Sleep help

[Darcy]

OK, I feel like I'm new to this because Jeremy is completely opposite of Riley, so I'm asking for help. With Riley, when I went back to work when she was 3 months old, I thought we had a nice schedule where she went to bed about 7pm and slept through most of the night, waking at 6 when I had to get ready for work. So in comes Jeremy. Now that I'm at home, I find we're lacking a schedule and he's not going to sleep until 8. On the nights I'm able to get him down by 7, he's up at 8 to feed. :dunno:

How on earth do I get him to go to bed earlier? He's also waking an extraordinarily number of times--last night it was 3 times (10, 12 and 3:30). I'm going crazy! It's supposed to get better, right? The ped mentioned I should push his bedtime back earlier, but I just don't know how to. Oh, and he won't take a paci, so that's not an option. :rolleyes: And he's usually up for the day by 7, which is fine, but I can do without the numerous wakings during the night. Help!

[Bev]

:hug99: Can't help you; my boys were worse. It eventually gets better. :) At least you are a zombie at home and not at work. :lol: Can you all nap at the same time in the day at least?

[lizziebeth]

Hi Darcy, how often does he eat and sleep during the day? Is it possible he's catching up on feeds at night?

Ps. I'm having a nightmare with Daisy - she sleeps well during the night but she won't nap in the days and then we have severe crying fits every afternoon/evening. Maybe it's preferable she sleeps at night but it makes the rest of the time very very stressful. Ugh.

[Lynn]

I think around 4 months is when you implement a schedule and routine and it starts working. Since Jeremy's just over 4 months I'm thinking he'll figure it out soon.

Is he taking 3 naps a day? I know you've mentioned he is still a bit colicky (some babies don't grow out of it until 6 months :( ) but how is his nap schedule? Are you doing the EASY thing with him? I have a copy of the Baby Whisperer if you'd like me to send it to you.

Someone I know on another board puts her daughter to bed at 6:30! She says it's the only time that works for them and because her daughter is a mess by 6:00. She tried keeping her up later but it just wasn't working.

I am sorry it's so hard. I remember wanting to pull my hair out with Aaron because he felt the need to not nap during the day. Fun times.

[Darcy]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Bev--I do try to get a nap in while both kids are down. And you're right, at least I'm not at work. :lol:

Lizzie--sorry to hear you're going through it, too, except during the day. *sigh* He's not really trying to catch up on feeds at night because he eats a ton during the day. He's still nursing every 2-3 hours, and he's 16 lbs at 4 months. He's a cat-napper during the day unless he's being held. He usually takes 45 minute to hour naps 3-4 times a day, except he just got up froma nice 2.5-hour nap (with mom. :lol: ).

Lynn--I was so hoping we were done with the colic. I didn't even think this might be part of his colic. :dunno: But obviously everything about parenting with Riley has been thrown out the window with J! :lol: I'm not sure what the EASY thing is. Did the Baby Whisperer work well for Aaron?

I think it's just been an overall rough week with Phil throwing his back out on Monday and he's still not better, so I've been doing all the parenting all week. So I think the culmination of J's horrible sleep got the best of me last night. That and the fact that I'd like to spend some 1-on-1 time with Riley in the evening. I remember she went to bed at 7 (it seems so long ago!), so it would be nice to have that hour with her before she goes to bed at 8.

I've tried not letting him nap after 4 (like yesterday), hoping he'd be ready for bed at 7. Nope. He was ready to play and didn't go down until 8, and then he woke up at 8:30 and was up 3 times last night. :fado: Part of me thinks he doesn't know how to comfort himself, so in turn he wants mom. And he's also a rolling fiend, from back to tummy, but he hasn't figured out how to roll from tummy to back, so that's also been added into his frustration.

Maybe boys are just harder to raise than girls. :lol: Or maybe it's just boys from Phil's side.

[Clare]

I don't have any advice b/c I don't believe in routines or CIO or anything like that, but wanted to comment on this


Maybe boys are just harder to raise than girls.

It's true! Emily was a totally different baby to my boys. The thing I learnt is not to compare them or you'll go crazy! Forget everything that Riley did right and start afresh.

:hug99: Sleep deprivation is the pits, especially when you're the sole caregiver. I hope you are able to get some more sleep soon :hug99:

[Lyoshka]

Darcy, no advice here, just hugs!! :hug99::hug99::hug99: Nikita was a great sleeper until 6 ms (well, by great I mean waking up once, but it totally worked for me), and now we are in the same boat as you-2-3 times a night. I'm just attributing ours to teething (especially since he pops 2 at a time LOL) and hope to just ride it out.

[Lyoshka]

Or, if you want, I could come over and hold him:awink: ? Sorry, i had to sneak that one in:devil: -even though I know it was fist-time-visitor-good-timing luck hehee

[Cyn Sip]

our daughter is six weeks old, were with her right from the start. She gets fussy just about every evening, 7pm - 9pm, anywhere in there, We've tried baths, this usually works, but otherwise the bathroom fan, the vacuum, rubbing her back, etc. We've read that swaddling really tight works too, but what about overheating? It's just starting the fall season, and it's still warm out and in the house, we don't want her to sweat too much. Any help?

Cyndi