# GEAH!!! Nearly ready to CIO



## quantumleap (Apr 13, 2006)

Holy, frustration. I know I probably shouldn't complain, because, once she's asleep, I can put her down and walk away, but the getting to sleep is a nightmare! I'm not willing to do this anymore!
DD is 6 months, and I read the Pantley book and worked hard for several weeks when she was about 3 months. It worked. She would nurse to sleep after a bath, massage and a story. The whole thing would take at most 45 minutes, she would be asleep by 7:30 or 8, would usually nurse around 11 and then again at 5 or 6, and then she'd be up around 8. I WANT THAT BACK!!!
Now, we do the usual routine and then she basically screams until 9 or 10pm, wakes to nurse at 12, and then is up at 5. I can sometimes convince her to go back to sleep until 6 after that. I hate the early waking, but I really, really cannot do the nightime scream-a-thon for 2 hours every night. I hate evening. I need a bit of time without dd attached to me (she's pretty content, but is very much demanding during the day). dp and I would like a bit of grown up time. But, mostly, I can handle starting bedtime at 7:30 and still being at it 2 or 3 hours later. Can't. I've seriously considered just putting her down and walking away. I've done it, actually, but come right back because the wailing changes into the most pitiful screaming ever. I sometimes fight the urge to scream myself. I've found myself, once or twice, yelling at dd, "I don't understand what you want!! You're tired! Go. To. Sleep!!". Not something I like to admit. I understand why people shake their babies!
We've tried swaddling and shushing, singing, rocking, etc. Taking a walk with the sling works, but then she wakes and SCREAMS when we get home and put her down. I've tried camillia/teething remedies. I tried rescue remedy once. I've tried starting the routine earlier and starting it later. I don't have a clue. Seriously. Help?

We do co-sleep, and love it. Her naps have gone to complete crap since this too. She now crashes around 8am for an hour or so, and then still takes her regular 10:30 or 11 nap, the afternoon is now a potshot and she often conks out for 45 minutes or so before dinner, something she had outgrown around 3 months. Help. Please.


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

ok... so she sleeps from 12 - 5 at 6 months?

If this is the case you are lucky!

If you cant handle starting bedtime at 7:30 and it lasting for two hours then start it later... that might be too early.


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## quantumleap (Apr 13, 2006)

Start time doesn't seem to make a difference! I've kept her up until 8, 9, 9:30... She still is taking up to three hours to settle. I know getting 5 hours in a row is nice, and I do appreciate it, truly. But, for me, the bedtime thing is really getting to be a dreaded experience. Maybe that's the problem - she knows I hate it so she responds to that? I keep telling myself that it's just a phase, but I get a little panicky when I think about this phase lasting too much longer! I guess I was spoiled by her previous habits.


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

I would say that yes you were spoiled!!









Sleep patterns change all of the time, 6 mos is a really bad time for sleep because they are going through a ton of growth spurts... physical, mental, etc... just be thankful for what you have (the 5 hours) because that is really great. It might last a while but this is really no reason to CIO, yes it can be frustrating and you might be tired but you are right in thinking that she is sensing how you feel about it.


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## FernG (Feb 14, 2008)

Have you tried getting your LO to sleep in the sling and then having break/adult time w/ her in the sling? DD went through a stage where this helped us. She transitioned to bed much better around midnight even though she slept in the sling from about 8 until then. Transitioning her earlier in the night didn't work.

I'm sorry! My DD is somewhat high-needs during the day, too. It does get better. Everything is a phase and this one will change soon.


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## MamaDona (Apr 13, 2008)

The late nap might also be throwing things off. I know the conventional wisdom around here is that sleep makes sleep, but for my kids, afternoon naps (anything after 3 p.m.) meant a very difficult bedtime. Can you distract her from that last nap?


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## HikeMama (Feb 12, 2009)

First- You need a break. Even if it's during the day, please let your husband watch your little one for 2 hours while you __________ (go to the movies with your friends, have a relaxing foot bath, go shopping, whatever). This will recharge your batteries so you can better handle the nighttime stress. I think this will help you more than anything you change about your nighttime routine.

