OT Sleep help

Hi -

Have you taken her in to her doctor to see if there's any physical
discomfort that's keeping her awake?

Have you tried offering her a pacifier or a bottle (of EBM or water) at
night to help her go back to sleep? (The advantage of a bottle is that
you can gradually put less and less into it until she gets used to going
longer stretches between feeds.)

Have you been conscientioius about making sure she nurses enough, and
eats enough, during the day? With two other kids to chase, maybe she
really needs those nightime calories?

Just some thoughts,
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

Beth Kevles wrote in message
...

Hi -

Have you taken her in to her doctor to see if there's any physical
discomfort that's keeping her awake?


No I haven't, what could cause something like this? When she wakes if she
doesn't play she doesn't fuss as long as I nurse her back to sleep, there
doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with her. What would I ask
about?

Have you tried offering her a pacifier or a bottle (of EBM or water) at
night to help her go back to sleep? (The advantage of a bottle is that
you can gradually put less and less into it until she gets used to going
longer stretches between feeds.)


She won't have a pacifier, she never has. When I have tried to slip it in as
she falls asleep she wakes up smiling b/c it's just a toy to her. I've never
understood using the bottle, wouldn't a baby get mad at having less and
less? Or is the point to fill their belly so they will sleep longer?
Probably moot, anyway, because she never would take a bottle. (again, not a
problem with my older breastfed daughter) I could try again, though.


Have you been conscientioius about making sure she nurses enough, and
eats enough, during the day? With two other kids to chase, maybe she
really needs those nightime calories?

I have made a point of making sure she eats alot in the daytime, as much as
is possible without forcing her. (mostly nursing but I have been trying to
get more solids into her, some days she'll barely eat a tablespoon and some
days it's alot)

Just some thoughts,


Thanks!
Marie

Maybe she needs her ears checked. Any time my boys had an ear infection they
would sleep like that. I would also try to give cereal before bed. Maybe
that would hold her over for a while. If nothing works then just try to
remind yourself that she will be big so fast and she won't have anything to
do with you. Especially when puberty kicks in. My first son was up alot at
night. He liked to sleep with me and would never sleep through the night.
Now that he's 6 he never comes around anymore. It seems like yesterday that
he was with me in bed. I kind of miss it but I have another one taking his
place.
Kris
"Marie" wrote in message
...
Beth Kevles wrote in message
...

Hi -

Have you taken her in to her doctor to see if there's any physical
discomfort that's keeping her awake?


No I haven't, what could cause something like this? When she wakes if she
doesn't play she doesn't fuss as long as I nurse her back to sleep, there
doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with her. What would I ask
about?

Have you tried offering her a pacifier or a bottle (of EBM or water) at
night to help her go back to sleep? (The advantage of a bottle is that
you can gradually put less and less into it until she gets used to going
longer stretches between feeds.)


She won't have a pacifier, she never has. When I have tried to slip it in
as
she falls asleep she wakes up smiling b/c it's just a toy to her. I've
never
understood using the bottle, wouldn't a baby get mad at having less and
less? Or is the point to fill their belly so they will sleep longer?
Probably moot, anyway, because she never would take a bottle. (again, not
a
problem with my older breastfed daughter) I could try again, though.


Have you been conscientioius about making sure she nurses enough, and
eats enough, during the day? With two other kids to chase, maybe she
really needs those nightime calories?

I have made a point of making sure she eats alot in the daytime, as much
as
is possible without forcing her. (mostly nursing but I have been trying to
get more solids into her, some days she'll barely eat a tablespoon and
some
days it's alot)

Just some thoughts,


Thanks!
Marie

K.B. wrote in message ...
Maybe she needs her ears checked. Any time my boys had an ear infection
they
would sleep like that.

She's been like this pretty much since birth!

I would also try to give cereal before bed. Maybe
that would hold her over for a while.

Doesn't work either lol

If nothing works then just try to
remind yourself that she will be big so fast and she won't have anything to
do with you.

I know, sigh. My oldest daughter wasn't able to sleep well with me once she
was about a year old, and would only sleep in her bed. It does go away so
quickly! I just would like to enjoy this time wiht her instead of being so
tired and stressed from it!
Marie

"Marie" wrote in message
...
K.B. wrote in message ...
Maybe she needs her ears checked. Any time my boys had an ear infection
they
would sleep like that.

