When did your baby 'sleep through' the night?
- Thread starter 0ze_Kid
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Poor Vegemite Kid, she is only hearing the good stories, not the bad !
13 weeks is a bit early to expect a bub to sleep through the night. Not that you do expect it, you're just understandably looking forward to some sleep.
In the early days I asked my husband to do all feeds before midnight. I expressed before I went to bed very early. If she didn't wake before midnight, he'd just do a dream feed around 11.30pm'ish. That meant her next wake was approx. 2-3am or (hopefully) later. I went to bed at 8pm (not much fun), so I managed to get one decent block of sleep. I was still exhausted but not as bad.
Babywise is...err...contraversial. Personally I wouldn't use it for my child. See http://www.ezzo.info/babywise.htm. I also don't like Gina Ford, but that's just me, it obviously works for some people.
13 weeks is a bit early to expect a bub to sleep through the night. Not that you do expect it, you're just understandably looking forward to some sleep.
In the early days I asked my husband to do all feeds before midnight. I expressed before I went to bed very early. If she didn't wake before midnight, he'd just do a dream feed around 11.30pm'ish. That meant her next wake was approx. 2-3am or (hopefully) later. I went to bed at 8pm (not much fun), so I managed to get one decent block of sleep. I was still exhausted but not as bad.
Babywise is...err...contraversial. Personally I wouldn't use it for my child. See http://www.ezzo.info/babywise.htm. I also don't like Gina Ford, but that's just me, it obviously works for some people.
I'm with you Jane01 on the baby books that promote sleep training. I know they work for some people and that's great for them. From what I can work out they tend to work for people who like to have schedules; but please also be aware that you might like schedules but your baby might not. I have to confess I did try one of these books with our first-I lasted one morning, I just couldn't keep to the routine.
At the other end of the spectrum, I used 'The no-cry sleep solution', which I found much closer to my way of thinking. It doesn't promise a quick fix, but to my mind puts the baby's needs first and takes into account alot of the research about how people sleep.
Also please note that Gina Ford has never had her own children. Her regime was developed to produce more complient children at nursery school. Interesting!
At the other end of the spectrum, I used 'The no-cry sleep solution', which I found much closer to my way of thinking. It doesn't promise a quick fix, but to my mind puts the baby's needs first and takes into account alot of the research about how people sleep.
Also please note that Gina Ford has never had her own children. Her regime was developed to produce more complient children at nursery school. Interesting!
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I basically consider sleeping through the night, as ME having an undisturbed night sleep.
My son woke every 3 hours until around 4 mths, then began sleeping from his 10.30- 11pm feed through to 7am.
He started waking again a few weeks later so we started him early on solids. Within a week he had dropped the 10.30 feed and slept 7pm to 7am.
I must admit I used to be a very vocal anti Gina Ford person. But around the 4 mth mark we started to use her book very loosely, as nothing else had worked and I was not coping at all.
We used her routine as an outline, but did things differently, such as staying with him if he cried rather than leaving him alone.
If I wanted to go out in the day, I did, but I would try to put my baby to sleep in his stroller at his normal sleep times.
I also don't believe in total darkness for day sleeps, it only results in a baby that can't sleep if there is even a chink of light.
We just managed to get through the first round of teething without any problems.
At 7 mths he is still follows Gina Ford's sleep times, and he sleeps well just about anywhere, as long as it's his usual sleep time.
I don't think all babies will follow this, but it can be worth a try.
My son woke every 3 hours until around 4 mths, then began sleeping from his 10.30- 11pm feed through to 7am.
He started waking again a few weeks later so we started him early on solids. Within a week he had dropped the 10.30 feed and slept 7pm to 7am.
I must admit I used to be a very vocal anti Gina Ford person. But around the 4 mth mark we started to use her book very loosely, as nothing else had worked and I was not coping at all.
We used her routine as an outline, but did things differently, such as staying with him if he cried rather than leaving him alone.
If I wanted to go out in the day, I did, but I would try to put my baby to sleep in his stroller at his normal sleep times.
