6 Month Old Won't Sleep Need Advice

My son is the same way. He's 10 months old and we were up 4 times last night between 9PM and 5:30 AM. Then back up at 7. When my son was that age, he slept less than that and was up more than that. I don't believe in cry it out methods - they are only babies for so long, and will grow out of sleep issues soon enough. So here are my suggestions:

Have you had his ears checked for fluid or an infection? My son has chronic infections (we are getting tubes next week), so those will definately keep your baby up!! As will the teething. Try giving a full dose of Tylenol or Motrin if illness or pain might be an issue.

Have you tried noise next to him? We have a sound machine that does various sounds (waterfall, rainstorm, the ocean, a heartbeat) or either use a fan. Any type of noise will keep baby distracted from waking up as often usually.

Feed him dinner later in the evening or give him a filling snack before bed.

Use the bathtime baby wash and lotion with lavender. The nights I bathe my son with this before bed, he sleeps better. Also, even when hes not stuffy I use the Vicks baby rub. It also has lavender and soothing scents in it.

My last thing would be to build a very specific routine. Over do it if necessary. Every night do everything the exact same way at the exact same time (and do the same thing for naps). Also, create an atmosphere for sleep.
https://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070300.asp

My son is still not a good sleeper, but these things have helped us from what they were. Maybe they will help your family a bit.

1 mom found this helpful

children are very sensitive...to light, your anxiety, sugar, tv....energy in the house.
try to make your living space as calm and quiet as possible. time your days so that the schedule is very consistent. and touch your child...tummy rubs, back rubs, foot rubs ...read and sing in a soothing and loving tone....also, teeth coming in hurt! let him suck on organic frozen orange peels...and NO SUGAR!!!!...also, watch what you ocnsume...sugar? caffein? tomatoes? acid? spices?..hugs, ninabe

Is this a recent thing, or has he never been a good sleeper? It could be related to his teething, and he could also be going through a growth spurt. Another thing is, as babies get to be this age, they are more active during the day, so they will nurse less, then wake up more at night to nurse. Here is an excellent article about it: http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/4mo-sleep.html

As for the "let him cry it out" advice, be very careful with that. If that parenting style works for you, then go ahead and try it. But if that is not your style, don't do it. All it will do is break your heart and frustrate your baby. And it can cause a trust issue barrier between you and your son. Here is an article by Dr. Sears about ways to get your baby to sleep better: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070300.asp

I gave someine else this book that I used when I had sleeping problems. It is divided by age so you can read what is applicable at the time.

"Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child" Weiss ( I believe this is the authors name) He is a pediatrician.

Let me know

J.

Hi, The teeth are what the problem are for sure. Try something called Hymans Teething Tablets. They are all natural, and the greatest homeopathic remedy I can find. I also breast feed, and my baby is almost 6 months old. She has her times when she is like this also. Sometimes I have to drive around town until she falls asleep. You may even have to resort to your baby sleeping in your lap in a chair or something just to get some sleep, just make sure there is no way for him to fall off your lap. You can find the teething tablets at Wal Mart, they are about $6 for a bottle of 125. They are great, you can put two under the tongue every hour for 6 hours if the teething is really bad or use 2-3 tablets under the tongue every four hours. You will have to hold them under his tongue until they disolve, and make sure that your hands are not wet when you get them out of the bottle or they will disolve in your hand. Good luck!

I know how hard it can be to have a non-sleeper. And good for you for nursing - it's the best thing you can do for your baby!!
I, too breastfed my 16-month-old (we're currently trying to wean) and he didn't sleep through the night until 13 months.

Sister, there were some dark, dark months and I thought it would never end. But just know that it will end at some point.

Meanwhile, try to eliminate everything from your diet that might possibly upset your baby's stomach and make sleeping uncomfortable.
Try different lighting schemes in his room or in your room if you have a family bed. Our son actually ended up liking his room a little darker than we thought he would.

