Sleep problems - 5 month old

[Prisca982]

DH and I are getting desperate ...
DS2 is 5.5 months old. I was really careful to train him to fall asleep on his own and we'd got him into a beautiful routine by around 3 months - he'd fall asleep on his own around 8, we'd wake him to feed around 10.30, then he'd sleep til 4 or 5 am, feed and sleep again until 7 or 7.30. It lasted 6 weeks or so.

Then he caught an awful cold virus which started him waking and things haven't been the same since. We've had two months of him waking through the night. At first it was every three hours, now it's every two or more and I'm desperate for some sleep.

In desperation we've put him in bed with us, which worked initially but he still wakes now. His worst times are between 12.30-2 am and then again from 6 am - he'll moan and grizzle on and off for ages. I'm SO tired; worse than when he was newborn, and DS1 is getting nothing but irritable mummy all week :-(

The cold is long gone; I think he's teething a bit but not constantly. Do we need to re-train him? Or should we just ride it out until he's a bit older? I've even started allowing him to breastfeed back to sleep just because I'm so desperate for rest, but that then means he's not taking a proper full feed at night, and isn't hungry come breakfast time. He's tired all the time too, because he's not getting a proper sleep at night.

Any advice???!!!

 

[zaksmummy]

This may not be popular with everyone but try giving him something to suck on to go to sleep - my boy had a soother, which had a very small cord fixed to his sleepsuit so he learned how to pull it back into his mouth. My girl hated soothers but has a bottle with a small quantity of water in - 1 to 2 oz, which she sucks - she isnt generally interesting in the fluid - she just wants the comfort of sucking.

Now I know that often we dont want to give them things like soothers and bottles because they become dependant on them - but eventually they will give them up, and in the meantime you will have got some desperately needed sleep.

The other thing is get him out of your bed asap and back in his cot.

 

[MessianicMommy]

I disagree. Nothing wrong with cosleeping when both parents are healthy and not taking any drugs or sleep aid, smokers or drinkers. We keep both our children in bed with us more nights than not. The baby was in bed with me from the day I had him in arms, without sleeping in his own crib except for naps. The eldest, we tried the crib method, and with me breastfeeding, it was nearly impossible. He had to eat every 2 hours or so. It was so much easier to just roll over to whichever side and let him feed, and both of us to sleep again. Or if need be, for DH to grab a diaper, help change and us all sleep again.

There are no safe ways to sleep train a child who is nursing full time. Most children are not sleeping through the night until they are closer to kindergarten age. If you have those who do, consider yourself VERY blessed.

SLEEP-TRAINING – NOT FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS

I'd not reccommend a dummy/pacifier unless it was an extreme last resort. Babies are meant to be in arms more than not, especially if they have a need to suck, whether for food or comfort. If he's nursing while he's asleep, that's perfectly fine too.

If you haven't already, find your local LLL group, and hook up. Research on Kellymom as well. It's a wonderful resource.

 

[epiclesis]

I found with my little guy that he slept even worse when he was in bed with us.