Hello!

Hi, I was hoping that your linkers might be able to help me. My 6 1/2month year old has stopped sleeping. The issue we are having with her is when she is put in her cot (either in a sleeping bag or half swaddled) she rolls around and crawls around the cot. I’ve tried tucking her sleeping bags into the cot so she can’t move but she either screams or untucks herself. I’ve tried putting her down in other places and the only way I can get her to sleep is if I lay with her or pat her (she used to self settle by herself). I don’t want to keep doing this as it will create a bad sleep association. Please help, I’d love to hear from other mums with tips to help my 6 month old sleep.

Posted by anon 21/06/2013

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  • hopefully a short phase for you. you have a few bad nights…


  • Rocking with soft music helps!


  • Patience and soft music always is of benefit!


  • I wouldn’t tuck her up if she wants to move let her and she will go to sleep soon enough. Then you can check on her later and just cover her with blankets.


  • I hope you found a solution!


  • i hope its gotten better :)


  • I just love hearing of routine because it never worked in our house. And just as you thought you had one something else happened to change it. Wake for food, sort that out and then teething started :)


  • Hope you found a way to get her to sleep for you.


  • The routine is important and should stay the same, I hope you have found something that works for you.


  • I hope you have found a tip that works well for you


  • Establish a strict bedtime routine, dim the lights and create a peaceful sleepy atmosphere about an hour before its time for bed. When you put her in bed, leave the room. If she’s unsettled go back in, reassure her its ok, then leave again. It doesn’t really matter if she crawls around her cot then falls asleep somewhere not where you like her to be, just go in and move her after shes fallen asleep.


  • Maybe play relaxing music. That relaxes then n they nod off


  • Put Your Sleepy Baby to Bed

    Starting when your baby is 6 to 12 weeks old, soothe her until she is drowsy. When she’s on the verge of sleep, put her down and let her drift off on her own. Don’t wait until she’s fully asleep.

    This routine will teach your baby to soothe herself to sleep, and you won’t need to rock or cuddle her to sleep every time she wakes up during the night.

    Let Your Baby Cry it Out — Should You or Shouldn’t You?

    The decision is yours, of course. But if it’s hard for you stay away from your baby when she cries, going with this method may not be the best choice. Studies show that, even if parents make it through the first night or two, they usually find that enforcing sleep this way is too stressful. Many parents were not able to ignore their babies long enough or consistently enough for them to stop crying and eventually fall asleep on their own.


  • Check In, Then Leave

    One crying-it-out type of sleep training is the well-known, yet controversial, Ferber Method, also known as “Progressive Watching” or “Graduated Extinction”. The goal is to teach your baby how to sleep on her own and put herself back to sleep if she wakes up during the night. Richard Ferber, MD, director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children’s Hospital Boston, developed this method. He advises parents not to start this training until baby is at least 5 or 6 months old. Here’s an overview of how it’s done:
    •Put your baby in her crib — drowsy, but awake. Once you’ve finished her bedtime routine, leave the room.
    •If your baby cries, wait a few minutes before you check on her. The amount of time you wait depends on you and your baby. You might start waiting somewhere between 1 and 5 minutes.
    •When you re-enter your baby’s room, try to console her. But do not pick her up and do not stay for more than 2 or 3 minutes, even if she’s still crying when you leave. Seeing your face will be enough to assure your baby that you are close by so she can eventually fall asleep on her own.
    •If she continues crying, gradually increase the amount of time you wait before going in to check on her again. For instance, if you wait 3 minutes the first time, wait 5 minutes the second time, and 10 minutes each time after that.
    •The next night, wait 5 minutes the first time, 10 minutes the second time, and 12 minutes each time after that.


  • Check In, Then Leave continued…

    Adopting this method might be difficult during the first few nights. But you’ll likely see improvement in your baby’s sleep pattern by day 3 or 4. Most parents see an improvement within a week.

    Tip: If you want to try the Ferber Method, make sure you’re well rested before the first night of sleep training. For the first nights especially, you’ll spend a lot of time listening for your baby’s cries, checking your watch, and entering and exiting her room.


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