2nd- This will pass. Remember that and everything becomes easier.

3rd- Quiet and dark. My 1.5 y/o won't fall asleep is she even sees shadows on the wall or hears a mouse click.

Good luck- Please keep us posted.


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

I don't have any advice, but 6 months was an awful awful sleep time for us too. It will get better! For us it was around 7-7.5 months when it seemed like overnight DD started sleeping better. I hope things get better soon for you.


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## readytobedone (Apr 6, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FernG* 
Have you tried getting your LO to sleep in the sling and then having break/adult time w/ her in the sling?


not trying to be a smartypants, but i see this advice on MDC all the time, and i'm just curious...did this work for many of you? DD would in no way sleep in a sling inside the house while i was just hanging out...certainly not at 6 months and probably not at 6 weeks. so i'm just wondering, does this work for most babies (she's my first)?









i remember bouncing her to sleep in a sling on a ball when she was a couple months, but if i stopped bouncing, she woke up. the whole sling her around the house thing never really worked at all.


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## Super~Single~Mama (Sep 23, 2008)

I know this is awful, but my son is just about 6months and we've given up putting him to bed







:

What do we do? We lie in bed with him for a while (doing quiet time type activities) until he gets himself so tired that he falls asleep. Sometimes he will play with my hair for an hour, roll over and fall asleep. I do this for naps too - he doesn't like to sleep at.all - this is the ONLY thing that keeps my sanity and him calm.


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## amber913 (Jun 4, 2006)

I'm sorry, i didn't get a chance to read the replies, but wanted to add my two cents.

Babies' sleep patterns change drastically with time. This could very well be a phase. Some phases last days, some last months. You just never know what you're going to get with a baby.

I've also felt that as soon as you either brag or complain about your baby's sleep habits, the habits do a 180. If that's true (which it always is







), your baby should be sleeping better, falling to sleep more easily in no time!


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## Evelynmia'smom (Mar 8, 2009)

I know what you are going through. My lo was the same way at 6 months....it is a hard time for sleep....milestones, growth spurt, etc.
I remember feeling just as angry and frustrated and just wanting to eat dinner and watch tv with my husband without going in every.30.minutes...however, it DOES pass.
What worked for us eventually was to get a good nap schedule going....i found that if she was well rested during the day that bedtime wouldn't be so bad. It sounds like your lo may be overtired...have you tried putting her down earlier...like 6:30??


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *readytobedone* 
not trying to be a smartypants, but i see this advice on MDC all the time, and i'm just curious...did this work for many of you? DD would in no way sleep in a sling inside the house while i was just hanging out...certainly not at 6 months and probably not at 6 weeks. so i'm just wondering, does this work for most babies (she's my first)?









i remember bouncing her to sleep in a sling on a ball when she was a couple months, but if i stopped bouncing, she woke up. the whole sling her around the house thing never really worked at all.

It has worked for my two kids. it works for the kids of all of my babywearing friends.. and it even has worked when i was trying to get the kiddo of someone who didnt babywear normally to sleep when I was visiting them.


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## bethanymama (Jun 16, 2009)

I second the overtiredness... I would try putting her to bed early for several nights in a row and see if you see any improvement. It takes several days - like 3-4 days - before they catch up on sleep and then can rest a little calmer. Remember, you definitely won't see any improvement after one night.
That evening screaming does sound terrible! Why does she go on that long night after night? How do you respond to it?


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## Devaya (Sep 23, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *almadianna* 
It has worked for my two kids. it works for the kids of all of my babywearing friends.. and it even has worked when i was trying to get the kiddo of someone who didnt babywear normally to sleep when I was visiting them.

Worked for me too, it's not my ideal situation but I've often been grateful I could at least continue to interact with my partner/do some reading/whatever, and meet DS's needs at the same time. He's been fine doing that until very recently (he's 20 months).

