Sleeping Help - Urgent

Hi all

I put my son down for a sleep at 8am (we are having trouble with daytime sleeps), he cried for 15 minutes, then went to sleep. But only slept until 9.15am. I think he still needs more sleep, so have left him in bed, only visiting once to try and get him to take his dummy in the hopes he will go back to sleep. But no such luck! He is still crying, now going on 10 to 15 minutes. What do I do? Do I get him up or will that just tell him that if he cries he gets what he wants, or do I leave him? And if I leave him, for how long if he keeps crying?

All help appreciated...

yeah I'd go and cuddle him. He might justbe  lonely.  He is too little to work out how to get what he wants...he still doesnt even know his body is his.  I would get him up, feed him if necessary (thinking growth spurt), change him, little play then try sleep again.

Is it hysterical crying or more of a whingy type cry? if hysterical would get him up for a cuddle and try and put him back down again once he's calm. If it's just whingy and he's been recently fed, has a clean nappy then I would leave for as long as you can handle it then get him up.
How did you go?

Yep try and put him back down

I think 1hr 15mns for a sleep is pretty good!

Are you using a routine?

At that age Hannah was on a 3 hour cycle thing, feed, play, sleep.

Each babe is different but the routine was more for me! Many people are more into demand feeding etc though.

So far so good, he is quiet not even making any noise - although the dummy helps with that.

It is not that I want to do other things, although the house certainly could use some attention, but I really want to get his sleeping during the day sorted. As at the moment he only sleeps for 30 to 60 minutes and by the end of the day - 5pmish he is pretty awful - non stop grizzling and crying - until around 7pmish. I think because he is overtired....

I hate the crying as well, but sometimes really do think he is trying me on... but maybe I am imagining it. I do let him sleep in my arms and sometimes the bassinette as well. Plunket nurse did say that he needed to sleep more than he was though, hence why he is now in his own room and no longer in the lounge where he started off. She thought there were too many distractions which was not helping him sleep longer.

We are trying to use a routine. He is formula fed, so we were feeding every 3 hours. Although he seemed to want to play first, then feed, then sleep. So trying to turn that one around. But at the moment he is refusing the bottle fairly regularly. So am trying him 3 hourly if he is awake and grizzly but then if he doesn't want it, try to put him back to bed or play before trying again later with the food. I figure if he is refusing the bottle he is not hungry!

Thanks for all your help, any other suggestions well and truely welcome!

cuppatea wrote: Good luck. Do you have a sling? I found them great to help get Spencer off to sleep, I also use to let him just sleep on me when he was little as well. I think its only natural that they want to be close and contrary to what some people believe it doesn't make them clingy. Spencer was having all his sleeps in his own room from 4 months cos he felt safe and secure in his environment. Sorry to sound a bit ranty i'm just totally against letting babies cry. JMO though

I'm the same. Michaela often slept in the front pack while I was doing things or I'd lie down and have a nap with her on the couch or in bed. She did sleep in her own moses basket and basinette too but I always responded when she wanted me. By 3 weeks old she'd just let out a little cry then wait patiently (for a min or two) for DH or I to turn up - it was very cute. By 5 mo when she started crawling she was quite the independant little lady.

I actually know someone that did CC from very early on and although her routine was envious her baby grew up to be a huge sook. If Michaela hurts herself she gets up brushes herself off (maybe comes over for a cuddle) then gets about the business of playing, she hardly ever cries and if she does I know it's serious. This other child screams blue bl00dy murder if he gets the slightest bump or scratch and IMO it's because he needed to cry so hard to get attention.

I certainly don't want to turn him into a sook! And I don't want him thinking that I won't come if he is upset, but I don't want him not getting enough sleep either - such a fine line to walk apparently!

Can you tell me where I get Infacol from? The Plunket Nurse mentioned that as well but I don't know where to get it....

His basinette is slightly raised actually - glad to hear I am doing something right already.

Thanks for the ideas for burping, we already do the first one - which works sometimes and not others. But will try the second one as well. One that I find which works quite well - which is similar - is that I hold him up to my should and gently pat him on the bottom whilst bouncing him a little, can usually get some more wind out of him that way.