I also don't believe in total darkness for day sleeps, it only results in a baby that can't sleep if there is even a chink of light.
We just managed to get through the first round of teething without any problems.
At 7 mths he is still follows Gina Ford's sleep times, and he sleeps well just about anywhere, as long as it's his usual sleep time.
I don't think all babies will follow this, but it can be worth a try.
Food allergy and other digestive problems may affect toddlers' sleep, ie their stomachs are still working hard through the nite hence they cannot sleep well. That happens to my son. Once we get on a special diet plus cut all dairy (which he is allergic to), he sleeps through the nite easily at around 2.5 yo.
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barbwong_130
Registered User
One of the interesting things I found about people who use the Gina Ford book recommendations with success is that they aren?t actually using her recommendations!
They are using her advice as general guidelines rather than strict rules. She has written strict rules and everyone I know who?s tried to take them as that both mother and baby has ended up in tears.
They are using her advice as general guidelines rather than strict rules. She has written strict rules and everyone I know who?s tried to take them as that both mother and baby has ended up in tears.
0ze_Kid
Registered User
barbwong_130 - I think you are right. Those that "follow" are really just using her as a way of introducing a routine. That routine just happens to have a name - GIna Ford.
I think it would be hard to follow with more than one child. My DD must wake baby from sleep at least once a day which would throw out everything.
I have nothing against the GF way, I just think letting a newborn cry is just not necessary - they are crying for a reason (and my first is still doing it as 2.4 years!).
cemily - thanks for reminding me. Older DD has been having trouble sleeping and I think I now know why! New washing detergent in clothes may have triggered her eczema.
I think it would be hard to follow with more than one child. My DD must wake baby from sleep at least once a day which would throw out everything.
I have nothing against the GF way, I just think letting a newborn cry is just not necessary - they are crying for a reason (and my first is still doing it as 2.4 years!).
cemily - thanks for reminding me. Older DD has been having trouble sleeping and I think I now know why! New washing detergent in clothes may have triggered her eczema.
barbwong_130
Registered User
My view about advice found in books is that most of it is good but applied to the wrong age group. It is interesting to hear that Gina Ford?s routines were originally for pre-school children. Because I can see that this sort of discipline in a three or four year old child can work well, especially when coupled with the natural love you have for your own children. But it is ludicrous to apply it to a three or four day old baby as she suggests in her book.
I think one reason for this is because when our children are young nobody has the time or energy to write books, so the authors of child care books tend either not to have children or have grown children. When we look back on bringing children up it is much easier than it was when we were doing it! And unless we are around babies and little children all the time very easy to forget what is appropriate for what age.
Another interesting thing is that many of the child care books, especially the ones written by men, are pushing for independence at a very young age. Traditionally it is the mother?s role to be the nurturer and the father?s to encourage independence. These books often forget about the nurturing side of parenting because it isn?t that side that comes naturally to the author.
I would definitely say this was the case in books talking about sleep for babies. In my experience it is years rather than months before children are able to sleep without waking up on a regular basis. In fact, my 17 year old son still wakes during the night ? the main difference is that he no longer wakes me up when he wakes.
I think one reason for this is because when our children are young nobody has the time or energy to write books, so the authors of child care books tend either not to have children or have grown children. When we look back on bringing children up it is much easier than it was when we were doing it! And unless we are around babies and little children all the time very easy to forget what is appropriate for what age.
Another interesting thing is that many of the child care books, especially the ones written by men, are pushing for independence at a very young age. Traditionally it is the mother?s role to be the nurturer and the father?s to encourage independence. These books often forget about the nurturing side of parenting because it isn?t that side that comes naturally to the author.
I would definitely say this was the case in books talking about sleep for babies. In my experience it is years rather than months before children are able to sleep without waking up on a regular basis. In fact, my 17 year old son still wakes during the night ? the main difference is that he no longer wakes me up when he wakes.
Reading these posts has been really reassuring for me! My son is six and a half months, b/f and still waking 3-4 hours a night. The most he has ever slept for at night is 5 hrs and he has done that maybe 3 times since he was born!
