The Official DEC. 08 SLEEP THREAD!

[ChesapeakeBorn]

It has come to my attention that this type of thread might be useful. So here are some questions:

1. When is your baby's birthday?
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning?
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night?
4. How many times does your LO wake at night?
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they?
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier?
7. Where does baby sleep?
8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.)

Any other questions? Let me know and I'll add them to the list. I hope this thread doesn't get moved -I'd worry mamas from our DDC wouldn't find it, especially those who don't need the help and we really want to hear from them, lol!

[ChesapeakeBorn]

I'll break the ice...

DS has been going through a major sleep regression for the past couple of weeks. He used to wake only once to nurse at night (he is still EBF due to some digestive issues). Now he wakes up crying for us. I've followed The No Cry Sleep Solution from day 1 (worked great with DD). He already has 6 teeth and I am not seeing signs of others coming any time soon. He's a great napper but I am thinking about playing around with the time.

1. When is your baby's birthday? December 21
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning? Bedtime 8-8:30. Up for the day between 6-7:30am.
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Nursing. He stirs when I set him down in the crib, but usually snuggles with his lovies and goes to sleep. Middle of the night? Back rubs, the "jiggle sway", nursing.
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? Used to be 1-2, now 5-7.
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? 2 naps. He goes down for the first nap at around 10-11am and wakes up between 12-1pm. He begins his second nap at around 3:30-4pm and I wake him up around 5-5:30pm (I get DD from school at 3:20 each day).
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? He has a frog and a dog, both are those super soft cuddlies designed for babies. I think I waited too long to introduce a paci, so he never took to that.
7. Where does baby sleep? In his crib. He slept with us until he was about 5-6 months old, but DH snores and tosses and wakes to an alarm, all of which was waking DS up. When he is having a really rough night, we still pull him into bed with us though.
8. Have you done any sleep training with your baby? I pretty much follow Elizabeth Pantley's tips - they're pretty much natural to me and what my instincts are saying to do anyways. Never tried the Ferber method.

[hotharmony]

Here is my two cents on sleep. Our sleep pattern has gotten worse and worse over the last two months. I would like to say due to teething and milestones, but who really knows. Also let me say for moms of younger babies who are reading this thread to see what your baby will be like in the next couple of months this is just a phase and we do often get great nights of sleep it hasn't been like this since birth.

1. When is your baby's birthday?
December 24

2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning?
He chooses when to go to sleep it's usually between 10 and 11 at night, but some nights he is more tired and goes down at 8:30 or 9. We get out of bed for the day between 8-10 am.

3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night?
I have to let him play until he is ready to nurse to sleep and now with the teething it gets a little confusing because he will keep playing or want to nurse for 2 seconds then want down and once you put him down he cries and then wants to nurse for 2 seconds. . . repeat. I have been combating this with Hyland's teething tablets which usually put him to sleep with in a couple of minutes. But when he takes them he tends to wake up sooner.

Ok now for the middle of the night thing, at bedtime once he is asleep or mostly sleeping I put him in his crib and when he wakes up which used to be between 3 and 4 am I would bring him in our bed to nurse and sleep. Well let me just say for the past two weeks the longest he has slept in his crib has been 1.5 hours so he is up when I go to bed or before I go to bed so he spends the whole night nursing and sleeping. Which kills my back and hip because he wants to be latched on all the time.

4. How many times does your LO wake at night?
On a good night he wakes up 4 times. Once to come to bed with us, once to switch sides nursing, and then twice more in the morning to switch sides nursing. On a bad night he is mobile all over the bed crying and sitting to nurse and crawling over the dogs and DH and myself.

5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they?
He get's two naps each about 1 to 2 hours long at 10:30-11 and again at 2:30-3.

6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier?
I do have a lovey and a paci in his crib and he doesn't seem really attached to either.

7. Where does baby sleep?
Both in bed with us and in his crib, he also naps in his swing and a lot of sleeping happens in the car.

[leavemealone]

1. When is your baby's birthday? Dec 7
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning? he usually goes to sleep between 8-9pm
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night? either DH or I rock him to sleep both at bedtime and the middle of the night
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? it depends - usually at least once, sometimes more
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? usually only one nap from about 11:30am-1:30pm
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? pacifierrrr
7. Where does baby sleep? usually in his crib. we were cosleeping until he became a squirmy, kicky, mobile baby and then none of us got any sleep.

