Sleepless nights

[chiara79]

My son is 17 months and basically hasn't slept since he is born. I have tried everything, Controlled crying, going to bed awake, food before bed. The Health Visitor has even given up. I now have him in bed with me as I am too tired to go back and fore. Even in bed with me he wakes up crying and only milk seems to settle him. Does anyone have any tips as i am shattered, work a few hours short of full time and have a 5 year old!! HELP!!!

[ladyalex]

Sorry I cannot be much help, but I had the same problem with my son who was also a non-sleeper. We used to let him into our bed too...you get too tired to do anything else. I did eventually find that he was thirsty rather than hungry and settled better after water or very dilute sugar-free juice, so you might try that rather than milk.
It does pass, but might take a long time. Sorry, You do have my sympathy, because it just isn't funny after a while.

[ethanryan]

hi, my oldest son who is 3 in may was a nightmare as a baby but thankfully is great now. he would always fall to sleep in my arms but as soon as i put him down he would wake up. my mom gave me some tips that worked.
1 was not to let him fall to sleep in my arms, feed him them put him down while still awake. that way he will learn to get himself to sleep.
2 not to pick him up when he cries, just sit by his cot and let him know you are there but not to pick him up or even talk to him.
these worked for both of mine.
the trick is not to give in, no matter how tired you are. he needs to realise that his bed is where he sleeps not yours. you could try putting him down in his cot/bed. and just sitting next to his cot/bed. every time he sits up just lie him back down and gently rub his back. he will prob cry, but when he realises you are not giving in he will eventually go to sleep. my sil in law did this with my niece and sometimes it would take an hour to get him to sleep, and she would have to lie her back down 30 times, but this with get less each night if you stick to it.. then eventually lie him down and go and sit in another room and when he gets up go and lie him back down again without talking to him then leave the room again. even when he wakes in the night do the same it will be a hard couple of weeks but if you stick to it it will be worth it.
i know it is hard hearing them cry but you need to leave him for a while as you know he is not in any pain and is just doing it to come out his bed.

[liverboys]

Chiara, I sooo sympathize with you as I had exactly the same problem with my youngest son ( then 2 1/2) . He would go to bed like an angel, but wake sometimes 8 times a night crying and only a drink would soothe him. My advice is to go and see your GP. I went to mine,as I was literally at the end of my rope, and I confided in the GP that I was so exhausted that I honestly thought I could end up harming my son just through sleep depravation. She prescribed my son something for a very short period of time (about 3 weeks) that just broke the cycle. After just a few nights we saw a huge difference in both his sleep pattern AND his behaviour during the day as he was finally well rested. I'm sure your GP will understand your frustration.I hope this helps.xx

[RCG]

I had a similar problem with my son. I like you put hom into our bed. BIG MISTAKE. eventually I managed to get him in his own bed but only with me laying in bed with him to go to sleep....
I recently saw a programme called the baby whisperer that used a method called the pick up put down method. Basically, you do your normal routine of putting the baby into its cot. Kiss goodnight etc... then back off from the cot. If and when the baby cries without talkg pick the baby up wait untill it is settled and then calmly place back into the cot. Repeat as necessary. The families on this programme were at their wits end. It is was hard going for a few nights but it worked, eventually the baby was sleeping through no problems. I wish you luck.

[lnknprkbabe]

stop giving him milk on a night to start off, just offer water to him that way he will get to realise he cant have feeds during the night and will eventually realis there is no point waking up, also try putting him in his own bed so when he wakes he is there, starts off an hr before he usually wakes then gradually go till he is there full night, thos worked for me and now my LO sleeps from 7.70 till 8 the next morning hes 13 months