Hugs to the OP, I know how frustrating LONG bedtimes can be...it really wears you out. I'd second what others said about trying to get some 'me' time at another part of the day. I hear a lot that around 6 months is an up and down time for sleep. But I have to say that 5 consecutive hours of sleep is something to appreciate







at that age at least. Good luck! it will pass...


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## Talula Fairie (Jan 7, 2005)

My daughter did this for a long time. Especially from about 9-10 months until at least 2. It did help to wait until later to put her down, 7:30 would NEVER have worked for us....but she did do it even if it was later. She did it before naps too. Every naptime was at least an hour of screaming to get her to sleep (and she'd scream anyway becuase she was so overtired), bedtime was 1-3+ hours. And then she'd wake several times a night. While I was pregnant with #2, had HG, and was nursing #1. Good times, those.

The good news is that it didn't last forever. And my second is the easiest baby (and toddler) in the world to put to sleep. She just curls up in your arms and conks out, every time, without fail.


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## crayfishgirl (May 26, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *readytobedone* 
not trying to be a smartypants, but i see this advice on MDC all the time, and i'm just curious...did this work for many of you? DD would in no way sleep in a sling inside the house while i was just hanging out...certainly not at 6 months and probably not at 6 weeks. so i'm just wondering, does this work for most babies (she's my first)?









i remember bouncing her to sleep in a sling on a ball when she was a couple months, but if i stopped bouncing, she woke up. the whole sling her around the house thing never really worked at all.

Our 15 week old daughter HATES the sling and always has...unless she's already asleep. We get her to sleep by rocking, patting, singing, and the vacuum (we used to run the vacuum, but our dog freaks so we downloaded 60min of vacuum from iTunes). Once she's asleep we can get the sling around her and carry on. Well, I can, anyway. She doesn't sleep as well with my husband so he's limited to being in front of the computer, but at least he has his hands free. When she wakes and realizes she's in the sling, she flips.

For the original poster....we go through the same thing at night: rocking, patting, singing, vacuum from 10 min (on a very good day) to 1.5 hours (typical) to 2.5+ hours (life-sucking). I've read half a dozen books on sleep training from NCSS to the CIO books. NCSS is pretty laughable to me because putting her down drowsy does not work (eyes shoot open as soon as she touches the mattress), and we're not willing to CIO (although my husband, who is the at-home parent, has sometimes had to put her down and take a moment). I read somewhere (don't recall where) that the ones that don't sleep easily have above average intelligence. I have my doubts that this is true, but it does help to think as we're rocking for the 2nd straight hour "she's a genius....she's a genius...she's a genius..."


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

My DD1 was a sleep fighter. She wouldn't scream, she just.wouldn't.sleep. She's 33 months now and still fights sleep. Some days/weeks/months are easier than others.

I, too, fully admit that when she was an infant, I hollered at her to just friggin' go to sleep already!

For us, what worked/helps: A very short routine. Catching her at the very first sign of sleepiness. Dark room (Room darkening shades help!) and a white noise machine. Swaddling (till 15 months!). Pacifier. Me holding her cross cradle, while standing and rocking her and singing. I got into a routine of 4 sleepytime songs and I'd put her down after the 3rd, sing the 4th still in her room and usually she was asleep before I was done. But in bad sleep periods, you couldn't even THINK about putting her down until she was 100% fully asleep.

For her, CIO would never hasve worked. She just gets more and more wound up when she's tired. Easily frustrated, difficult to redirect.

I've noticed with her that 3 days is a trend, 5 days is the new pattern/routine.

When she was around 7-8 months, I discovered her 2-3-4 pattern. I think it would have worked around 6 months, and I see it now sstarting to emerge in my almost-6mo DD2. 2 hours after waking for the day, take the first nap. 3 hours after waking from that, take the second nap. 4 hours after waking from that, go down for the night. For DD1, this was more like 2.5/3.5/4.5.

Remember that teething, milestones like sitting up, getting solids, crawling, etc. all take their toll on sleep patterns. And try to remember that she'll never be this little ever again, you'll get through it, and someday she's going to be off to college (or kindergarten, a realization which used to make me bawl!) and you'll look back so fondly on these days... (supposedly!)