[Curlyfry7]

Unfortunately, for us, most of these things HAVE been going on since birth, except the constant nipple-in-the-mouth thing, which has been going on for the last 2 months .

1. When is your baby's birthday? Dec 26
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning? Both vary a little, but to bed usually between 9:30-10pm and wakes around 7 am.
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night? about 99.9% of the time it's by nursing, both for bed and definitely in the middle of the night. The other 0.1% is by my DH walking with her.
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? She has been waking almost constantly the last 2 months. We maybe get one night a week where she only wakes 2-3 times. She has to have my nipple in her mouth constantly, which is also killing my back, hips and arms.
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? She is very irregular, usually 2, sometimes 3 shorter ones, sometimes one 30 minute one and then a longer afternoon nap. So far today (it's 5pm) she has only slept 45min-1 hr total, after getting up at 7am, so she has just collapsed in an exhausted heap on my lap, hence the ability to actually answer this.
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier?Nope, never took a paci, no lovie.
7. Where does baby sleep? For bed, we co-sleep. For naps, either in the car, on my back or on my lap. She has to be touching me to sleep. Other people can sometimes get her to sleep in the swing.

I really need something to change-she has to be held all day long as well. Now that she is crawling I can put her on the floor as long as I sit there with her. I can't get anything done, no breaks at all. I know it will go by quickly, but it is really getting to me. my DS was a crap-a$$ sleeper as well, but he was bottle fed so I could sometimes get a break.

[peacefulT]

1. When is your baby's birthday? Dec.20
2. When is your baby's bedtime? She usually is in bed between 6-7 sometimes a bit earlier depends on the day. When is she/he up for the morning? up with the birds .. it kills me .. between 5-530 sometimes even 430. ouch .. no matter what time she goes to bed at night ..
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Read a book, nurse and rock in the hammock Middle of the night? nurses most nights or DH walks and bounces her if I am working and not here
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? use to be 1 to 2 times but this past month has been more like 5 to 6 times .. maybe milestones .. still no teeth either and no sign of them .. so not teething .. its been very hard
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? between 2 to 3 .. depends .. usually one small one at 930 then a big one at 12-1230 .. then sometimes a smaller one at 3-330 ..
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? no pacifier but she sucks her thumb and has a lovey and a bear
7. Where does baby sleep? ha .. depends on the night .. we have her crib next to our bed .. and I would like her to sleep with us after she wakes up the first time in the middle of the night .. cause its easier and I love cuddling with her . .... it sometimes happens like that ....BUT ...lately after she finishes nursing she realizes she is in mommy's bed and its time to PLAY .. we play a lot in my bed during the day .. so I then have to place her back in her bed and she goes right back to sleep, usually .. but some nights she stays in bed sleeping away with us .. really depends on the night ...
8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.)
NOPE ..

[icy02]

1. When is your baby's birthday? Dec 29th
2. When is your baby's bedtime? 7pm When is she/he up for the morning? between 6:30-7:30
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Books and Songs, Bath (if bath night), PJ's, Bottle, Teeth Brushed, Bed
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? sometimes he sleeps through the nights, usually though he is up once around 4am for a bottle.
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? We would like him to take two. One at 9:30 ish for at least an hour and one at 1:00 ish for at least 2 hours. This last week his napping has been terrible. IDK I think he is cutting another tooth.
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? Pacifier, but once he falls asleep does not use it. We also have a bunch of lovey's in his crib. A teddy bear, security blanket, animal blanket thingy, etc... Lots of soft things he cuddles with
7. Where does baby sleep? his crib but sometimes if he is cranky he will end up in bed with us

[terrainthailand]

OMG Icy02 - your baby sleeps so much - I'm JEALOUS!!!

Sleeping has never been my LO's strong suit (you can find me on the NCSS support thread), but around 6 months was the WORST!! We're doing okay now, by our standards. Actually, it is really amazing how well me mamas can function on so little sleep huh?

1. When is your baby's birthday? Dec 12
2. When is your baby's bedtime? 6:30/7 When is she up for the day? 6:30 come hell or high water (funny saying!!)
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? bedtime CD, bath, massage, jammies, stories, nursing, bouncing (if necessary). Middle of the night Nursing or cuddling.
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? I think about 3 times once I take her to bed with me at 9:30/10. Prior to that she may wake up once and I put her back to sleep in the crib.
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? Usually 2 naps that are 40 minutes to 1.25 hours long. Occasionally I will give her a third nap but I almost always regret it come bedtime. Naps are usually around 9/10 and 1/2.
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? No! Despite my best efforts LOL!!
7. Where does baby sleep? For naps and first part of the night, crib, then into the family bed. If we're out and about during nap time she sleeps in the carrier. She NEVER sleeps in the stroller or carseat. :

[ChesapeakeBorn]

Thanks for all the responses mamas. This is great! I added another question in the first post.

