Friday, December 5, 2008

Ok - I need ideas...

I was so blessed with my first child to sleep through the night at 6 weeks and has kept with it for two years. My lovely 2nd child however does not. She wakes up usually 3-4 times a night wanting to be rocked, her pacifier, or just to be awake. We feed her at 5am. Have tried other feedings, but it doesn't seem to help. So, she is not hungry. She is warm, we play music. We have tried letting her just cry herself back to sleep but there were 2 problems: First, she shares a room with Andie and has woken her up. Second, she stands up on the crib and can't figure out how to let go to get back down.

So - the question is posed. How can I get her to sleep? I should also mention she does not take naps during the day and if she does, it will not last longer than 45 minutes. PLEASE any type of suggestion is welcome...and I am so sorry for you mothers out there with this problem!! It is not a fun one!

10 comments:

Southern Belle said...

I remember Jocelyn doing that. Can I remember what we did? No...my brain is fried. I "think" we tried all sorts of things and then it just went back to normal. I was thinking about it today after we talked this morning. I honestly remember her doing that, but I can't remember how long it was and what we did. I will have to ask Brian.

rachaeljanae said...

Read "The Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg. It will change your life. I could elaborate, but it's all in the book. I've had some kids that were harder than others, but I've managed to get them all to be good sleepers by using the methods in that book. Good luck! I hope you can get some sleep soon!

Jeff and Elise said...

Isn't it amazing how they're so different? Can you put Andie in a different room for a few nights while you try to let Ali cry it out? I hope you get some sleep soon... we're dealing with the same thing around here :)

Breanne said...

I have had both my kids "cry it out". They share a room also, but I am lucky that Xander is a hard sleeper and that he doesn't wake up when Mara does. For the most part they both sleep all night :)
Just try to set up a routine and stick to it.
Good luck, this is for sure a hard thing to overcome.

MTMcGee said...

Molly, I wish you the best, but Brynlee still doesn't sleep through the night at 18 months. We have tried lots of things including "crying it out" but none have worked. I have just some to the conclusion that she will do it when she is ready because we have a routine. Good luck!! Hope you guys have a Merry Christmas.

Love,
Todd, Megan and Brynlee

Unknown said...

The tricky thing is, all kids are different and the same thing doesn't work for all kids. Hunter NEVER slept through the night, until we tried the "3 night method". He was probably a little older than Ali and we just let him cry for three nights in a row- and than like magic he knew that he had to sleep. I do like what someone else suggested moving Andie to another room. I suppose that is what you would have to do in order to keep sane. -Even for just a couple of nights. Hang in there and good luck!

The Pratts said...

I have found that my kids sleep better when they take naps. I think when they don't nap, they are so tired it is hard for them to settle enough to sleep through the night... I know you don't think that might be the case, but my kids always seemed to sleep through the night when I got them in a good nap routine. I did have them cry themselves to sleep - even for naps. I think when they learn to go to sleep on their own they are able to calm them self in the middle of the night too. I have heard the "Sleep Whisperer" is a great book, I have only read parts of my friends who lives in the ward, I really liked "Happy Baby, Healthy Sleep Habits" - I did not love Baby Wise. Good luck, I know how hard it is, Emma took forever to sleep through the night and now Carson is getting 4 teeth at the same time and is waking up a lot the last couple nights... it is not fun!

Mariah said...

I feel for you. We couldn't get Gabriel to start sleeping regularly through the night until he was 2 years old. Garrett slept through the night by the time he was 2 months old. I was so frustrated. We had the boys in separate rooms, so we let Gabriel cry. We used the system of let him cry for 15 min, give comfort, let him cry for 20 min, give comfort, let him cry for 30, give comfort, etc. It took about 2 weeks for him to learn how self comfort. We also provided one of those attach to the crib music things that he could push a button and turn it on himself. Since they share a room, I don't know what you could do. Maybe Andie could have a "campout" in the living room till it all gets worked out with Alli?
Good Luck, it's a tough one to get through.

emilyring said...

I know I'm not a mom but but my parents had the same problem with me and my sister. She would wake me up by screaming. We shared the same bedroom. I was the one who had a set schedule. Sorry Molly ;)

My parents drove her around to places where there were people. That settled her right down and she was able to sleep.

DELYNN said...

Hey molly, I hate to be the one with bad news, But Mya was and still is the same way. She wakes up at least 2 times a night--GRRR! I have tried everything and my doctor told me to ignore her. Even if she cries so hard it makes her throw up (which is normal for her.) She will learn to appreciate sleep, when she realizes it's not a game or that you are not going to jump up everytime she cries. Try moving Andie into a different room for a while and let her cry it out. It worked for me (sometimes) also a night light. Research into nigh terrors too.