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## Violet2 (Apr 26, 2007)

To a pp, I used to do the 'she's a genius' thing too.







I also used to say 'she's 6 months, we're half way through the year of crap sleep' it made me feel better to think I was on the other side.

To the op, 6 month olds DO NOT SLEEP. For love or money. On average, they do not sleep. I've been hanging out here for a loooong time and there are A LOT of posts from desperate moms of 6mos.

Just so you know, it's that age and there's not a lot you can do to change the baby. But there are things you can do to change things for yourself.

Are you still swaddling? You may find that helps. Or infant massage may be a good thing to add to the bedtime routine to really stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to trigger sleepy drowsiness.

Get out of the house and stimulate the heck out of your LO so they are just begging to go to sleep at bedtime.

Also, is maybe your LO teething? If you think the screaming might be pain related, Tylenol or Motrin might a miracle worker for you. My DD got 6 teeth in 6 weeks and it was awful for her and for us. Tylenol really helped.

Other than that, get some down time, get a sitter, take a nap and do all the little things that give you and your DP some breathing space until your LO gets past the 6 month hump (just in time for the 8 month hump). Can grandma or grandpa come visit for a week and help out? This is the time lots of moms need help again because they hit the wall of sleep deprivation and need burnout.

If you can get to 9 months, some _gentle_ sleep training will probably work wonders and then you should be good until the 18 month sleep regression.

You are not alone. I did the 2 hour rocking thing with a screaming babe until I was willing to jump in front of a semi to make. it. stop. We survived. So will you. Be strong and good luck!

V


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## momofelise (Apr 13, 2005)

Hang in there! It will get easier! I'll tell you what I would have done (did do at times), but I can't promise it's the right answer! It's different from a lot of people have suggested and won't work if you're not a night owl. I'd just wait for her to get sleepy on her own. If you really want her to conk out, wear her on your back in a mei tai and do some chores in your dimly lit home. Do some light picking up, do some dishes. That ALWAYS put my girls to sleep!







Another trick that worked for a while was nursing my dd to sleep while watching some tv in the living room. Reading a book (for you) while nursing could also do the trick.

Now, and I know this is controversial, but was absolutely fantastic for getting both my girls to sleep in a painless way was us all watching tv together in our big family bed. I know that for many people that would be a no-no! But for us, it worked. Both girls fell asleep peacefully and relatively quickly 95% of the time. We'd often watch something like HGTV so it wouldn't be too interesting for our older daughter. Then once they were both conked out, DH and I left the room. It also solved the problem of me being incredibly bored and/or falling asleep myself back in the days of me lying in bed with them in the dark until they fell asleep. And if you're worried that they'll always need the tv, I haven't personally found that to be the case. My daughters go to sleep now in their own room without a tv (although my youngest wakes up in the middle of the night, which is its own thread!







). My older daughter won't always be asleep when I leave the room now (she's four), but she'll stay in the dark room and fall asleep on her own.

Good luck! You'll find something that personally works for you. Just do what feels right and be ready to change things up when you need to.


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## Carma (Feb 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *readytobedone* 
not trying to be a smartypants, but i see this advice on MDC all the time, and i'm just curious...did this work for many of you? DD would in no way sleep in a sling inside the house while i was just hanging out...certainly not at 6 months and probably not at 6 weeks. so i'm just wondering, does this work for most babies (she's my first)?









i remember bouncing her to sleep in a sling on a ball when she was a couple months, but if i stopped bouncing, she woke up. the whole sling her around the house thing never really worked at all.

It worked for us when they were small. DS did all his naps in the moby wrap. And I also wore him in the evening if he couldn't settle on the bed. Beyond 6 months it didn't work as well, he wanted to move in his sleep and woke up by the constriction of the wrap.