She's been like this pretty much since birth!

I would also try to give cereal before bed. Maybe
that would hold her over for a while.

Doesn't work either lol

If nothing works then just try to
remind yourself that she will be big so fast and she won't have anything
to
do with you.

I know, sigh. My oldest daughter wasn't able to sleep well with me once
she
was about a year old, and would only sleep in her bed. It does go away so
quickly! I just would like to enjoy this time wiht her instead of being so
tired and stressed from it!
Marie



I can totally relate to what you are saying. I'm a little sleep deprived
too. It's hard. When you have other kids it's even harder because you can't
always get a nap. My son doesn't sleep too well and he is in my bed nursing
often through the night. I would love to get some real sleep.
Kris

Could you try having your DH put her back to sleep for a few nights? If you
could do that long enough for her to figure out she wasn't going to get to
nurse, maybe she'd decide there isn't any reason for her to be waking up?

That being said, my DD#2 is just getting past some sleep issues of her own
and my own advice didn't work for me. My experience wasn't near as bad as
what you're describing. She would go to bed around 8pm, wake up around 11
or 12 needing to be rocked back to sleep (usually only taking about 10 to 15
minutes or so, but my DH or I still had to get out of bed to do it), then
would wake again at around 3am wanting to nurse, but would then stay awake
to play and/or cry for an hour. We would finally get her back to sleep
around 4am, just to have her wake up for the day at around 6:30am. This
schedule lasted from about 9 months until just recently at about 11 months.
Now suddenly, with no big adjustments on our part, she has started sleeping
mostly through the night from about 9pm until about 7am. No more night
nursings and maybe only one 15 minute rocking session every other night.

So I guess the point to my long-winded story is that maybe she'll just grow
out of it in a couple of months and your life can get back to "normal".
Either way, I hope you get a break soon...I know how you feel!

--
Sandi
Abby (9/20/00)
Natalie (7/27/02)

"Marie" wrote in message
...
Here's another "my baby won't sleep" post. I severely need help with my
daughter. She is 9 months old. She wakes up every hour or two all night
and
will not go back to sleep without nursing. Even co-sleeping doesn't help a
bit, as sometimes when she wakes up there I am and she plays. I ignore the
playing and talking (as cute as it is) but she gets angry after half an
hour
or so and I have to get up, swaddle and nurse her to sleep. She wakes me
up
everytime she wakes to nurse, even when she doesn't play. I have never
been
able to sleep through her breastfeeding (I was with my older daughter)
I don't know what I've done wrong but I can't handle my life like this
anymore.
I have tried putting her in her own bed, and when she wakes up during the
night, taking her and first trying to walk or rock her back to sleep, and
that doesn't work so I end up nursing her to sleep. Then she's up again an
hour or two later. Trying to comfort her (patting her in the crib or
speaking to her) just makes her more upset. I have already described
co-sleeping above.
I bought, studied and logged in The No-Cry Sleep Solution. I couldn't get
past the first phase (to let baby fall asleep without the nipple in her
mouth) Each time she rooted for it she'd wake up if it didn't get in her
mouth within seconds.
She goes to bed around 8pm and is ready to get up for good between 6-7am.
Her naps have been ok up until 1.5 weeks ago, one 3 hour in the morning
and
a 1-2 hour in the evening. 1.5 week ago, she started napping up to an hour
3
times a day for some reason (this started after she was babysat for less
than 4 hours, the first time she's ever been away from the both of us
together) But a few days ago her naps got sorted back out to the usual
times
until yesterday.
What am I to do? I'm sleep deprived it is about impossible to get anything
done in the small time frame I have after she goes to bed before she's up
again. Nothing is predictable. This has been a big shocker to me, after
having two children already! It's like I *still* have a newborn around!
She
is still so clingy, to the point of not being able to be put down to play
longer than 10-15 minutes at a time. And I really miss my dh, iykwim.
If anyone has any ideas, please, please help! I get the standard, "I'd
just
put her in her bed and shut the door and let her cry" from most people
IRL.
I can't bring myself to do that, not on purpose. She gets worse and worse
the longer she's left to cry (which has to be done, what with dinner to
cook
and showers to take and all...)
Thanks.
Marie