If your baby has gas issues, try simethicone drops.

Even if you have to sleep in the chair with him in your lap after he falls asleep nursing, that's totally fine. It won't last forever.

A lot of the time we had to just put him in his swing in our room. That's the only place he'd sleep some nights.
Also, I heard that if you wear him in a carrier a lot during the day he'll be less anxious at night because he's had constant contact with you all day.

As for napping, my son would sleep for 15- 30 minutes, if that, so just try to lay down as much as you can when he's sleeping.

The bottom line is that you have to do what you feel is right and not let anyone tell you that you should or shouldn't do certain things. It's still a matter of survival and you have to do what you have to do to get through this crazy, incredibly difficult time.

Try to find other moms with kids your age and get together if possible.
I met a friend in Lamaze class and we ended up being friends, and her son didn't sleep either. So we spent a lot of time together during the days and just helped eachother through it.

Oh - I'm not a fan of the "cry it out" method. I'd let my son go for a few minutes at a time, but they're only little once and at some point they'll stop wanting mommy so much, to I just cried, sucked it up, and soothed and fed him on demand.

There are no hard and fast rules for sleeping; every baby is different. Try as many things as you feel comfortable doing,but just know that your baby may not be a sleeper.

In the end, you do what works for you and your baby, no matter what. I know how hard it is!! It's the most frustrating
thing in the whole world, but it will come to an end sometime.

Best of luck! Hang in there!

If you get to the very end of your rope and you have to have some sleep or go mad, I'd call the pediatrician and ask them how much Benadryl to give him, so he'll sleep for a little while and YOU can sleep. Only as a last resort, though. I mean, if you don't get any sleep, you can't take proper care of him, and I think that would be worse in the long run than a couple doses of Benadryl, especially if nothing else works.

My first daughter used to do the death scream EVERY night. We had no idea what was wrong with her. We thought just colic at first, but this was more than crying, and it was night after night after night. She'd twist and turn and just scream like she was in incredible pain. we even took her to the ER a couple times. The first time, they said she had an ear infection (which, it turns out, she didn't. sigh), and the second time, the doc tried to pass it off as night terrors. I said no, it's not like they describe night terrors. Then she said, "Is this your first baby?" I said yes. She nodded knowingly and got a book and pointed out night terrors. ARGH. Nothing like not being listened to by the doc! I could've slapped that smug look off her face. Now, my daughter is 4 and a half, and she'll still wake up crying some nights, but now she says it's because her leg(s) hurt. She doesn't do the death scream anymore, but she does get a bit hysterical. A little ibuprofen does wonders. ANYway, I said all that to say this...you're not alone in this. I still remember the first time she slept for 6 hours straight, and so did I. I woke up and was like "Whoa! I feel like I've slept for 12!" It was awesome. Never underrate your sleep. ;-)

xo,

AJ

Hey A.,
I breastfed mine too, and I think if I were you I would stop feeding him the other food just to see if that made a difference. Try that for a week, and see if that changes.
For what it's worth,
K.
A bit about me: I am a partime substitute, and part time @ home mom. Have a 10 year old girl and been married for 15 years.

Take an ice cube and put it in the middle of a clean white wash rag. fold and put a rubberband around it. take a hammer and crush the ice cube. give it to your son to chew on. the crushed ice is hard enough to help teeth come thru and the cold will feel cold to his fevered gums. at bedtime try putting oragel(?) on his gums. it numbs the gums and helps ease the pain. hopefully these will help. i had 3 kids and it seemed to help them with teething. good luck.

You have to teach them what you want them to do. Sometimes you have to put them in their bed and let them cry. I know that it hurts you more than it does them but it won't take but 2 days of crying and then he will learn that he has to go to sleep. I know that he is cutting teeth and you can give him tylenol for that so you know that he isn't hurting, then lay him down. Go take a shower so you can't hear him. I promise, you won't be sorry. It isn't mean or ugly... it is being a parent.

