Daniel has been home for almost one year (hooray!), but he still will not sleep through the night. Help! Daniel goes to bed beautifully in his crib at 7:30. He sleeps until about 9 or 10 when he wakes up crying hysterically for the first time. He won't cry it out. I have tried that torture, and he just works himself to completely undone, and then he takes hours to go back to sleep. If I rock him and sing or talk to him, he will go back to sleep and sleep for another one to two hours. Then, I either take him in bed to cosleep or rock him again depending on what we are doing. In bed with me, he will fall immediately back to sleep for between 3 to 5 hours. Then he will wake again, usually frantic. The only thing that will calm him is milk: rocking, cooing, singing, holding etc. makes him scream more. After milk, he wants to lie across me, as if he is afraid I will leave if he doesn't hold me down. It is lovely to cuddle, but difficult to sleep.
He has slept though the night exactly 3 times since he became part of our family. I have tried a pack-n-play next to our bed, music, a fan, snacks before bedtime, lovie blankets. At first I thought it was just his earaches (he did have them often), but now he has tubes in his ears and has not had a ear infection since February.
Aside night sleeping, he is happy, funny, healthy. What gives? Any suggestions?
6 comments:
Sorry to hear about Daniel's rough go . . . if all ailments have been ruled out, you may want to try the Ferber Method. I was never one who wanted to CIO, but this method was highly recommended to me and I promised I'd give it a try once Aven got home. Well, after 1.5 wks at home, we bit the bullet and started on a Friday night. I swear to you, by Sunday, she spent only 2 minutes crying and slept the entire night. Her pattern since then has been to go to bed bed around 7:30pm and not stir again until about 8am on the average. Many mornings, she would sleep until 9 am or later plus taking 2 naps during the day. She is now down to 1 nap but *could* take 2 if not stimulated with a playdate. The Ferber Method is a modified approach to CIO and one that I felt I could live with. I think it is the single best thing I did as a mom for Aven. There hasn't been a day since she has been home that she has had less than 14 hours sleep within a 24 hr period. I know every child is different, but keep in mind that Aven was in Viet Nam until she was 13 mos old. She adapted to sleeping in her own crib with no trauma. I hope it works as beautifully for you as it did for us. One side note, there have been about 4 occasions in 5 mos that I heard "the cry" that was distinguishable as a terror cry. I ALWAYS respond to them immediately with hands on and a snug hold. Once she is soothed, she will go right back to sleep with no difficulty. Good luck!
Minh slept 7-7 up until a few weeks ago without any problem. Charmed! Now we are experiencing trouble- only wants our bed. We are trying to figure out what to do- keep a schedule, comfort, no cio.
agh.
Aiden usually does well but has struggled since we got home from vacation. It always helps when I stick to the schedule. I kind of used the Ferber method as well. I think I did a little more comforting than it called for, but it's what I felt he needed. There are times when I still brought him into bed to me because he was distressed. Hope you get a full night's sleep soon!
We ferbered A about 8 months in after very similar experience -- excpet she wouldnt come to bed with us, so it was sleeping in a rocking chair or not at all... night one, I cried more than she did and it was awful -- about an hour of carrying on... night two, much easier but still awful and about 45 minutes... night three, WAY BETTER, and only about 10-15 mins and from then on, no real issues except if we mess up her schedule or travel or she's sick... hope that helps! good luck and hugs to the fam!
hi, dear mama!
thanks for stopping by my blog today - i have been totally engrossed in reading your story for almost an hour now. praise God you have your handsome boy home with you and can experience the challenges along with the joys of raising this child!
i think the other mommies gave you good advice. as my sweet, aging, hispanic pediatrician would say,
"honey, he's spoiled." perhaps that's not easy to hear - i scoffed when she told me it wasn't milk allergies causing my youngest to make my nights miserable. you have to be firm in addition to your loving nature. he needs the sleep as much as you. :)
best of luck!
karin
My girls never slept either for the first 9 months they were home with us.
Then one day, a friend with a baby from the same orphanage emailed me and said it was the milk. I didn't believe her but because we tried everything, had the kids on reflux meds, were seeing specialists everywhere I bought some soy and the girls slept 2 nights later through the night.
I don't know if it is something you have considered but the laying on top of you might to help with gas.
ANyway, just my bit of advice, you might have already thought of it but my girls were exactly the same, most they ever slept was 3-4 hours a shot.It was the longest 9 months of our lives!
good luck-Jenny
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