Sleep Issues - Dayton,OH

Updated on October 09, 2008
N.J. asks from Dayton, OH
18 answers

My daughter is 5 months old and having trouble falling asleep. She has to be rocked to sleep. Sometimes she cries for over an hour because she cannot fall asleep even when rocked.

Also she was a pretty good sleeper for her age- getting up 1-2 times a night. Now she is getting up 4-5 times a night and is up for about an hour every time. We are going crazy.

What can I do next?

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C.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Maybe she has colic...
if this is the case than you can buy Mylicon drops at Walgreens. It helps with colic babies. Another thing you can try is taken her a warm bath before she goes to bed.

Good luck!

C..

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M.W.

answers from Cleveland on

First, make sure there isn't an underlying medical issue ie: teeth, illness, etc. However; it sounds like she could be overtired to me. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is a GREAT book. It will talk you through teaching your child how to fall asleep on her own, whether you choose to let her 'cry it out' or use more soothing techniques. We started sleep training my first son at 12wks, and he learned to put himself to sleep for naps and bedtime. He sleeps about 12-13 hours a night (6:30pm-about 7:30am) with a 1.5hour nap around noon (he's 23months now). We just put him down in his crib and he falls asleep! We also have a 4 month old, who has had some health issues, so I'm not quite ready to train him yet. I will, though, because it works! Watch closely for sleepy signs: rubbing eyes, yawning, irritability and start soothing to sleep right away! Sometimes crying means "PUT ME DOWN!!!!!". Try letting her cry herself to sleep, some kids just need to let off steam before falling to sleep. GET THE BOOK and good luck!!!

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J.L.

answers from Cleveland on

Get Healthy Sleep, Happy Child. That book is great! My daughter has been sleeping 12 hours through the night sice 11 weeks. Dr. Weissbluth covers just about every issue you can have.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

HI Nidhi,

My daughter was very needy with the whole rocking her to sleep, as soon as I laid her down, she's wake up and scream. My son was so easy. I think at times it is personality.

Follow your mommy instincts.
I've heard both arguments and they both have their benefits and their disadvantages - I am referring to letting them cry.

With my daughter, at 8 months, I was able to let her cry and for a short time she cried a few days and she was self-soothing. Only to reverse at 2yo and now it's back to basics.

My son - who is 14 months - was a breeze after 7 months. We let him cry and now he self-soothes to sleep and if he wakes up through the night.
Our daughter, having been our first and us having catered to her a lot - still at 2 wakes up through the night SEVERAL times screaming and wants mommy or daddy to lay her back down.
It's exhausting.
Especially after seeing the difference when a baby just sleep through the night. My daughter woke us up every HOUR her first year.

I wonder how much of that is our fault for catering to her and going back in - with him we just didn't and he learned to put himself back to sleep without demanding that someone came in.

So... with all that being said - you can mold - I believe - their sleeping habbits greatly by how you respond to their cries at night.
My daughter was even put on GERD medication for a year thinking she was aking up cos of the heartburn but that wasn't it cos she still woke up with the medicine and still does now that she's older..... Go figure!

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P.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

Baby swings are great. I used one with my daughter.

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K.W.

answers from Youngstown on

Could she be teething. Sometimes babies have trouble sleeping when they are getting teeth. They can be in pain and bothered by their teeth for quite some time before they come in. I agree with one of the other posters check with your doctor. Also have you tried sitting by the crib with your had on her back and slowly night by night move a little father away until you are out the door. This method worked for my son for naps and it seemed less cruel than letting him cry it out. Good luck.

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R.D.

answers from Indianapolis on

I agree that it sounds like she is over-tired. For some reason, babies don't sleep as well when they are over-tired. You might need to try putting her down earlier.
Also, some babies sleep better having cereal at night, but some don't. My son would wake up sooner and more often when given cereal at night rather than in the morning. I think it filled his tummy fuller, and he noticed when it was gone quicker.
Also, if you are bottle feeding, don't put her down with a bottle! Have you heard of bottle-baby mouth? It isn't good for them to fall asleep with milk in their mouth, something that can happen if they fall asleep with a bottle. It rots the teeth that are due to come in.
Good luck. It is hard to work all day and be up all night!
R.

