LG doesnt sleep want to sleep in cot

I agree about the night feeds. Our girls are similar in age I see. I usually don't give Lilly a bottle at night (other than it causing her to wake out of habit it's also not very good for their teeth). Only if she really really doesn't want to go back to sleep and I have ruled out all other factors (too hot, too cold, dirty nappy etc) I offer a small feed and brush her teeth first thing in the morning. Often water does the trick though, sometimes they just get thirsty at night (like some of us do), also depending on what they had for supper.

There are several no cry sleep training methods out there and I'm sure they work if you persevere. Our baby, however, is extremely resistant to change, especially change that doesn't suit her , and I just don't have the energy to stick it out. Like the other ladies said: you have to do what works for you and your family

Hi MrsDD

My little girl is just over 6 months now and ussually has her last feed at around 7 - 7 30 , after her bath and then in to bed. she then has a feed at around 2am and then wakes at around 5 - 6 am. the last few weeks she also started waking again for the 11 pm feed ( breastfeeding) , what I realised after a few nights of giving her the feed, was that she was waking for comfort/ dummy and not a feed, so I stopped picking her up and feeding her, I leave her in the cot and just pat her bum and give her the dummy within seconds she is back asleep.

I agree with Julz about not needing so many feeds. for the first time last night, my little girl went 9 hours between feeds, she woke up twice for a few seconds for a dummy and went straight back to sleep. hoping this is the start of sleeping through.

dont think my LG has hit the seperation anxiety yet, so difficult to give advice, but maybe you can try not picking her up at 11, rather try pat her and get her back to sleep without picking her up, not sure if she will allow this without crying, not sure if you use a dummy ?

Claire, please tell us more about this book and the technique, sounds like something I would be interested in, just want to find out a bit more, before buying the book, where did you get it ?

I think the first step to having her sleep through is to stop the bottle at night. Babies do not need night feeds after age 6 months and usually wake for them out of habit and not as a need.

There is nothing wrong with you putting baby in bed with you if it works for you, but if you want baby to sleep in the cot, sadly you will have to stop allowing her in your bed which I know is hard.

So often the thought of night after night of fighting to achieve this is what puts us off, but in reality it would probably take 5 nights and your lo would settle herself.

The older they are, the harder it is I believe. You don't have to let her cry it out (unless you want to). It starts with the night routine at bathtime. Create routine and put baby to bed fairly awake and let herself soothe until she sounds a little stressed but not crying. Go in, reassure in a calm way and leave again and keep doing this.

You might want to pour yourself a large glass of wine too.

I realise that some kids are way more stubborn and may do this for hours on end, but if they will eventually realise that there is no point to fighting things and if they know mom is there when they really need you they will be fine.

Trust me though, stop that night bottle! Offer water in a bottle and see how that goes.

I agree on the separation anxiety thing, it is far nicer to sleep cuddled up to mom and dad and let them sooth you to sleep then to put yourself to sleep in your own bed on your own.

Learning to self-sooth is a very important milestone for your future sleep - even tho it is right now it is easier to allow her to sleep with you and for you to put her to sleep.

If you do not want to leave her to cry there is an awesome book called "No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pentley, which really does work, as long as you stick to her guidleines. It is a gentle method, so takes a month or 2 as opposed to controled crying, which can take up to 2 weeks. This book saved my sanity !

But you need to decide what works best for YOU, remembering that the little monkey is gonna get bigger and soon you & DH might actually be sleeping in separate rooms.

Sounds very familiar Our LG started that at around 6/7 months and it hasn't really changed since. I believe it's separation anxiety and she just wants to be close to us. Last week, DH was sick and slept in the spare room. Lilly and I snuggled up in our bed and guess who slept through!

From a baby's point of view it's very understandable: where would you rather sleep if you were a baby: on your own behind bars or snuggled up next to your all-time favourite person?

Seperation anxiety is an important phase in the process of developing independence. We decided to do what gives all three of us the most shut eye possible, even if that means sleeping on 10 cm of mattress next to a giant starfish I would never let her cry it out! Sleep maturity is a milestone that every baby will achieve one sweet day. Hang in there!

HI there,

So thoughts or advise please....

My LG (11 months) used to sleep from 7pm to 6am with one bottle at 3am. But there past few nights she is getting up at 11pm for a bottle, when i put her back down in her cot to sleep, she starts crying.
I then pick her up until she is asleep again, usually takes about 10mins or less, then when i put her back into her cot and again the screaming.

In order to get some decent sleep i put her in our bed, where she will sleep until 3am, then she needs her bottle again.

Any ideas on what i can do?

I cant handle her crying, so the last option would be to let her cry it out.