Carma


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## quantumleap (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks so much for the replies, mamas. It's reassuring to know that it's not uncommon for things to be tougher around 6 months. DD was really desperate to nap around 5-5:30 last evening, but we were out in the market and I turned her forward facing in the sling and didn't let her sleep. She went down pretty easily by about 8, and only woke for about 20 minutes an hour later.
Did those of you who do the total dark and quiet thing for your kiddos wind up with kids who still need those things as older kids? Those things do help our dd, but I'm a bit afraid of catering to it too much, as I have visions of a kid who later cannot sleep anywhere/anyway except in a little cocoon. My dp is like that as a grown man, and it really isn't a good thing.
Thanks for the encouragement. I know we really don't have it that rough, but I'm **** having a bit of a rough time. I don't do well on limited sleep, and, much as it pains me, I really am not as patient as I would like to be.


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *readytobedone* 
not trying to be a smartypants, but i see this advice on MDC all the time, and i'm just curious...did this work for many of you? DD would in no way sleep in a sling inside the house while i was just hanging out...certainly not at 6 months and probably not at 6 weeks. so i'm just wondering, does this work for most babies (she's my first)?









i remember bouncing her to sleep in a sling on a ball when she was a couple months, but if i stopped bouncing, she woke up. the whole sling her around the house thing never really worked at all.









Never worked for us, either. He'd eventually fall asleep, but is VERY sensitive to changes in motion, so if I wanted to sit down, he'd wake up. If I even switched to a task that didn't require constant bouncing movement (washing dishes, for example), he'd wake up unless I bounced/swayed while performing said task... which got old really quickly. We couldn't really put him to sleep in the car and then bring him in (during the times when we had a car), because most of the time the jostling of getting him out of the car, even back when he was in a bucket seat, woke him up. This is the same kid who can sleep, with the windows wide open, through the passing of trains on on the tracks that literally run right next to our yard this summer. He's a light sleeper when it comes to motion, a deep sleeper when it comes to noise. I'm still jealous when I see mamas with content little worn babies. Lord knows I tried.


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## charleysmama23 (Sep 28, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *selkat* 
Did those of you who do the total dark and quiet thing for your kiddos wind up with kids who still need those things as older kids? Those things do help our dd, but I'm a bit afraid of catering to it too much, as I have visions of a kid who later cannot sleep anywhere/anyway except in a little cocoon. My dp is like that as a grown man, and it really isn't a good thing.
Thanks for the encouragement. I know we really don't have it that rough, but I'm **** having a bit of a rough time. I don't do well on limited sleep, and, much as it pains me, I really am not as patient as I would like to be.

First, I worry about that first part too. Dd needs white noise to sleep well, and relative darkness (though not pitch black). It's rough at daycare. But I feel like in childhood, esp the first year, you need to survive and so does your lo, so if she needs the stupid fan noise, I'll do it! If she has trouble sleeping without it when she's 25...well, that's her problem! Ha ha, I'm kidding of course, but I don't think needing something like white noise to sleep as an infant means they'll always be that way. I think it's more about personality.

To the second part, don't apologize. If it's hard FOR YOU, then it JUST IS. You don't have to justify your concern, frustrating, etc. So she sleeps 5 hours, great...that doesn't make 3 hours of exhausted screaming easy! Yes try to focus on the positive, but it's okay to be frustrated or feel sad or a little sorry for yourself too.


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## Maine Mama Doula (Sep 6, 2007)

DD2 is almost 6 months too and is starting to fight going to bed. I do the normal routine, she likes to be swaddled. I give her kisses, say kind words and leave if she is happy. She might fuss for a second, but usually she goes to sleep. If she doesn't and I find myself getting frustrated, I get her up and we go into the living room and do whatever (play, watch TV) for a little while and then try again. If I know she's really tired, I might commit myself to a 5 minute shower and usually she was just overtired and goes right to sleep and I'm feeling much better, able to cope. Good luck - sleep is a rollercoaster. Do what feels right for you.


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

Quote:

If I know she's really tired, I might commit myself to a 5 minute shower
Main Mama Doula, can you expand on that please? I dont think that I understood what you mean by that.. thank you!!