We have tried everything to get him to sleep through the night- letting him cry himself to sleep, the no cry sleep solution, giving him cereal, making sure the room is the right temperature, trying not to feed him when he wakes, a strict bedtime routine and strict day naps, grobags. You name it we have done it (except give him formula as some people suggested!).
I have now just come to accept that this is how he sleeps, for now at least! I am afraid that I also am unable to use Gina Fords method/s- not for me and definetly not for my baby who reacted very badly to attempts to introduce her routine!
Gina Ford is also currently taking legal action again a website in the UK for letting Mothers discuss her methods- discussion which included both support and rather a lot of criticism for her method/s!
My son has taught me that each baby is different and finding your own way- that works for baby and you is the most important thing!
I have found however that the first people ask me after they have asked how old he is, is 'is he sleeping through the night yet?' which puts some pressure on us!
I also take some comfort in the fact that poor sleeping can be a sign of a gifted child!
We have tried everything to get him to sleep through the night- letting him cry himself to sleep, the no cry sleep solution, giving him cereal, making sure the room is the right temperature, trying not to feed him when he wakes, a strict bedtime routine and strict day naps, grobags. You name it we have done it (except give him formula as some people suggested!).
I have now just come to accept that this is how he sleeps, for now at least! I am afraid that I also am unable to use Gina Fords method/s- not for me and definetly not for my baby who reacted very badly to attempts to introduce her routine!
Gina Ford is also currently taking legal action again a website in the UK for letting Mothers discuss her methods- discussion which included both support and rather a lot of criticism for her method/s!
My son has taught me that each baby is different and finding your own way- that works for baby and you is the most important thing!
I have found however that the first people ask me after they have asked how old he is, is 'is he sleeping through the night yet?' which puts some pressure on us!
I also take some comfort in the fact that poor sleeping can be a sign of a gifted child!
carang
Registered User
my older son used to wake every night, like clock work. until he was 2 years old, he'd wake a minimum of once per night.
we discovered that because we were sitting on a chair in his room as he went to sleep, when he woke in the middle of the night, he'd want the same thing.
when the new baby arrived, i just couldn't cope. i had tag-team children on a few nights, it was awful. finally, one night, i'd had enough. i just told him straight that i couldn't do it any more. i was going to my bed to sleep. i made sure he had his toy cars that he likes to sleep with, he had his cup of juice, he had a book (just in case) and i covered him with the blanket.
it took a couple of nights, but he eventually stopped waking up. in the past month, he's only woken up on 2 nights.
it was 2 years coming, but THANK GOD! he's finally doing it. i just think that he was looking for us so that he could go back to sleep in the same conditions as he had originally. when we stopped sitting by the bed, he stopped waking up at night.
my baby, on the other hand, has been a fantastic sleeper.... so far...she's 3 months old today and has been sleeping 7-10 hours at night for the past week and a half. i can only hope that she keeps it up!
good luck everyone, and i hope that YOU get a decent night's sleep in the very near future!
we discovered that because we were sitting on a chair in his room as he went to sleep, when he woke in the middle of the night, he'd want the same thing.
when the new baby arrived, i just couldn't cope. i had tag-team children on a few nights, it was awful. finally, one night, i'd had enough. i just told him straight that i couldn't do it any more. i was going to my bed to sleep. i made sure he had his toy cars that he likes to sleep with, he had his cup of juice, he had a book (just in case) and i covered him with the blanket.
it took a couple of nights, but he eventually stopped waking up. in the past month, he's only woken up on 2 nights.
it was 2 years coming, but THANK GOD! he's finally doing it. i just think that he was looking for us so that he could go back to sleep in the same conditions as he had originally. when we stopped sitting by the bed, he stopped waking up at night.
my baby, on the other hand, has been a fantastic sleeper.... so far...she's 3 months old today and has been sleeping 7-10 hours at night for the past week and a half. i can only hope that she keeps it up!
good luck everyone, and i hope that YOU get a decent night's sleep in the very near future!