I don't know where you live but maybe putting him in the stroller and going for a walk about an hour or so before bedtime then taking a warm bath right before bed might help. Sometimes fresh air can help. Teething is painful (just think how we feel when a wisdom tooth is coming in) so Orajel or Anbesol might help too. When my boys were little (they're now 26 and 24) I would put a dab of whisky on my finger and rub it on their gums. It's an old wives tale but it seemed to help. Good luck.

Try letting him chew on a wet washcloth during the day to work those teeth in. Also, there are teething tablets which you can buy over the counter which are totally safe, non-narcotic, homeopathic tablets which dissolve in the child's mouth which I gave our little girl when she was teething. They seemed to work really well and also helped her sleep better at night. You can give two or three tablets at a time with no side affects.
Before your son began teething did he sleep at night?

give him mylicon gas relife before meals or after meals

I have a seven month old who sleeps well at night. What has worked for us is to have her on a schedule. She nurses and eats baby food at 7am, 11am, and 3pm, then has a final nursing at 7pm. She sleeps from about 8pm until 7am in the morning and she naps between feedings. The pattern I follow with her is to feed her, let her stay awake for about 1-2 hours, then put her in bed awake for her naps. Once you have this schedule in place, you will know why your child is fussing and be able to do what he needs. I hope that helps!

Maybe try to get him tired by playing really hard, or a nice warm bath with lavender right before bedtime, soft music also helps, or try recording of your heartbeat playing under his pillow.
hope it works out for you,and also, if he naps at all, try to nap too if you can, it will help you to regain strength.
ttys
M.

I'm in the same exact situation (mine is 7 months - but she started at 6)! I just wanted to let you know that it's completely normal for them to not sleep well at this age. They're going through a lot of milestones that will disrupt their sleep (teeth, sitting up, crawling, solid foods, etc.). The worst part is that the less sleep they get during the day, the less they sleep at night and vice versa - it's a vicious cycle that makes them overtired! I'm exhausted and so is she!

We're currently reading The No Cry Sleep Solution because I refuse to let her cry-it-out. It has some great strategies for getting them to sleep longer during the day and night. We're working on some right now and she's gone from taking 30 minute naps to hour and a half naps in the morning - still working on afternoon and night. But hey, it's progress! You should check it out.

Good luck, I know how you feel!

You may have already tried this, but do you take drives in the car? My daughter is 5 months old and we often do that so she will nap. I am devoted to not letting her cry to sleep, so we try all sorts of things. She also likes her swing. Hang in there - it can only get better!

A.,
I didn't read all the responses, but I did see one about the teething tablets. The name is actually Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets. They are absolutely wonderful. I usually only give my 8 month old one (instead of 2-3 like the bottle says). I put it on top of her tongue and let her suck it (it dissolves instantly). Mainly it just needs to dissolve in her saliva. They help with the teething pain, but also with restlessness and irritability that comes with teething. They are homeopathic so they are 100% natural with no side effects. It should get much better when the teeth actually come through the gums. The hard part is over at that point. Good luck!
A.

What a wonderful name you have given your son! Try soft music like instremental.or nature sounds.

I highly recommend the book Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth. My oldest (now 3 1/2) stopped napping when he was four months old, and that book helped me get him back on track. Just so you know though, it took about two months to get his sleeping issues all worked out, and it took a lot of patience and persistence, but it did work in the end. I wish I had read that book before he was born. It's great at explaining children's sleep cycles and covers sleep issues from birth to adolescence.

And I love the name Isaac--my little brother is an Isaac--and an Army man. :) Good luck!

