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We tried almost all the other methods we could find, my baby wouldn’t sleep for more than 1-2 hours at a time at night, and simply wouldn’t nap in the day (this was around the 4-6 month regressions). I was losing my mind so we tried a modified/gentle Ferber. LO was crying and grumpy most of the time anyway 🙈 Within 2 days, daytime naps were sorted. Within a week or less, she was sleeping through 11 hours. Unless she’s unwell or teething, she’s still sleeping through now, she’s an amazing sleeper!
(Not saying this will work for everybody, just think everyone has a different baby and this method definitely worked for us - she was a *much* happier baby once she was sleeping properly so it was the kindest thing to do, looking back!)
Same as @Anke above. We were both so miserable, and now she is such a happy baby and I am a much better mum. I think your schedule needs to be on point before trying though, and if you decide to do it, you have to commit, otherwise you just make them upset for nothing. The first few days were agonising, but she's been an amazing sleeper since (and I promise she doesn't love me any less)
I started the Ferber method yesterday and I felt horrible when my little girl was crying. First nap she cried on and of 10 mins and when to sleep Second nap she cried 5 mins and went to sleep Bedtime (7pm)- she cried on and off for 23 mins and then went to sleep. She then woke up two hours later cried for 8 mins and went to sleep and slept through till 4 I gave her a bottle and put her down. She then cried for 4 mins and went to sleep and slept through till 7.15am. I timed myself and went in at regular intervals but I felt me going in made her cry more. It was really difficult to hear her cry but honestly I know it will benefit her in the long run. For the past few weeks she has been waking up every 30 mins and each time I put her down she wakes up. She wanted to be held all night long and sitting on the rocking chair all night long was doing my back in. I also was going to work like a zombie. I am hoping in a weeks time she will go down without any crying and it will be worth it
@Anke helps to see these positive comments
@Naeema you’re so right. There is so much negativity and outright judgement out there about sleep training! I’d seen so much about it I was literally hallucinating with the exhaustion and I think I was close to needing a mental health diagnosis, as I refused to sleep train at all. Luckily my husband is a doctor with some experience with mothers and babies psychiatry so he was able to recognise the signs early. He was the one that sought help and advice and sent me literature to read to reassure me. You see a lot about the stress/cortisol levels of babies with sleep training but the studies quoted were barely scientific and don’t factor in the long term harm of sleep deprivation (both for mum and baby!) My personal experience is that Ferber was the only method that worked for us, and after a week, we went from a really grumpy, miserable baby (and Mama) to what nursery calls one of the happiest! It was genuinely like a personality transplant and life was so much better afterwards.
Again, same as above. Also, if you're in a car and your baby cries, what do you do? Stop in the middle of the road to attend to them? If you, an adult, are sleep deprived after waking hourly, imagine what it must do to your developing child. It surely isn't healthy either. I don't like to talk to anyone about this because of the judgement, but I promise it's less torturing to a child than having a miserable mum and if they themselves are struggling with sleep And no, we don't enjoy when our babies cry either
Sorry but it’s disgusting if you do this. They’re babies. COMFORT THEM if they cry. I don’t care how long my girls crying for I will cuddle her untill she settles.
Chronic sleep deprivation is a key contributing factor for PPD and PPA. Go take your judgement and superiority complex elsewhere. This isn’t the place for you. Your comment is disgusting and so is your attitude.
Thank you I am so sleep deprived going to make sure we have this one nap a day nailed as we’ve just changed it, unless he wakes up super super early. He goes to bed at 6:30/7:00 again we have played around with it all and nothing changes he does still want night time milk at around 1am would you wait until you have got rid of that night bottle or just give the bottle at that time ? Xx
We make sure he has water in his cot what he can have a drink if he needs and we can see him on the monitor xx
He has his jabs tomorrow so that’s definitely going to throw things out lots of snugs as he is a very sensitive boy xx
Get the calpol and ibuprofen ready, hope it’s not as bad as you’re expecting ❤️ it will get better!
@Anke thank you so much for your advice and kind words
You dont need to do cry it out, all you need is a routine with the right wake windows/nap times for your baby and they will settle if there happy. If there not tired they will fight naps