I've read some information from various sources, but I'd like to get some ideas from you parents that have done any method of sleep training and found it to be successful.
My LO is 5 1/2 months old and over the past month, his sleep has gone from brag-worthy (6-7 hour stretches over night, excellent self soother) to who-are-you-and-what-did-you-do-with-my-baby (waking 5-6 times over the course of the night, sometimes to eat, sometimes because he is mad, etc).
We've tried a bunch of different approaches. Not offering breast/bottle, offering breast/bottle at every wake up, letting him cry for 5-10 minutes first, not getting him out of the crib, getting him out of the crib, singing, white noise, putting him in cooler pjs, putting him to bed earlier, putting him to bed later. Those are like just the ones I've tried this week, I know we've taken more approaches. And nothing is working.
He is generally okay at bedtime, except this week, but I think that's because of an upset in a routine (DH is sick and can't do his normal every other night bedtime duties). He'll get cranky between 6:30 and 7. He gets a bottle of pumped milk or formula and then we take him upstairs and do diaper, pjs, book and rocking. And then he goes in the crib, usually drowsy but awake. He's generally asleep within 10-20 minutes after a little bit of babbling, maybe some fussiness, but not full on crying.
It's the night waking that has been making me want to burst into tears. Last night, for example, he woke up at 11, 12:30 (ate), 1:45, 2:30, 4:15, and 5:55 (ate). I always try to soothe him first and he's gotten pretty good with making it clear when he's hungry vs. not hungry. And I don't have a problem getting up once or twice to feed or soothe him, especially when DH is not sick and we take turns, but this 6 times is k.i.l.l.i.n.g me. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
So, please, any advice would be helpful. Successful parents, how did you begin sleep training? What worked, what didn't? And how did you keep from going insane.
My LO is 5 1/2 months old and over the past month, his sleep has gone from brag-worthy (6-7 hour stretches over night, excellent self soother) to who-are-you-and-what-did-you-do-with-my-baby (waking 5-6 times over the course of the night, sometimes to eat, sometimes because he is mad, etc).
We've tried a bunch of different approaches. Not offering breast/bottle, offering breast/bottle at every wake up, letting him cry for 5-10 minutes first, not getting him out of the crib, getting him out of the crib, singing, white noise, putting him in cooler pjs, putting him to bed earlier, putting him to bed later. Those are like just the ones I've tried this week, I know we've taken more approaches. And nothing is working.
He is generally okay at bedtime, except this week, but I think that's because of an upset in a routine (DH is sick and can't do his normal every other night bedtime duties). He'll get cranky between 6:30 and 7. He gets a bottle of pumped milk or formula and then we take him upstairs and do diaper, pjs, book and rocking. And then he goes in the crib, usually drowsy but awake. He's generally asleep within 10-20 minutes after a little bit of babbling, maybe some fussiness, but not full on crying.
It's the night waking that has been making me want to burst into tears. Last night, for example, he woke up at 11, 12:30 (ate), 1:45, 2:30, 4:15, and 5:55 (ate). I always try to soothe him first and he's gotten pretty good with making it clear when he's hungry vs. not hungry. And I don't have a problem getting up once or twice to feed or soothe him, especially when DH is not sick and we take turns, but this 6 times is k.i.l.l.i.n.g me. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
So, please, any advice would be helpful. Successful parents, how did you begin sleep training? What worked, what didn't? And how did you keep from going insane.
And of course, come back with any other questions!