Our son was the exact same way. When he was about 5 weeks old he was diagnosed with Pyloric Stenosis, which caused him to vomit after every time he ate. He had surgery at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, and was fussy from 5 weeks on. Even after the surgery he couldn't get comfortable with sleeping. He's almost three now and occasionally has trouble. The greatest thing I found that would soothe him was one particular song ELVIS PRESLEY'S "CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE" on continious repeat. It worked almost immediately when it started to play. Try it, it's just something about that song. It worked with our daughter as well.(She's 5 now) And to this day it still does the trick!!!

have you tried teething gel or tylenol to help ease his pain enough for him to fall asleep?

My first question is, has he been a good sleeper until now? If he is normally a good sleeper, and the up all night thing just recently started, you might want to have him checked for an ear infection. This happened to my littlest one about 2 months ago...all of the sudden he would cry and fuss when we laid him down to sleep, for naps, even when we changed his diaper. Turned out he had an ear infection. After just 1 day on antibiotics he was sleeping through the night again.

Hi A.! My son had a similar issue and he turned out to be somewhat lactose intolerant. I was giving him formula and had to switch to Soy. I don't know how it is when you're breast feeding but just an idea from someone who had a similar problem. He also hated to lie down flat so we raised his mattress on one side and/or had a sleep positioner that was on an incline. He also slept in the swing a lot during the day. I would also recommend bugging your doctor a little more if he doesn't sleep night or day. Is there a medicine for the reflux? Gas drops helped a little, too. Hope any of this helps!
S. C.

It may sound harsh, but you will have to let him cry himself to sleep. Just make sure his crib is safe and empty. Walk out of the room if you have the urge to comfort the baby. Leave the door cracked, so you can peek in without being noticed. Do not turn on the monitor as the cries will weaken you and you will hinder his progress. We can be our child's worst enemy and not even know it. My son was able to go at it for 45 min, before he was out. You have to be strong and consistent. Lay him down and walk away, check on him in about 20-30 min. He will learn to sooth himself. Your attentions are serving as a distraction. It's not allowing him to settle down. You have to have quiet time. You can have the TV or a radio on, because you want your child to be able to fall asleep in all environments, but you cannot speak to the child. No sounds must come from you, no matter what you are doing to/with him. It will take some time, but with consistency/repetition, your child will get used to it. The yelling cry will turn into just a cry and 45 min will turn into 30, then 15, then instant. You will be surprised.
Be Strong!
P.S. Get the book, "The Happiest Baby on the Block"

If you haven't tried teething tablets try them. You can find them in your local Walmart or Walgreens. They seemed to work instantly for us.

I'm a mom of 3. 12yrs, 3yrs, and 7wks

My son fights sleep. He hates missing out, I suppose. I remember at 6 months old he reverted back to having sleeping problems from growth spurts and teething. If it's teething, try Hyland's tablets. 1-2 tabs before bedtime. I also rocked the bejeezus out of my son in a rocker, which worked after 15-30 minutes. Pacifiers never worked on him and he didn't suck his thumb, but he loves gnawing on blankets. We'd also use a white noise generator to keep him asleep. It worked at least enough to keep us from going completely insane!

If this is recent, it might just be the teeth coming in hurting him too bad to sleep. You can give him some tylenol or something plus put anbesol on his gums and see if that helps.

I feel your pain. I have an 8 month old who doesn't sleep well. She will only sleep if someone is laying with her or holding her. She will only nap about 30 minutes. I breastfeed her and she has acid reflux. I also have a 3 year old and it is very difficult to deal with his tantrums when I haven't had much sleep. Sorry, I don't have any advice but wanted to let you know someone else out there is sleepless too.

try a little ibuprofin before he goes down, maybe a half hour before to it has time to work. teething is hard and painful. ibuprofin should help with that, also there is a thing in the baby section of walmart/target or the grocery store called "teething tablets", they disolve in a little water and you can give it to him with a medicine dispenser. combined, these worked for my little one. also try to let him cry it out for just a little bit if you can handle it, often they put themselves to sleep. teething won't last forever and you should get a little break before another comes in (hopefully) good luck...

