sleeping at night

[samantha265]

My son will be a year at the end of July and he still doesn't sleep through the night. He wakes up 2-3 times a night and goes through 2 eight ounce bottles. I have tried bedtime routines, keeping him up later at night, putting him to bed earlier, different diet, different nap times, his pediatrician told me to give him a bottle until he gets sleepy then put him in his bed still awake and if he cries go in there every 5 to 10 min and just lay him back down and leave. And do that if he wakes in the middle of the night as well. She said it would get better every day. I tried for two weeks and did exactly what she said. The only thing it did was make him clingy during the day. He still doesn't sleep any better and now he always wants to be held and throws a fit when you leave the room. I'm the only one that gets up with him at night and I'm a stay at home mom. I am extremely tired after a year of being the only one to get up with him. Does anyone have any ideas to get him to sleep through the night? I'm desperate at this point. Thanks for any suggestions.

[ibBIgpapa]

Hello .. Would just like to say I feel for you as I am I the same spot very tired and frustrated. My son is only 8 months old and he will wake 2 3 and sometimes 4 times a night same thing he will also slurp down an 8oz bottle everytime he wakes .we have tried to just let him sooth himself back to sleep he won't do it he wants a bottle. We will feed hi$m solid food before he goes to bed still wants more food when he wakes .as someone stated what does giving him water do he is still getting the bottle also aren't u suppose to limit there water intake at such an early as I have heard that to much water can dilute there system and make them ill and in some case's can kill them if there really diluted have u heard anything like that? So we will be whatching for anymore input and try some of what has been suggested already. Cuz I need some good rest soon .an he takes several naps during the day each nap is about 11/2 to an hour and we try not to let him nap to close to bed time. Thanks for any help and I feel for you and ur lack of sleep hopefully something will help to get'em to sleep good luck

[nola0805]

You must be miserably tired.

First, when are you putting him down and how long is he sleeping.  How many naps and how long?  I ask this because it is important to know exactly how much sleep he is getting (not getting enough sleep is the #1 reason babies wake up throughout the night).

My son was a rough sleeper at first and I have read every book known to man on sleep.  I developed my own style of sleep training that allowed him to get the sleep he needs and learn to put himself asleep with minimal crying.  Well that was up until a week ago when he started getting up more often and we had to suffer through a rough patch or two.  Babies sleep really lightly around the time that they start walking - they spend more time in very light sleep (we think it is because their brains are changing to allow for the motor development needed for walking) - and when they sleep lightly they wake up a lot more.

At 11 months, it will be harder to change habits - babies are masters at learning to expect what they get, and your son is at the age where he really wants things his way.  He also does not realize how capable he is of putting himself back to sleep.

There are many ways to approach your situation - I would first gradually cut out the night feeds by replacing 2 ounces of the formula with water each night.  This way you will eventually be offering him a water bottle only - you can be kind and present but just not willing to offer formula.  This will wake him up more for a night or two because he will get mad, but then he will realize that he is not getting formula and then will see less of a reason to wake up. I do a version of this with my 10 month old son - if he wakes up before 4am, I will rock him or let him come to bed with me, but I will not breastfeed him.  After 2 nights of him screaming for 20-30 minutes, he stopped waking up altogether and is back to not needing a feed until 6am.  I can tolerate his crying because he is right next to me and I am comforting him - he is not abandoned.  He is simply expressing his feelings and dealing with his grief at not getting what he thinks he needs.  This has never led to dinginess after the fact with him - he wakes up all smiles.

This might solve the problem altogether and if not, then I can explain more about what I would do next.

Good luck!!!  

[SunWorshiper_26]

I'm the sane way my girl is 6 months :/