some info on Pantley:
http://www.kellymom.com/pantley/index.html

Also please read this page you will be surprised at what normal infant sleep actually is. There are quite a few scientific studies on this page:
http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/sleepstudies.html

Answer 2

I can only give you my advice, my 5 month old daughter doesn't take pacifiers. She never has, but if when he wakes up you just let him cry for a few minutes, he may go back to sleep. If he doesnt then turn on no lights, dont play with him. Just pat him through the rails and reassure him your there. If all else fails, pick him up and rock him. Still dont turn on any lights, or have alot of activity, which will further stimulate him and the longer he will be awake

Answer 3

HAHA! Don't worry about the pacifire! I use to keep two extras by my bed and if I went in at night I went in armed with an extra so I wouldn't be searching in the dark....you'd be shocked at where I'd find them the next morning! I read every single sleep book out there and I ended up doing Ferber. It's the one where you lay them down very drowsy, but awake and teach them to fall asleep on their own. There was some crying involved, but I didn't let him "cry it out." I would wait 10 min, go in without talking or lights or picking him up and pat him, reassure him, calm him and then leave. Wait 15, 20 then 30 and keep waiting 30 until he falls asleep. It took about 4 nights of some crying and about 3 weeks total for him to fall asleep on his own, but it was the best thing I ever did. I really don't think you should let a kid just cry and cry and cry themselves to sleep, you have to teach them to go to sleep....not force them. This method, I was still reassuring him I was there, I was just teaching him that it's time for bed and there was no negotiation. He's 20 months now and I can put him down and he'll sing or play for a few minutes but then goes to sleep. I also liked the "Baby Whisperer" method too...that one involves no crying but I kinda did that for naps and it really helped. Whichever you choose, just be consistent and patient. It will take longer than a few nights...like more than a week, but he'll catch on. Good luck!

Answer 4

I know it can be tough to hear your baby having a tough time sleeping. I too had this same problem when my son was small. He's 15 now. Just keep in mind that you have to try different things, and see what works for your baby. And keep in mind that they are only small for a little while, and these days pass so quickly. Its hard to miss sleep, but those wee hours sometimes are the snuggle times you'll remember long after your baby isn't your baby anymore. Take a deep breath, you are doing great! And listen, if the pacifier keeps him happy, let him have it. There will be time to break that habit later.
Best of luck to you

Answer 5

my son still needs his pacifier at night and hes 20 months we've been weening him off durign the day but he needs it at night. always have a spare in a section of his room that u can grab during the night if you cant find the other one. he sleeps through the night. make sure hes getting tired out and eating alot. these help with a good night sleep make sure hes not drinking juice or anything sugary right before bed. just rub his back in his crib until he falls asleep he'll get back on track so dont worry teething can defnitely interrupt sleep habits!!

Answer 6

This is a hard question. I just went through this debate with my husband and my theory worked best.
There are two schools of thought behind this problem. One is to let them cry and the other is to go in and reassure them without picking them up each time they cry. I like the reassurance!
This thought is based on letting the baby know that he is loved and is secure. This builds the baby's confidence in himself and in his trust in you as a parent to care for his needs. It worked for us in 4 night and wasn't even bad! My husband insisted on trying the crying in the beginning which did not work at all for us.
Think about it, it makes perfect sense!

Also, try some music in his room at night with his pacifier. Try getting him to fall asleep without it and then he may not miss it when he wakes. But if he needs it give it to him, you have plenty of time to wean from it later. Get the rest!

Answer 7

It can be frustrating, can't it?

Don't worry about the pacifier. If he wants it, give it to him. You can break him of it later. Seven months is really young. They make glow-in-the-dark ones to help you find them at night. Or, do what I did, and keep a spare tucked away in a drawer or something so you can always find one in a pinch.

Answer 8

CRYING IS NOT BAD FOR THEM. I've got seven babies I can show you to prove it. You must let a baby learn to put itself to sleep. Sure, it's more painful for the parent than the child, but the payoff is huge--a well adjusted child who can a) go to sleep without being manipulated and b) fall back to sleep on their own during the night. Also you get well rested parents.

Answer 9

TRY not to let him fall asleep with the bottle, you wouldn't forgive yourself if the worse did one day happen. Give him a warm bath and a warm milk after before putting him to bed......