Baby not sleeping at bedtime.

[Salsa]

DS is 5 mths.
We have had continuous difficulties with his sleeping, but recently managing to do quite well. He is sleeping ok through the night, but not going to sleep until about 11pm! We have tried and tried using the hammock, cuddling, feeding to sleep, in bed with us, rocking...but some nights he just will not go to sleep.
he only has short sleeps during day, and after his bedtime routine he wakes after one cycle (about 30 - 40 mins), and then it can be hard to get him bacck to sleep.
WHAT CAN WE DO???? His going to sleep so late, not only means we spend the evening doing nothing but swapping who`s turn it is to look after him, but also I have not been able to get to sleep myself till near midnight ever since he was born.

[BabyMama]

Hi Salsa,

It's very hard when you're not getting any time to yourself at night as well as not getting to sleep until late. You've done very well to get through this 5 months!

My DS has never been a great sleeper - at 5 months I was still rocking him to sleep for every day nap and he'd only have about 45 minute naps (probably because he couldn't settle back to sleep himself). I also found that at 5 months his night sleeps were getting worse.

For me, helping bub fall asleep on his own for the day sleeps really helped him sleep for longer in the day and also helped with the night sleeps.

If you'd like some advice about helping bub fall asleep on his own (without letting him cry) let me know - I'm sure there are also lots of mums on BB who have been through the same thing who can help you out.

Also remember that bubs change so much, especially in the first year. Every time I post something on BB about DS, I can read that post a month later and find that things have changed.

No matter what you decide to do, things will change eventually. And if you need some support to push things along - then do what you need to do so you can get that support.

Also - the book No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley is wonderful for helping bub settle him/herself to sleep gently.

Take care of yourself and try to relax when you can

[Salsa]

Thanks babymama.
We arleady have the Elizabeth Pantley nap book and I have been to a sleep/settling clinic for DS also! He is doing alot better with self settling now, but at night/bedtime he has his routine and then goes to sleep for one cycle. Then he wakes and sometimes I can get him back to sleep with a feed, but he will either wake again later or he just wont go back to sleep at all till its very late! So - yes, little time to self day and evening!!!
Any further advise greatly appreciated.

[BabyMama]

My DS was never a good sleeper but I do remember that his sleep deteriorated at about 5 months. I hear that it's quite common - between all the crawling, starting food and other developmental leaps, it must be hard for their little brains to wind down at night.

I also had 2 consults at sleep school, the NCSS book (and about 10 others) and very quickly found that it was a lot easier to just go with it - some things work and sometimes nothing works. Just in the last week DS's night sleep has improved and he's 1 now. (Hopefully it's not a fluke )

Also you might want to try staying in DS's bedroom if he wakes at night, even for feeds. I always kept the lights low, no playing etc at night so DS knew it was sleep time. It sounds like you're probably doing all that anyway, but just a thought.

Good luck Salsa - our bubs will grow out of all of these difficult stages. We just have to hang in there - it's so hard when you're tired and just want sleep!!!

Hope someone else might have some advice for you

[anna]

Hi Salsa, you poor thing, it sounds exhausting for you!

Just a thought...what is his bedtime routine? Does he get to the droopy-eye stage in the bedtime routine, or is he pretty much wide awake when you put him to bed at night?

I found that DD was falling asleep during the last feed of the evening after her bath, and that lead to more night wakenings, because I was essentially feeding her to sleep. Now I feed her and then give her a bath, so she is wide awake at bedtime. She self settles really well, so she is then asleep without a peep at 7pm.

When he wakes after 40mins, could you send DH in to do some rocking or patting or cuddling? I find if I go in DD just wants a feed, but accepts a cuddle from dad more readily.

Also, I introduced a comforter toy, and that has been great to help DD resettle. I put it in her hand as I do up her sleeping bag, and then she sucks on it to go to sleep. When she stirs, she then just sucks on it to resettle.

Hmmm...that's about all I can suggest. I hope you get some sleep soon. GL with it...