Empathic Sleep Teaching - View topic - 5 month old overtired need assistance - Infant sleep services for tired parents - Free Message Board Hosting by FreePowerBoards.com

Hello I used this site and darcie's assistance when my colicky now 3 yrd old had sleep issues. Now I have a 5 month old ds, and he is starting to form what I think are unhealthy sleep habits. He was not colicky (or at least not as much as she was, or at least I knew how to soothe him better). He used to sleep through the night and had no issues with naps. Now he wakes up between 5-10 times a night, either for a pacifier or a feeding. He is really struggling it seems with his 3rd nap, so I am considering an ultra early bedtime. I was putting him down around 6:30 p.m., 6 if he didn't take a 3rd nap. I will go earlier if anyone suggests trying it. He seems pretty much up for the day between 6-6:30 a.m. He is cranky during the day. I am trying to get him on a 9 a.m. 1 p.m. nap schedule. I really need some sort of daytime schedule b/c my older dd would like to do some kind of social activity and it's hard to plan anything waiting around to see when the baby will be tired. Often though he wakes up from these naps cranky b/c I think they are too short. I really want to meet his sleep needs, but I have got to have some kind of schedule so I can take my dd out to the park, or dance class, or whatever. I don't want to take the paci away, at around 7 months my older dd was able to retrieve hers and STILL has them in her bed as her security objects. I feel like he is also one of those who just needs the extra comfort of sucking. I have tried letting him cry it out during the night instead of fetching his paci, but my dd is somewhat of a light sleeper and will usually wake up to his cries, despite the white noise machine in her room (it plays rain, she is terrified of fans or I would put one in her room). She is tired I know from waking up to him I am exhausted and need some kind of plan b/c my husband travels alot and we have no family to help near. Thanks for anyone who can help me.
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Hi Annasmommy! Welcome back, so nice to hear from you Very Happy

It sounds like feeding to sleep has become a sleep prop for your little guy. I agree that he likely needs to suck as a form of self-soothing so I would keep the pacifier at this point.

I would though try to eliminate night feedings. Base how long you will let him go without a feeding on how long he used to go when he was sleeping through the night. Digestion does interfere with sleep and of course, he can become reliant on feeding to sleep.

I would also go for the elimintation of the 3rd nap. You can put him down as early as 5:00pm instead, some moms have even tried 4:30 on days when baby just can't make it.

Once the third nap is out of the way and he is sleeping better at night, the two naps he does have will become much more consistent. Until then, hopefully you are able to schedule your daughter's activities a bit loosely, around your little's guy extra sensitivity about sleep right now. Once he's sleeping better, he'll become a lot more flexible.

Thanks for posting and feel free to ask more questions.
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Darcie French, BSW
Founder of Empathic Sleep Teaching

Hi I am new here, just starting to get some sleep at night and actually beginning to enjoy my baby Smile

So I probably don't have much to offer but I am curious, was there something that triggered him to start waking through the night like that?
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Hi Annasmommy!!

I would agree with Darcie .... as far as that 3rd nap, you may notice a substantial difference in napping & nighttime sleep. I found Darcie & EST around the time my son was 5months old ... and dropping the 3rd nap & the 5pm bedtime worked like a charm. Good luck!!!!
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Kris

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