He is cutting some teeth and that could be the problem. All you can really do is calm him down. Read to him. Relax his little mind of many thoughts. Play some soft music or just talk to him in a comforting way. Then maybe you can lay beside him for a little while. I hope I gave you some Ides.

Hi A.

I too had a baby---now 30 years old---and he would not sleep and cried all the time. He was also loosing weight. As strange as this might sound, he was alergic to my milk. Ask your doctor and try soy milk for a few feeding. It worked instantly for my baby.

Good luck

J.
____@____.com

My 10 month old daughter isn't much of a sleeper either. The first couple of months were really tough. One thing I found helped was changing my diet - she's breastfed and has never taken to the bottle. I cut out wheat, dairy, and eggs and saw a huge improvement within hours. After about a month I gradually introduced them back into my diet and she was okay. Good luck. I know its tough but this is our second child and I can tell you it really does go by so fast and you'll have forgotten all this in a few months.

Hi! I have read books by Dr. Weissbluth (Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child-or something close to that) and another book by Jodi Mindell. They have helped us! Last night I had to let my daughter CIO for the first time and it was horrible, but after she fell asleep (10 min. of crying) she slept for 12 hours straight!

Hope these books help!

well to start off-im an army wife as well(: i have an 8 yr old daughter and 2 yr old son. my son never, EVER slept from the time he was born until about a year ago): we were stationed in germany for 6 months and i recently moved back to n.c. when my husband deployed. come to find out, my son had continuous ear infections and needed tubes, and still--he would not sleep-or act normal. i took him to see a specialist and she/he diagnosed him with PDD-a form of autism...just ask your pediatrician about that-im not sayin thats what is wrong--but u never know. also, i had and still have a noise maker in his room--plays waterfalls, rain, and beach-calming noises-that has always seemed to help more than anything else-i know what you're goin thru--and i know its extremely tough(on u and your baby)-but in the end, everything will be ok. K.

Hi A.,
I know it can be very frustrating when a little one won't sleep. Some things I had done when my children were little, I played either some soothing Christian music or classical music and let them lay on their tummy while I massaged their back. I will say a prayer for you and the little one and hope that you both get some sleep soon!
J.

A 6 month old can't be expected to sleep through the night. He should wake up and be hungry. Also children can feel your stress. So be sure you don't pass that along to him in the sense of body posture, etc. Be sure you have a nighttime routine of bath, looking at books, cuddling with soft lights and then to bed. THis will help you later down the road to have a routine.

Army wife, from another Army wife! Meaning SUPER MOM!!
(wink wink)

Wow, if the little person isn't sleeping. Then I'm sure your almost exhausted!! And that can't be good on momma if she is tired!!
When my little ones were cranky, and moody, and cutting teeth. My daughter loved it when I dipped a spoon, in cold water, and froze them bad boys. And when she cried, we would rub a little on her gum's. Then my son...crazy kid as he was. Loved chewing on wash clothes..(clean ones, but wierd little dude) But, all and all... I have to say Tylenol & Chewing cookies became my best friend, when the other's didn't work.
At night... Give him some dinner, a bath, and cuddle him up for bedtime. I've learned that even though there 6 months, they still like to be some what swaddled up tight. Guess it's a security thing.
You can do it momma..and if all else fells. Have a friend babysit, so you can take a quick nap!! Babies can since when mom is irratated. Soooooo..maybe you need a little rest, to help compensate his sleepiness!

Take care hope you find a remedy!

I like Dr. Greene's advice at http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&... .

Good luck!

