Still Having Sleep Troubles!

Jamie,

Your daughter needs to learn how to soothe herself back to sleep. Put her down at 7pm and go get her at 7am. If she cries- she is complaining that you aren't soothing her and that the routine is changing. That is ok. The change needs to happen for her to be a good sleeper. Move her crib to her own room and put sound spas (can buy at Target or other such stores) in all the kids rooms- yours too if you want. Trust me you can do it; she can do it. And it will only take a few days.

At 10 months I would switch to a 9am-ish nap and a 1pm-ish nap- they should last about 2 hours (maybe longer, maybe shorter) and then the earlier bedtime.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

C., mother of 3, sleep consultant, sleep blog writer www.lullabyluna.com

Hi Jamie,

If you're going to do something about it and try to teach her a "new" habit, I think it's worth spending a few sleepless nights and teach her how to sooth herself back to sleep. Don't give her other sleep "crouches" like moving her to your bed because she's crying. Arrange a sleepover for your other kids for a couple of nights until she learns that at 1am when she wakes up, she'll get to see you, but she'll have to continue sleeping in her own crib. Comfort her but be consistent to your plan. My son was not a good sleeper and when he was about 6 months old I couldn't function w/o my sleep anymore. It took me a couple of nights and since then he's been sleeping for 9-10 hours. He's 15 months old now and he had some "troubled" nights when he was teething, but I comforted him in his bed, not picked him up and he went right back to his routine. I'm a much better mom when I'm rested and he's such a happy baby when he's got a good night sleep. Let me know if you'd like to read this ebook I have that presents some solutions to your problem.

Hi Jaime,
Okay, so basically, the problem now is that she wakes at about 1:00am?

A baby, IS going to wake, no matter what. But this is different/difficult for you, because she USED TO sleep in her swing for 10 hours straight. BUT, now that she has adjusted to her crib... she wakes at 1:00am. This is normal, though. But it's just not what you are used to.
The swing, was basically a pseudo-Mom... and "It" was making her sleep. But now that she is not in the swing, she is being a normal baby that wakes at night.

For a baby, "sleeping through the night" means sleeping at least 5-6 hours straight. So if she goes to bed at say 7:00pm... and she wakes at 1:00am... she IS actually sleeping real well. That's 6 hours of "sleep" before she wakes. And she goes back to sleep until 5:30am.

Both my kids slept in a crib, in our room. But yes, they woke, as all babies do. I also co-slept with them as needed or for nursing.
BUT, an alternative to that is... we have a floor futon in our room... and THIS is where I co-sleep with my kids if need be... AND since it is on the floor, they can't "fall off" and get hurt. And we have nothing around on the floor space for them to get hurt on either, if they roll around. This method has worked real well for us and our kids.

You said you want at least one child that actually sleeps in a crib... but this baby is. The only "problem" being that she wakes at 1:00am currently... and then likes to be in bed with you. So, maybe have a spot on the floor for her (and you) where you can co-sleep with her and put her back to sleep on. Then when she does fall back asleep, you can leave and go back to your bed or do anything you want. You don't HAVE TO stay RIGHT next to her ALL night. That way, she will get used to that.

I think mainly, this is all just a "Culture shock", because she USED TO sleep in the swing all night for 10+ hours straight. But this is not the "usual" thing for a baby. She didn't learn how to soothe herself or how to sleep on her own, or with you soothing her. She learned that the "swing" was her soother. BUT the good thing is, she IS now sleeping in the crib. So that's good, and what you hoped for, right?
But so now she wakes, as any normal baby would... and it means interrupted sleep for you. AND its good that you have a sleep routine everyday... good for you! Keep that up.

right now she wakes at 1:00am. Next month it may be different... a baby changes sleep patterns all the time... and per their growth-spurts and increasing need for intake. The swing...actually negated any 'natural' sleep wakings for feedings or growth-spurts and it negated natural sleep patterns a baby has, because the swing "masked" these things, which are normal in a baby.

I think its good, that routine she is on now... but maybe try the floor futon... as an alternative to having to have her in YOUR bed with you, and her falling out.

But sorry, her "ability" to fall asleep for 10-11 hours straight was an "artificial" ability, which was brought on by the swing's CONSTANT rocking her to sleep. It was not "her" per say that made herself sleep for that long.

Perhaps, also try some "white noise"..... we put a fan on low for my son when he naps and he likes it. Or some people use a "white noise" machine.

But keep to your sleep routines... there is no reason to change it, since it does work and for her naps and bedtime.

Sorry... I know lack of sleep is hard... but her waking ONLY 1 time a night, is actually pretty darn good. My kids, would wake 2-3 times a night... and only at about 2 years old did they only wake once.

All the best,
Susan

Yes, I would definately move her to the crib in her own bedroom. Patting her to sleep like you did the first night is a good idea, if she needs it after the move. I bet she will not even wake up, if she is in a room by herself (I always use a nightlight.) If she does wake up, go to her, but don't pick her up. The other kids will probably sleep through it. Comfort her and talk to her, and pat her, but don't pick up. If she stands up, lay her back down. If she sits, don't worry, you just don't want her to fall asleep standing up, and fall from standing. If you have to repeat it a few nights, gradually move your chair further away from the crib. Should transition in a couple of nights. This is the Ferber method, if you want to get the book. "Solving Your Child's Sleep Problems."