Sleep Training....Anyone had any success?

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Permalink Reply by Karen Langfield on May 9, 2008 at 12:21

My lilttle boy had always been a really good sleeper from about 2 months (we'd adopted the ignore him approach for a couple of nights) sleeping through from 8pm till about 6-7am until january when he was about 9mths old and he got a cold, which was when the reflux problems really started for us even though he'd always been a major league puker. He got a cough with the cold and the cough starting waking him up during the night and causing him to struggle to get to sleep despite being desperatley tired. When we finally saw the paed in April, it was so nice to finally know the cough was caused by somehting and wasn't just a cough he couldn't shake.

Anyway we've tried various things since then to get him sleeping back through, without success, mainly as he now just stands up in his cot and screams - no chance of him going back to sleep then. As I've now been back at work fulltime for about 6 weeks, we're just having to do whatever we can to get him back to sleep as quickly as possible - milk, our bed, watching tv.

But finally now his meds seem to be starting to work, he's on ventolin syrup, as well as omeprazole, to help with the cough, he starting to sleep a bit better and has slept through till about 5 am the last few nights.

So I haven't really offered much advice here, but the best advice, i saw was in an interview with one of my local midwives in my NCT branch magazine and that was not to go to them and pick them up at every wimper, wait for 5 mins or so as they often go back to sleep themselves - we used this, along with the ignoring him method (our version of controlled crying - we were too tired to get out of bed ourselves) and it really helped and still does most of the time.

Karen xx

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on May 9, 2008 at 12:27

Hi Lisa

I'm having the same issues with Daniel regarding sleep, unfortunately he will only sleep on me or near me and he is always in our bed so I can appreciate the problems you are having. I've tried everything raising his head, soothers, comfort blankets etc etc and nothing's working at the moment.

It may be worth getting the baby whisperer book, I think the shush pat routine is one that she uses, anything's worth a try. I'm not a fan of the controlled crying regime I have tried that and Daniel gets himself so worked up it can take up to an hour to calm him down afterwards.

I'm sorry I can't offer you any solutions I just wanted to let you know I sympathise with you. I hope you find a solution and get him settled before you return to work.

It's good news though about you weaning him off the medication.

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Permalink Reply by Francesca on May 9, 2008 at 17:02

I wish i could help. Max wakes a minimum of 4 times a night. i am so shattered that i have actually resigned from work. i am in no fit state to go back. My brain just isn't functioning. i don't have the energy. i'd be fired in less than 5 minutes.
What i have found with Max is that he seeks reassurance most of the time so if we leave him to cry, or go in and then out and in and out but don't hold him , it makes matters worse. he is able to work himself up so much that he will vomit exorcist style. That then simply means cleaning it all up and that takes time and energy. i tend to go in and try to cuddle and lull him back to sleep and if that doesn't work it usually means he is hungry so i feed him. I am at times practically in that cot with him but i do sense that if he senses we are there with him and for him we get him to settle quicker than when we try ant sleep training techniques.
good luck and let us know how u get on

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on May 9, 2008 at 22:25

Hi Francesca

Really sorry to hear that you've had to resign. Unfortunately I'm not in the position to but believe me I would if I could.

I've been talking on another chat forum for mums about the Baby Whisperer and although it's not easy it doesn't involve any controlled crying.

Joe is very similar to Max in that if left to cry he becomes inconsolabe....he doesn't vomit but there is absolutely no chance he will cry himslef to sleep....ever.

Perhaps the baby whisperers pick up put down method (which is what I'll be trying when I get the book) might work for Max as well. I'm pretty sure it's the only thing that's going to help Joe if anything will.

I really feel for you, it's so difficult trying to function normally when you're so sleep deprived.

Thanks to all of you also for your comments and well wishes. Hopefully I'll be posting a success story in a few weeks.

Take care all

Lisa

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Permalink Reply by Robyn on May 9, 2008 at 21:14

I don't know if I have any great advice but I do sympathise with you. I now have my THIRD reflux baby (she's 9 weeks old) and I think one of the hardest things about reflux is not just the pain & screaming but the months that follow dealing with sleep problems because of them learning 'bad' habits because you've spent so long rocking etc to do anything to help them sleep. I used a dummy with my other 2 girls (they are 7yrs & 4yrs now) because that was the only thing that soothed them. We went through a period of them waking through the night unable to find their dummy. Eventually with my second daughter I did the 'sleep training' when she was about 1 yr old - i.e. letting her cry for small periods of time & gradually increasing it. With my first daughter we just let her keep the dummy & put about 6 in her bed so during the night she could find it herself. Then we got rid of them when she was about 2yrs. There really is no 'easy' way I don't think. I do think the Baby Whisperer approach is less ' brutal' though. Good luck!
Robyn

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Permalink Reply by Michelle on May 9, 2008 at 22:29

I know every baby is different, but I went to my parents for a week and let my mum deal with Lauren during the night and within a few nights she was practically sleeping through with a couple of wakeups for reassurance. As I say, I know every baby is different but having =someone else take over fr a week definately solved all our problems - it sounds too good to be true when I think back but believe me Lauren was up screaming the house down at least 4 times a night before this.

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