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## esteg0 (Oct 21, 2007)

My LO fights naps really bad! He falls asleep ok at night, but wakes a bunch. What I've started using for naps when he fights is one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-.../dp/B0018Z35DA. We lay together with his back to my tummy and even if he's screaming it will eventually calm him down. He doesn't always fall asleep, but if he's calm I can usually convince him to nurse or take the paci and then he'll fall asleep. I've only used it a couple of times, but it has worked!

So sorry you're having a rough time!


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## Maine Mama Doula (Sep 6, 2007)

Like getting a drink of water or stepping out of the room for a couple of minutes, I've rinsed off in the shower (the bathroom is adjacent to where DD2 sleeps) and it truly cooled me down so I could approach her refreshed and unfrustrated. It doesn't do anybody good when I'm overly frustrated and a shower is one of my tools for calming down.


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Maine Mama Doula* 
Like getting a drink of water or stepping out of the room for a couple of minutes, I've rinsed off in the shower (the bathroom is adjacent to where DD2 sleeps) and it truly cooled me down so I could approach her refreshed and unfrustrated. It doesn't do anybody good when I'm overly frustrated and a shower is one of my tools for calming down.

ah so you shower and stuff while she is asleep? That is quite helpful, I have found that to be great too especially after dealing with a baby who after a while FINALLY fell asleep.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Maine Mama Doula* 
Like getting a drink of water or stepping out of the room for a couple of minutes, I've rinsed off in the shower (the bathroom is adjacent to where DD2 sleeps) and it truly cooled me down so I could approach her refreshed and unfrustrated. It doesn't do anybody good when I'm overly frustrated and a shower is one of my tools for calming down.

I could see doing that if baby was content, safe and calm, though unwilling/unable to sleep. If she were crying, though, i'd never leave her for that long. Stepping out into the hallway and taking some deep breaths is one thing, disrobing, showering, drying off, redressing, etc. seems like much too long to leave an uncontent baby.

To a PP - DH and I used to joke "She better cure cancer some day!" It was our signal to each other than it'd been a rough day/night.


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *_betsy_* 
I could see doing that if baby was content, safe and calm, though unwilling/unable to sleep. If she were crying, though, i'd never leave her for that long. Stepping out into the hallway and taking some deep breaths is one thing, disrobing, showering, drying off, redressing, etc. seems like much too long to leave an uncontent baby.

I do not believe that is what was originally being suggested, at least I hope not.









Maine Mama Doula are we correct in assuming that you were not suggesting that be done while the baby is crying and awake? I think it is a great suggestion for after the baby has calmed down and fallen asleep.


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## Super~Single~Mama (Sep 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Maine Mama Doula* 
Like getting a drink of water or stepping out of the room for a couple of minutes, I've rinsed off in the shower (the bathroom is adjacent to where DD2 sleeps) and it truly cooled me down so I could approach her refreshed and unfrustrated. It doesn't do anybody good when I'm overly frustrated and a shower is one of my tools for calming down.

I actually think this could be a good thing! I wouldn't leave my son alone if he was upset, but if I was getting frustrated and was making him MORE frustrated about sleep, then I might hand him off to his daddy for a few while I cooled down. Or, if he was content enough I might stick him on a playmat in the bathroom right by the shower so that I could see/talk/interact with him while I cool off and get myself in a better mood to deal with the sleep issues. Not if he was screaming, but it he would take a paci, or a toy and play quietly for a few it would work very nicely!


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## bfw0729 (Jun 7, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *readytobedone* 
not trying to be a smartypants, but i see this advice on MDC all the time, and i'm just curious...did this work for many of you? DD would in no way sleep in a sling inside the house while i was just hanging out...certainly not at 6 months and probably not at 6 weeks. so i'm just wondering, does this work for most babies (she's my first)?









i remember bouncing her to sleep in a sling on a ball when she was a couple months, but if i stopped bouncing, she woke up. the whole sling her around the house thing never really worked at all.

