One of the biggest challenges new parents face is getting their little ones to sleep through the night. One mom recently confessed her dilemma within the BabyCenter June 2015 Birth Club community, and says lack of sleep is taking a toll on her physically and mentally.
The mom says she co-sleeps with her baby out of necessity. She hasn’t had a good night’s rest in the last 15 months because breastfeeding is the only way her baby will sleep. To make matters worse, the little one also breastfeeds throughout the night.
Even though this won’t last forever, this mom says she sees no end in sight. She’s tried the cry it out method, but that hasn’t worked either.
“He literally will not stop crying, or will cry to the point of throwing up. I don’t know if I need to quit the overnight feeds first, or during the sleep training. Checking in on him at intervals only seems to make it worse,” she writes.
Now she’s considering hiring a sleep consultant and is asking for advice. Members within the community are chiming with suggestions.
One mom says spending 350 dollars on a consultant was well worth it.
“We hired one at 6 months though and had my little one sleeping through by night 3,” she comments.
Another mom writes, “I hired one when my son was 7-months-old. She was great. She told me it should take two weeks to get naps and nighttime sleep straight. Well, it took seven weeks. She stuck with me the whole time and didn’t charge me extra. She did say that my son was one of the most challenging babies she had worked with.”
But, hiring a professional isn’t the only way to get your baby to sleep through the night. One mom advises that establishing a routine as soon as possible is the way to go.
“When they get tired, they will fall asleep. White noise sound machine, dark curtains, and a good routine will do the trick. We also use a soft blanket and soft mattress cover,” she says.
I actually had the same experience as the mom seeking advice, and I agree that having a routine helps. Our daughter never slept more than two hours at a time each night as an infant. Breastfeeding was the only thing that would put her to sleep.
I was a walking zombie and didn’t know what to do. Our son also had trouble sleeping as a baby too, but he wasn’t as bad as his sister. Honestly, I never thought about a sleep specialist. I just kept reminding myself that it was just a faze. Some people recommended a pacifier. Others suggested the cry it out method.
They were too young in my opinion for the cry it out method and I didn’t want them to grow dependent on a pacifier. I did, however, enlist my husband’s help. We had introduced the bottle when the kids were about 3-weeks-old. If things got a bit too much for me, he’d grab a pre-pumped bottle from the fridge and do the honors while I got some rest.
I also decided to co-sleep, which was like killing two birds with one stone. I was able to breastfeed my babies until they fell asleep. If they woke up during the night, they’d find their way back to the nipple and latch on their own. I know some may advise against it, but it worked well for us. My babies were happy and I got much needed rest.
I didn’t see the need to hire a specialist. In fact, I really wasn’t aware of that being an option. In the end, you just have to do what’s right for you.
How did you handle sleepless nights?
Commentsphoto: Istock, Thinkstock
Stacy-Ann Gooden (aka Weather Anchor Mama) can be seen delivering the weather forecast on the news in New York City. But her most important role is being a wife and mom. She writes about balancing career and motherhood in her blog, Weather Anchor Mama. You can also follow her on twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