[terrainthailand]

We've been doing NCSS pretty consistently since about 6.5 months. I think it has helped, but it is hard to know how much is the techniques and how much is just LO's natural growth. Anyway, the techniques have become such a part of our lives that I don't really notice them anymore, so it doesn't matter much to me how much credit they deserve. IYKWIM.

[Swandira]

1. When is your baby's birthday?

December 12

2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning?

9:00/8:30-9:00

3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night?

Nursing and more nursing

4. How many times does your LO wake at night?

Currently, four or five. Usually, just once, between 5:30 and 6:30. I guess this is the nine-month sleep regression. I'm sooooo tired.

5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they?

Two, sometimes three. Usually at about 10 and 1:30 and occasionally at 4:30 also.

6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier?

Do my boobs count?

7. Where does baby sleep?

In the crook of my arm. Sometimes in the carseat during the day if we have errands.

8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.)

Hasn't really been necessary. Mostly he sleeps all night, though now he's nightwaking with a vengeance.

Nealy
mama to T, 6; L, 3; and O, 12/12/08

[simcon]

Ah, a thread right up my alley (though my contribution won't be inspiring, as we're in the same space as most of you!!) Baby G used to sleep through the night (8-9 hours) without waking until 4 months, and since then he's been increasingly wakeful. DD (now 6) was exactly the same, so I knew not to count on it, but it's still tough!

1. When is your baby's birthday?
Dec. 28

2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning?
Bedtime between 8 and 10 p.m. Up around 8.

3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night? Mostly nursing at bedtime, but maybe once every couple of weeks by being walked around. In the middle of the night it's just about always by nursing except when he's got intense teething pain and nursing is uncomfortable (then it's by being walked or rocked--this has maybe happened 3x since 4 months)

4. How many times does your LO wake at night?
On a good night, 4-5x, on those not-so-good nights (most of them these days) 6+

5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they?
Usually one starting at 10-11, one in the early afternoon, and sometimes one in the late afternoon/early evening. He tends to fall asleep in the car, so if we are driving somewhere late, he gets a late nap. They usually last about 30-45 min each. Shifts to the napping pattern don't seem to make a difference to the nightwaking pattern--it's only that if he gets a late nap, he goes to bed later.

6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier?
No, he's never had any interest in these things.

7. Where does baby sleep?
He usually starts in the co-sleeper and pretty quickly moves into bed with us (around midnight-1 a.m.)

8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.)
Nope.

[icy02]

Originally Posted by terrainthailand

OMG Icy02 - your baby sleeps so much - I'm JEALOUS!!!

He wasn't sleeping well though until I put him on the dreaded "schedule". It made a huge difference! I don't follow it perfectly every day and I do still read his signs. I copied a schedule from a book in the library meant for 6-9 mo babies and modified it for us. I never thought he would be ready for bed at 7pm but every night since we started he goes down easily without a tear! I always thought my friends that had their babies on schedules were just tying themselves to their house and honestly thought they were crazy. Personally, I dont like him to nap in is carseat or stroller b/c then it is not a 'good' sleep. I also will put him down to nap at other peoples homes (which can be more difficult). This schedule was a LIFESAVER for me!

6:30-7:00 awake
7:30 Bottle
8:00 Solids for breakfast
9:00-10:00 morning nap (1-1.5 hrs)
11:30 bottle
12:30 Solids for lunch
1:00-2:00 afternoon nap (1.5-2 hrs)
3:30 bottle
5:30 solids for dinner
6:00 books and songs
6:15 start bath if giving one
6:45 bottle, teeth brushed
7:00 asleep

[rebecca03]

1. When is your baby's birthday? 12/06/08
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning? Lately, she has been staying up late (past midnight) and will wake up late (nine or ten)
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night?DP or I rock her in the rocking chair. Middle of the night she gets a bottle.
4. How many times does your LO wake at night?Anywhere from one to four times. She's waking up more lately because she's getting more teeth!
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? Three, usually. When she used to wake up early, one in the early morning, then one in the afternoon, then one in the evening.
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? She has a little blue seahorse, that when you press its belly, it plays music. She got it as a Christmas gift last year, and that thing is pretty awesome.
7. Where does baby sleep? In her crib. We all toss and turn to much to share a bed anymore. I miss co-sleeping, but she sleeps better in her crib.
8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.) Nope. I keep forgetting to see what the No Cry Sleep Solution is all about. DD has never been overly difficult to get to sleep. Just a little more difficult than usual when she's teething.