Some babies hate carriers. That's the truth. I have three kids, two absolutely LOVED them and one of whom was carried 10 hours of the day in it until about the age of 6.5 months. Now at almost a year, she still loves it.

My older daughter DESPISED all carriers. The moment her body was in one, she went insane, until I got her out. I tried all types since she was born. NOTHING! She didn't like any until she was about 9 months or so. And then it was for short bursts of time.

So no, not all babies love carriers, some actually can't stand them


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## aniT (Jun 16, 2004)

I haven't read all the posts.. so I don't know if this was suggested, but have you tried gripe water? It is really common for babies 4-6 months or so to just cry for hours at in the evening. (at least I read that somewhere when my son was doing it.) I started using gripe water and it made a difference WITHIN MINUTES. He would let out huge burps or farts and would calm right down. Try that and see if that makes a difference. Maybe she is screaming because her little tummy hurts.


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## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

Did not read the other replies.

You can have your baby back, but then she will not have any teeth. Enjoy. You will have to nurse her forever.

My advice?

Try to get her on two naps a day- see if you can get her to skip the 10 a.m. one and instead get her down at 1 - 2 p.m.

On the other hand, it does sound like she has a really great sleep schedule for a teething, co-sleeping, nursing 6 month old, so don't jinx it or anything.

Quote:

Did those of you who do the total dark and quiet thing for your kiddos wind up with kids who still need those things as older kids? Those things do help our dd, but I'm a bit afraid of catering to it too much, as I have visions of a kid who later cannot sleep anywhere/anyway except in a little cocoon. My dp is like that as a grown man, and it really isn't a good thing.
Nobody made your husband that way. That's the way his brain WORKS. He needs dark to sleep. Is that so odd? I do, too. Cannot sleep with a TV, light, or anything else on.

My husband and first daughter sleep through anything. My second daughter and I need dark and quiet.

God made us that way.







It's not because our parents did something. If they did make it quiet, it's because we needed it and they met our needs!

If your daughter takes after her dad, why would you torture her? For me, to sleep with lights on (even a red power light!) is a kind of torture- it wakes me up all the time.







She's going to just arrange things to be dark and quiet when she gets older, anyway, no matter how little sleep she gets now.

Sorry... I guess that came off as aggressive. But it does bother me when people think they can change their kids. Like if you coddle a shy child, or a light sleeper, or whatever, then you lose your chance to "cure" the child of this bad habit.







It makes me sad. Everyone is different. Being a light sleeper is not the end of the world.


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## HikeMama (Feb 12, 2009)

My daughter still needs it to be dark and quiet, but I never would have even considered not giving her what helped her to fall asleep, which was usually: dark, quiet, booby.


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## otxena (Mar 21, 2008)

Wait until 9-10 months; it goes to hell all over again. Be prepared. That's when most people give up and CIO.

I agree that she is getting a lot of solid sleep for a 6 mo. old. Certainly no one said raising a child was easy; I'm going through hard sleep times now too (up since 3:45 today, for example, with my 12 1/2 mo. old). It's part of the package and your baby will mature in time.

If you are on this site, I would assume that you are trying NOT to CIO. . .don't do it then. . . you'll always wonder if you could have done it without.

Good luck and keep reaching out there. .. I know I have to. It takes a virtual community to raise an AP child.


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## maryeb (Aug 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FernG* 
Have you tried getting your LO to sleep in the sling and then having break/adult time w/ her in the sling? DD went through a stage where this helped us. She transitioned to bed much better around midnight even though she slept in the sling from about 8 until then. Transitioning her earlier in the night didn't work.

I'm sorry! My DD is somewhat high-needs during the day, too. It does get better. Everything is a phase and this one will change soon.

Yes to this!! Ds2 accompanied me and my husband while we watched movies, had dinner, etc. until around 7-8 months, by then he had a different desire for routine altogether. For ex. I couldn't nurse him to sleep until then, he only wanted to nurse then be in the sling to fall asleep, where he would stay for hours! It was pretty nice, but I do enjoy the alone adult time, so I hear ya. It will pass, it will change.


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