We went to our six month wellness checkup, and our doctor told us that I don't need to feed him at night because he is a healthy baby. At this point it is more of a habit than anything else. Also, she suggested we just let him cry. She thinks it is better to do that now, then to have a toddler who cannot sleep, which is true. Another thing she said was to go longer between feedings, and to feed him solids three times a day. Finally, she suggested trying new foods every week!
Okay, now back to sleep…for naps, I have been putting him down awake, and letting him soothe himself. It has been going pretty well, I would say. He doesn't cry for very long in the afternoon (five-10 minutes tops). Don't get me wrong though, it isn't easy for me to let my little baby cry.
We have made his bedtime later, and that seems to have helped A LOT. He went from waking up 6-8 times, to waking up 2-3 times. This, in my opinion is great! However, a six-month-old should be sleeping longer stretches, and he isn't.
We used to go to him every time he cried to soothe him, now he can get his pacifier on his own, and put it into his mouth so when he wakes up we just let him figure it out. Last night wasn't the best because he had a really hard time going to sleep. It took him 30 minutes, and then Conrad figured out that he was really hot and he took him out of his swaddle, and switched him to a sleep sack. Then he still cried a little, switching all four pacifiers in and out of his mouth. Finally, he went to sleep, then woke up again at 12:30, and soothed himself back to sleep. Then again at 1:20, and Conrad went to him because I was afraid he would want to nurse. Conrad put the pacifiers within his reach, and he fussed for a little while before going back to sleep. He woke up again at two something, and soothed himself to sleep. At 4, he woke up and I nursed him so that I could get some more sleep. Finally, he woke up for the day at 6:30 a.m.
I think what messed him up was he took a longer afternoon nap than usual…and his last nap of the day lasted until 5:30, which I think is too late. Another thing that could have effected it was I tried to push his bedtime to 8:30 instead of 8. I don't know which of those hindered his night the most, but I will try to adjust his schedule today.
The other nights this week have been better than that, because I was keeping his schedule consistent. I know that I am going to have to just let him be, and eventually he will figure it out. I don't want him to be one, and still struggle with nighttime sleep. Also, I don't want to have to nurse him at night when he is one! I would like to start weaning him before he reaches one-year-old.
Anyway, he is much better than he was a month ago! We have friends whose babies still struggle at nighttime and they are a little older than he is, so it makes me feel a little better! I am sure things will come up all the time that make him sleep better or worse, and I am going to just have to ADAPT.
I just figure if I am not feeling right about something, I shouldn't do it. I think mothers have an instinct. However, I don't want him to be a spoiled brat who cannot be alone either! I want him to be more independent.
I will let you know how this goes. I hope your baby is getting some good nighttime sleep. Do you have any suggestions? If so, I'm all ears!
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