[jude79]

As title says I need help, I am so tired and so exhausted. I have a gorgeous little 7 month old and he refuses to sleep at night and during the day. He is in his cot now screaming, even though he is so tired.

He used to sleep 10-12 hours a night, till he hit about 3 month old. Then he started waking about every 4 hours and now at night he will sleep between 8.30-12, then wake every 1.5hours after. I am beside myself. I have a 7yr old and 5yr old and neither were this bad.

I have tried control crying, I have tried music, wraps, feeding till he sleeps, I have even left him in his cot to scream. I go in there, not making any eye contact, tuck him back in, pat him on the bottom and then walk out. I have put him in his cot when he has gone to sleep in my arms, the second I put him in he wakes up. The only way he will sleep is beside me and at about 4am in the morning I succumb and let him sleep beside me till about 6.30.

I have my name down at O'Connell (sleep place), but I dont know how much more I can take. He cries and I want to cry, he screams and I feel like screaming (but dont).

I have PND and am on medication and I think this is the only way I get through the day.
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I would just love some advice on different techniques people use to get their babies to sleep

[divineM]

When you say you have tried controlled crying - what exactly did you do and how long did you persist with it? I see you are in Melbourne - if you are able to afford it I would be happy to give you details of a sleep nanny I used. She comes over for 3 hrs plus several follow up phone calls, cost was around $240 I think.

When you say you have tried controlled crying - what exactly did you do and how long did you persist with it? I see you are in Melbourne - if you are able to afford it I would be happy to give you details of a sleep nanny I used. She comes over for 3 hrs plus several follow up phone calls, cost was around $240 I think.

[Jenflea]

Is he teething? Can you co sleep?
I really don't agree with not making eye contact with a young baby, it's how they get reassurance that you're there and still love them. Angry people don't look you in the eye, so I think it's important to look a child in the eye, especially if he's crying and distressed.

[Matthias' mum]

I found Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solution very helpful at that age, especially for naps.

We co slept over night after the first wake up for a while. Once he got more sleep over night, his day sleeps improved. Controlled crying in the middle of the night just wasn't for me, and I just needed sleep so badly.

It worked for us, and he did transition into his own bed by about 18 months.

[Jersey Caramel]

I'd just cosleep with him after the first wake-up overnight. Once he's more rested overnight his day sleeps may improve.

I've had no problems gently transitioning difficult babies (I second PP's recommendation of No Cry Sleep Solution) to their own bed/self settling etc, once they're a bit older (around 12 months) and more secure.

Good luck, it's really hard.

[BB1511]

I highly recommend the sleep school at north park private hospital in bundoora. I went there with my DS when he was 5ish months old. They were wonderful! I got some help and sleep. In my opinion they are reasonably gentle in their approach ie not controlled crying as such but finding solutions to help you and your child. They are also a PND ward too. So they will be able to help you out with that too.
Hope you find something that work for you.

[PurpleNess]

Have you tried rocking him in the pram for day sleeps & then just moving the pram into a room once asleep.

I'm not a fan of CC but will admit there have been times I've been tempted so I understand totally.

Do you have a night time sleep routine? At this age I started the 5 B's and it worked a treat.

Dinner then
Bath
Boob or Bottle
Books - in his room, quiet time, no play
Bag ( sleeping bag )
Bed

Hard with two other babies but it might help in establishing a routine & letting bub know it's time for bed. We do books before daytime naps still & DS is 11 months.

Hope you find something that works. At this age I used to bounce DS on a fitball & then transfer to cot. You have to be sure he is really asleep before transfer not just in a light sleep - their breathing changes.

[WinterIsComing]

So your child sleeps a solid block each evening, and then would happily sleep if you co sleep? I honestly don't see a problem, he is just being what he should be - a baby. Leaving him to scream, withdrawing eye contact is not how a baby should be treated. Take him to bed if that's what he needs now and all of you will get some sleep.

[KRT]

Does he have any day sleeps? Will he sleep in the car or the pram?

I was wondering if he might be caught up in a cycle of overtiredness. I've been told that sometimes if they're chronically overtired, it disrupts sleep further. It might be worth trying whatever works for a few days to let your DS catch up on sleep, and then start moving to sleep associations you feel you can sustain.

Do you have help with settling, or is it all you? It might be worth having someone else help out for a night just so you can catch up on sleep. It is so much easier to work out how to settle a baby if you're not sleep deprived, and I'm sure sleep deprivation would not be helping your PND.

Even if your DS's sleep isn't the worst out there, you're still allowed to want it to be better, and to try to take steps to encourage better sleep. Good luck

[Steggles]

So your child sleeps a solid block each evening, and then would happily sleep if you co sleep? I honestly don't see a problem, he is just being what he should be - a baby. Leaving him to scream, withdrawing eye contact is not how a baby should be treated. Take him to bed if that's what he needs now and all of you will get some sleep.

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