Don't forget that there is also a chat thread, ladies!

[em123]

1. When is your baby's birthday? December 20th
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning? Down at 7:30, up between 5:30 and 7:30 depending on how many times he wakes at night.
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night? Nursing and nursing. And nursing some more!
4. How many times does your LO wake at night? We're on a trend of 1-3 times/night. But that 3rd time is usually just me trying to sneak another hour of sleep out of him
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? We're not good at naps. Every day is different. Usually he'll take one half hour in the morning and then nap for up to one hour or so in the afternoon. Other days three half hour naps. No schedule whatsoever. He is a much happier baby when he naps so this is an area I need to "work" on I suppose.
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? No, I would love to introduce a lovey. Is it too late though?
7. Where does baby sleep? He moved to the crib a month ago and sleeps so much better there. I miss him like crazy but he's a happier baby. He resists all my snuggly tendencies.
8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.) No, I bought NCSS and read it, but by the time I finished he stopped waking so often. He used to wake every hour when we coslept. I was a zombie. Now I feel like it's reasonable so...I shouldn't even be typing this because I totally just jinxed it!

[jenniferadurham]

1. When is your baby's birthday? 12/14/08
2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning?whenever he wants usually 9-9:30p; he gets up around 8a
3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night? bottle and rocking;same
4. How many times does your LO wake at night?depends on what he had to eat and if he's full, if he's not full he might wake up around 5a for a bottle
5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they?3 naps: 10a, 1-ish, 4 or 5p
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? he takes a paci, but he doesn't HAVE to have one to fall asleep...he's been teething lately so it helps with the pain
7. Where does baby sleep?in his crib
8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.)no sleep training, we got really luckcy and he has his own method...we do what works for him


P.S.
I might be preggers again...I'm testing on sat

[ChesapeakeBorn]

Just giving this thread a little bump!

How's everyone sleeping?

I tried scooting DS's naps up a little earlier in the day to see if it did anything to help his nighttime sleep. For a few nights he went back to only waking 1-2 times, but he's since back to waking several more.

em123, I don't think it's too late for a lovey. You can snuggle it between you and your baby when you are holding him so that he comes to associate it with comfort.

jennifer, did you test?? I'll have to check the other thread....

[icy02]

I'm having a hard time with DS naps right now. I take him to work with me and my work hours were increased so I don't get him home in time for his afternoon nap. I'm trying to get him to nap at work but its not going so well. By 4:30-5:00 he is so cranky, urghhh.... On the brighter note, he seems to be doing really well at night. He is sleeping through the night consistantly now and will wake after about 11 1/2-12 hours of straight sleep : My DH is very excited we don't have the night-time feedings anymore!!! Hope things are going good for all the other mama's!!!

[ChesapeakeBorn]

Congrats on DS sleeping through the night, icy! Just an idea - can you wear him at work in a wrap or MT? Often, that can put them right to sleep...

[meetoo]

Hi ladies!!

1. When is your baby's birthday?
dec 12

2. When is your baby's bedtime? When is she/he up for the morning?
goes down around 8 up around 7-7:30

3. How does your baby fall asleep at bedtime? Middle of the night?
at night she goes down either by nursing or rocking, middle of the night is always nursing

4. How many times does your LO wake at night? about 100

5. How many naps does your baby take and when are they? in theory she takes 2 naps a day, morning and afternoon ranging from 1-2 hours each. In actuality she has two siblings that are homeschooled so gernally at least one nap gets messed up.
6. Does your LO have a sleep aid, like a lovey or a pacifier? she use a bink and da boob

7. Where does baby sleep? crib or with me if home, stoller or ergo if out

8. Have you done any "sleep training" with your baby? (e.g. Ferber Method, No Cry Sleep Solution, etc.)
I do not believe in CIO and I'm waaaaaaayyyyy to lazy for the NCSS IME babies this age just don't sleep so great I'm sure at some point she will sleep again.