Baby has never slept well
Help! My almost 7mo son is still waking up every 2-3 hours at night. I feel like he’s uncomfortable or gassy so been giving him gripe water before bed and ensuring I burp him good. We just started giving him baby food as well so I thought that would help but it hasn’t. He’s hybrid fed. Not sure if he’s reacting to my milk or formula. We have co-slept since birth and this last week I tried the crib but he still wakes up so I end up taking him to my bed because I’m so tired.
Wake windows - 2.5-3 hours
Routine - book, bottle, darkness, sound machine, hold and rock to sleep which I don’t mind
Goals - I just want to get some sleep lol 4-5 hour stretches and not have to wake up 3-4 times a night.
TIA!
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Follow same idea at night time so things are consistent and he’s not confused. Timings have to be good too. I would be suggesting moving to 2 naps at this age with around 2hr45-3hr between each nap and closer to 3hrs before bed. Eg 7am up, 9:45/10am nap, 2/2:30pm nap (or a bit later if 1 one is long) and 7pm bedtime. Total naptime not to exceed 3 hours. 7am up 10-12 nap (long nap) 3-4 nap 7pm bed 7am up 10-11 nap (shorter nap) 2-3:30/4 nap 7pm bed
Hi! I totally understand you are tired and if it seems as though co sleeping isn’t helping the wake ups I would advise keep on trying in his crib. If your little one is helped off to sleep (ie rocked), then that is part of their falling asleep process. So when he wakes at night briefly (as we all do), to him, he needs that help again because that what his body feels it needs to go back to sleep with. To get longer stretches at night I would highly advise you to work on allowing him to fall asleep in his crib without assistance. Sure it will cause some tears, but you can stay beside him offering him some comfort but with the goal of reducing that over time. How quick you do it depends on how you want to approach it, but I would encourage place him down wide awake at the end of his night routine (make sure milk doesn’t get him sleepy) and remind yourself he can do this. Sit and offer shhing or brief patting and stay strong and consistent. Don’t rush if you hear him at night.