sleep schedule?

[girliegrl1723]

hey everyone. forgive me if this is a silly question, but i am still adjusting to being a new mom and no one in my circle of friends can really relate quite yet. my little one is 5 months old. he is a good boy. but lately i am really confused about how he is sleeping. from the time he was about 2 months old, maybe even earlier, he would not sleep on his back. i went many sleepless nights wondering why he would only last 20 minutes until i discovered he is a tummy sleeper. *please no judgments* anyway, after i found that out, my life got much easier. i would put him down after his last bottle between 7:30 and 8:00 and he would fall asleep on his own - no problem. he would get up once...maybe twice....just to eat and then go right back to sleep until 7:00 am. well, recently, this is all changing. he will no longer fall asleep on his own, nor will he let me rock him to sleep. the problem is, he started rolling over. but only from tummy to back, he can't go back the other way. so whenever i lay him down, he rolls right over and i have tried leaving him there on his back and he will not go to sleep. he'll hang out for a while, then get frustrated and cry. the other problem is, when i actually get him to sleep, he is getting up more often and, here's the worst part - he is awake for good between 4 and 5 every morning. no matter what i do, he will not go back to sleep until 7 or 8 and thats when i have to go to work. i have tried to keep him up, but he is cranky and ready for bed for 8. he is a good eater. formula. and i recently started solids with him. does anyone have any suggestions on how i can try to regulate his sleep a little more. i don't care if he gets up a million times during the night, i just don't think i can do another 4:00 morning. any help would be much appreciated. thanx and congrats to all you new and soon to be moms out there! <3

[Liza55]

Welcome to parenthood. Unfortunately, babies definitely don't go on a schedule for us! I hope hubby is helping out w/ those early wake ups. You may try one of those positioners that keep him from rolling over to his back. As far as waking up at 4 or 5, I don't know. Are you breastfeeding? You may try a 'thickened' formula to fill him up...or maybe try the same music as he goes to bed, and then play it at that 4/5a wake up time, signaling it's still time for sleep. Good luck...

[cutie_mama]

My younger dd was sleeping through the night from 2 mos until just over 5 mos and then, just when I was really enjoying a full night's rest, she decided to start waking up again! Well, she's almost 9 mos now and I haven't had a full night's sleep in almost 4 mos.

Your baby may be cutting teeth now which is causing the night wakings and/or not tolerating the solids so well.

While you asked for us not to sit in judgement of the tummy sleeping, I don't need to tell you that it's a big no no unless advised by a ped for specific reasons. Nonetheless, if you're already advocating tummy sleeping, then perhaps a wedge may help your baby remain tummy or side sleeping?

[girliegrl1723]

thank you for your responses. yes, i understand this is all part of being a mom and no, my husband is not very helpful at 4 am. :o) however, i am curious about what you said about solids, because thats the only new thing going on. how will i be able to tell if they aren't agreeing with him? he eats just fine and doesn't have any other reaction. also, when he wakes at 4 or 5, he is not crying or unhappy, he is just ready to be up. i guess im just stuck with it. my husband suggested putting him to bed later. will this help? or will it only give me more of headache having a fussy/tired baby up at night?

as for the tummy sleeping, its not that it was my choice, it was his. he would not sleep any other way and i was fully aware of the "back to sleep" campaign, but when i told my doctor he wouldn't sleep but 20 minutes as a newborn, they suggested it.

no sleep from 5 to 9 months? i don't think i'll survive....

[Liza55]

UH...hate to say again, but your husband needs to help you. No, you can't continuously get up that early, then be off to work. This may be a phase, and I don't think putting him to bed later will help, especially if he's already shown you consistently he's tired by 8p. You guys need to switch off w/ getting up w/ baby...you need help with this or you'll be even more exhausted!

[Me2mommy2b]

HI, girlie.  I know what you're talking about.  DD was a great sleeper from 4-6 months and then started waking up at least 3-4 times a night (teething).  Like one of the above posters mentioned, I haven't had a full night sleep since she was 6 mos and she'll be 9 months in 3 days.  Putting him down later to sleep and "thickening" his food will NOT help him sleep longer.  It's a myth (the food thickening) and putting him down later will just make him more exhausted and irritated.  I'm sorry but I have no advice here.  Just wanted to say hang in there.  I would ask DH to help you out 2-3 times a week to make it easier on you.  At least you're lucky that he goes to sleep on his own.  DD still needs to be rocked to sleep :(

[AnnieBrooke]

Try putting him to bed on his side, not his tummy, with a rolled-up blanket or hand towel behind him at his back (not higher than his upper waist) to wedge him to stay on the side.  He won't be able to roll that way, and a lot of tummy sleepers are also pretty happy sleeping on their sides.

[mum2beagain]

I have no suggestions about the rolling over thing. But as for waking at 4/5am after sleeping through before; my eldest did it and now so is my youngest. I think it is just the sun! If I use black out blinds/curtains they sleep until 7. It worked with my eldest and last night/this morning I used them with my youngest and he slept right through until 6.30am from 7.30pm last night. Hope it works for you!