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J.C.

answers from Dayton on

Are you breastfeeding? If so, have you tried breastfeeding her to sleep. If you are bottle feeding try that. Babies cry when the need something, whether it be emotional or physical. She could be beginning to teeth, which is quite painful. She also might just need to be held. First make sure nothing is physically bothering her. Maybe she has gas and needs to be held in the colic position to ease the gas. If you can find no physical problems then she might just need to be loved and snuggled. Babies, like adults, go through emotional ups and downs. Be sure to listen to her cries and she will grow to be happier in the long run. Babies that are picked up when crying actually become more independent, confident children. :D

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M.G.

answers from Cleveland on

One word: TEETHING. I'd bet on it.

Try Hyland's teething tablets. all natural and safer to give than tylonel (which doesn't seem to work that well for my girls anyway). The teething tablets really seem to do the trick and the Oragel is awesome too.

Good luck.

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S.D.

answers from Indianapolis on

hmmmm...maybe teething? Try getting some teething tablets.

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C.L.

answers from Columbus on

My daughter is 15 mo and she has alwasy been a good sleeper, except when she's teething. When she wakes up at night, I know she's cutting teeth. I give her a dose of Tylenol for the pain before I put her to bed and that does the trick to allow her to rest at night. I still give her a bottle and rock her to sleep every night. I cherish that time I get to snuggle with my baby.

Like other suggestions, make sure she has a full tummy before you try getting her to sleep. Might just do the trick.

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J.R.

answers from Columbus on

She is just about the age for teething. Check her gums for swelling or white spots that would indicate a little tooth trying to come thru. Numzit for babies is a good product that I found for my little angels.

I am a Mom of 4 and a foster Mom of many, many over the past 40 years.

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D.Q.

answers from Dayton on

Is she hungry. She may be going through a growth spurt and she might be hungry. Is she eating cereal yet? You might want to try cereal before she goes to bed. That might help her sleep longer and maybe all night. Try rocking her until she is just about to fall asleep. Then put her down. Does she have a mobile or anything on her crib that plays music? You could try some Baby Mozart in her room. My oldest had to be rocked forever. Eventually, when I became pregnant with my son, we had to do the tough love thing and make her go to bed without rocking. It was tough for a while but it had to be done. I can tell you, though. She is a terrible sleeper to this day and she is almost 10. My son, on the other hand, is a great sleeper. I did things differently with him. Good luck.

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M.S.

answers from Dayton on

Hi!

Use a SwaddleMe (found at babies r us) blanket and tightly wrap both her arms and legs up. Lots of times babies will wake themselves up by kicking or moving their arms and hitting their faces, etc. We tightly wrap up our 4 mo old so she can't do that. She sleeps from 10pm to 7am without waking up at all.

best of luck!
L.

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J.R.

answers from Cincinnati on

How about using music like Baby Eienstein CD's. I also used to have the music on from the cable channel. We used to sleep downstairs in the family room when she was an infant. You could also try the musical things that attach on the crib bars. I have seen the fish musical things. Do you use the swing? How bright does it get in the mornings? I have a sheet over my daughters curtains to keep her room dark. You could try reading. Is there a routine you follow? Maybe her tummy hurts. She could be getting too much feeding or not enough. I only breastfed for a short time and supplemented with Enfamil.

Good Luck.
J. R.

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M.P.

answers from Indianapolis on

Take her to a doctor first. She may have an ear infection or something that is bothering her. Kids don't always run fevers with these things. Other than that, make sure you are stimulating her in the daytime, showing her different things, different people, taking her outside and try to keep her awake more in the daytime.

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E.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

My daughter did the same thing! This is when I started feeding her food. I was breastfeeding (still am) and started to give her rice cereal or basic veggies (sweet potatoes, squash) in teh evening. She was so much more full and slept so much better. Maybe your little one is just getting more hungry and is ready for food. (Be sure to introduce new foods in teh AM first in case they cause tummy problems.)

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J.S.

answers from Terre Haute on

Maybe she's not tired. I remember when I was a first time mom...my oldest (12yrs. now) had fought her sleep all the time...still does!! I was told that sometimes babies fight their sleep because they want more parent time, they are learning...and growing and they want to do more...until they are so tired that they can not sleep...sometimes they do fall asleep and don't wake up when you want them too. I have 3 girls and my best sleeper is my youngest. (2yrs old.) She will sleep as long as everyone is asleep...or even longer sometimes..sometimes when she wakes up she'll wake everyone else up. Sometimes if you have a very exhasting day...long and very busy...it can overwhelm a child and they cannot sleep for hours. So the thing is, is to have a very quiet time, relaxing music, maybe a few books read, a nice relaxing bath/shower...with lavender soap...that usually helps out alot. Never found out why my oldest was such a busy body...my youngest is a very busy body, but wears herself out pretty quick...Good Luck!

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