what can i do to get my 9 month old to sleep all thru the night??

Question

I feed him, then give him a bath, then give him a bottle to lay down with to fall asleep. but he always wakes up 2 or 3 times a night and everytime we wants a couple drinks out of his bottle. So i tired to let him cry and fall back asleep without his bottle, but i couldnt do it, i felt like i was a bad mom. and i know they say its ok to let them cry, so i did for like 20 min. and it didnt seem like he was going to fall asleep until he got what he wanted. so what do i do?

he has a nap once a day around noon for about 1 to 2 hours then he goes to bed around 10

Answer 1

First of all, giving him a bottle to lay down with is a bad idea. (Studies have shown that babies that had this had more cavities!!!)Second, all moms feel guilty when they let their babies cry, but you just gotta do it. Also, you didn't say what time you were putting him down at or how many naps he was taking thru the day. When my daughter was that age, she took one nap a day right after lunch & that was it. She slept thru the night @ 6 weeks old though. When you cut down on the naps, they get crabby at night but it is worth the sleep you get. Also, keep him up a little later.
Good Luck

Answer 2

Get the book, "No Cry Sleep Solution". One thing I'd suggest, is seperate the feeding from sleeping. If he learns he can only fall asleep with a bottle, he won't be able to fall asleep on his own in the night, when he wakes up.

So give him his bottle in your arms, and put him in his crib drowsy, not asleep. Even if you have to wake him after his bottle.

Answer 3

I used to do that as well with my son. He would wake up and only go back to sleep after I fed him. Eventually, I realized that this was just a habit for him & he really didn't need the bottle. So, one night I just decided to stop cold turkey. I know it sounds harsh but, it was the best thing I ever did. Of course he cried and I would go into his room periodically and rub his back etc but I wouldn't pick him up. The first night took a couple of hours of doing this. But, eventually he fell asleep. I didn't give up and continued on the following night. This time it only took 1 hour. Eventually, it took less time and less crying. Now, I put him down at 7pm and he may fuss a bit but, he sleeps through the night until 6am. Sometimes he wakes up crying now but, I let him cry for a few minutes and he just goes back to sleep again. I know it's hard to listen to your child cry but, if you can stick with it for as many days as it takes, they will start sleeping through the night.
Good Luck!

Answer 4

Sometimes you will feel bad but if u dont break the habit it will continue my little girl is about to turn 3 in February and it took me a while the same. Single parent and tired from work all she wanted was for me to put her down to sleep everytime she woke up. I would let her cry herself to sleep but i would also keep an eye on her at the same time to make sure she wasnt over doing it. They fall asleep eventually

Answer 5

The bottle in the crib must go. Babies who go to sleep with a bottle get "cradle rot" - literally their teeth rot out and must be pulled. The effects start showing up when they are toddlers. It's horrible. My mom works for a dentist who has had to pull many teeth of infants whose mothers have put them to bed with a bottle and pleads with the mothers to never ever put a bottle in the crib.

I would try to replace the bottle with a pacifier. If he has to eat, I would take him out of the crib, feed him and put him back. I understand the difficulty falling back to sleep. My son can't fall asleep unless he 'sucks' to sleep - bottle, nursing, pacifier.

I would try to think of everything that is possibly waking him up. Since the weather is changing, I would evaluate environmental reasons. Is he cold? Is he hot? Is he sweating in his clothes and uncomfortable? Is there is a new sound or smell in his room, or has a sound left his room such as a fan that may have been running through the summer? Is he starting to outgrow his diapers? Are his diapers riding up or becoming tight when wet?

Answer 6

Give him what he wants and keep the cycle going, so you can feel like a good mom.

Otherwise, get over it and realize that all he wants is for you to make him fall asleep so he doesnt have to do it himself. Every baby goes through this. You can either go on encouraging it, or help him get over it.

Let him cry. He really will cry himself back to sleep. It seems like forever, but its not.

Answer 7

i know how u feel, i have a 5 month old and i feel horrible letting her cry. we're there to confort them i see nothing wrong with responding to him, it gains trust.. here is what i do
1. rice in bottle about 2 ounces before bed
2. lie him on his stomach before bedtime, they say not to , but if there are no blankets or toys around, and u have a fine streched out sheet, he should be fine.(my daughter wont sleep on her back)
3. run a fan next to his room so its not so quiet. it will confort him
4. rub lavender and chamomile baby lotion on him b4 bedtime, and on his head.

plz try atleast one of them (u dont have to try number 2 if you're not ready) and plz tell me if any worked out.

Answer 8

I have 4 boys (6, 4, 2, and newborn) and none of them slept through the night without waking up until they were over 12 months old. One of them took until he was 3. It can't be helped. Every kid is different, but what has helped us tremendously is that we have a routine for bedtime. Every night at 7pm the boys pick up their toys and clean up their rooms. At 7:30 it's bathtime. At 8pm, we go through our bedtime chart - including brushing teeth, making sure we have our cup of water and necessary toys/stuffed animals, and choose some stories for bedtime. At 8:15 we read stories (usually 4 or 5 so all the ages get at least one appropriate story). After stories, we do a short devotional and play "sunshine/cloud" (each lists one thing that was a sunshine for them today, and one thing that was a cloud). We always do clouds first, so we end the day on a positive note. Sometimes we skip this little "game" and just ask the boys what they are thankful for today. We say a prayer as a family, and then tuck all the boys in for bed no later than 9pm. Sometimes they will sing or talk themselves to sleep, and we don't interrupt unless it is loud enough to disturb the others.

There is nothing wrong with getting up to see why your baby is crying. We let each of them sleep with us until they were ready to sleep in their own bed. Each one was different. My oldest was about 9-10 months old when he transitioned, and my youngest was about 2 months old when he was ready. We started them in their own bed in our room, and then when they were consistent about sleeping in their own bed, we moved them to their own room. My 2-year old still wakes up a couple times a night. Usually it is because he's kicked his covers off and is cold or because he needs a drink of water. I still get up to check on him.

Yes, it is exhausting to have such an interrupted sleep pattern. No, I don't function well at 2:00 in the morning trying to navigate myself through the house and up the stairs. But I do it because I love my boys and they will only be little once. The older boys sleep very soundly all night, and don't need me to get up for them except for very rare situations (illness, etc.). Do what you feel is right for your child. You have such a short time with them, and it passes so quickly. Soon, he will sleep through the night, and you will forget about all the lost sleep.

Also, I am sure that your husband can help. I travel at least 25% of the time for work, and commute an hour to and from work every day. Until a few months ago, I was a military officer, working 60 - 70 hours a week and gone for months at a time. At the end of the day I'm tired, but the Bible tells us that to be a husband befitting Jesus' sacrifice, we must die to ourselves to show our wives true unconditional love ("Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." Ephesians 5:25). She stays home with our children all day, teaching and training them, and works hard to keep our house in order. The least I can do is get up a couple times during the night when one of the boys needs me.

Teamwork is the key to getting rest, and your husband needs to take the lead and set the example. I know it's probably archaic, but I believe the husband is the head of the household ... not to dominate and repress the wife or family members, but to lead and set the example for the family to follow. Talk to him about what you need help with, and share your ideas.

Some kids will not stop crying. My 4-year old could cry for hours (we tried the "let them cry" plan also). What he really wanted was to know that we were there and to feel secure. Don't feel like a bad mom for trying different solutions. Each kid is different. Also, don't be afraid to comfort your baby ... it won't make him weak or needy. He's a baby, his only needs are food, diapers, and love. Give him what he shows you he needs.