A shot in the dark, but have you considered if it might be reflux? A big misconception about reflux is that the child has to be spitting up. There is something referred to as "silent reflux" where children dont spit up at all. They are constantly fussy, especially when they are laid down to go to sleep. When you lay down it puts the esophagus in a horizontal position which sometimes allow the stomach contents to spill out in to the esophagus a little which causes extreme discomfort for the child. I am a pediatric feeding specialist and deal with children with reflux all the time. I have a link to "pediatric reflux/GERD" on my website. You are welcome to check it out and see if your little one might have similar symptoms.
Good luck and hope this helps!
J. M.
www.jennifermcveyslp.com

Make sure you are not eating anything that would keep him awake thru your milk. I drank a glass of wine in the evening and it seemed to help my kids sleep. I don't know how I heard about that but it did seem to work and also not eating anything that could upset their tummy. Mine didn't sleep all thru the night but usually a good 4-5 hr stretch and then nurse them and they were back to sleep a good amount again so I got broken sleep but thats better than none. Those tablets work, I did motrin too but seems like the wine was the best.

Have you tried to rub orajel on the gums? This really helped with my son when he was teething.

It is all about comfort with babies. Too warm, too cold, hungry, wet and on and on. IT is a guessing game to say the least. The sleep for you is so important too. I know, I KNOW they say it is best to NOT sleep with your baby. I can not think of a better way to get some rest. They feel comforted being close to you and you might even get a little more rest. Hey, it is worth a try.

Have a blessed day and remember..."This too shall pass".

K.

My 16 year old was the same way when he was an infant...try walking with your arm under his belly facing away from you..that worked best..but also laying him on my knees and patting his back and bouncing him just a bit helps to...i think it helps the gas. If you eat alot of gassy food especially vegetables he will get gas too. try to stay away from spicy gassy food ..but keep up the breast milk...WTG!!! not alot of moms these days have that kind of patience. Good Luck

try hylands teething tablets or a dose of baby tylenol or motrin to help soothe his sore gums. a good bedtime routine will help too. relaxing bath, lotion rubdown, story time and nursing. it should calm him down. just be consistant and hopefully in a few days he'll start sleeping better. i picked my battles. i gave up naps some days, when my daughter flat refused, but then by night night time she was so exhausted she jsut fell asleep and slept all night long.

As a mom, I totally agree with the hylands teething tablets, but only for a ten day use. We have used homeopathic remedies for 4 generations of our family and they are GREAT, but there is a limit. Only use them if you actually see him go to sleep with them or calm down. If you do not see that do not keep giving them. It is not the correct remedy. There are other homeopathic remedies out there to use.

Also I would suggest the book Secrets of the baby whisperer. by tracy hogg. In fact I suggest this book to EVERY new mom. It is an easy read and talks about how to get your children to sleep through the night. my first child did not sleep through the night until she was two and I read the book for my last two and WHAT a difference!

One thing I did learn was if a baby starts to wake up at 6 months it is because they need more baby food at dinner time. I liked to mix rice cereal in with my baby food to thicken it up. Also do not pick up the baby in the middle of the night. maybe go in lay him/her back down and rub the back. Hopefully with a full tummy and a back rub the baby does not get a new habit. It can take only 3 days to get a new habit and 3 weeks to break.

I WOULD NOT suggest tylonal or motrin, especially motrin! I feel that 6 months is too young to start your baby on a regular dose of that. (I understand a occasional, BUT only with the doctors advice!)

I am sorry if I come across blunt, it is early in the morning. Do not feel like you have to listen, I too am a military wife at Ft. Bragg. ACS may have some parenting classes. And as a mom of three I would still be taking them too! If you are at my same post you are welcome to contact me personally!

A little about me: army wife, mother of three, and doula and I love to help other moms either with my doula hat on or as a mother.

A.,
My husband is also in the military (USMC) and around the time he went on his last deployment my son was 6mos. I, too, was still nursing. I gave up and let him sleep in bed with me. I got a barrier for the other side of the bed for safety, but my son wanted to nurse ALL NIGHT LONG! So that is what i did. But that way I could nurse practically in my sleep. It helped me get a little rest (although, i was way sleep deprived, like you) and it fit with my parenting style. I would not do the cry it out method until your son is at least one year old. Now, with that said, at 13 months, with the knowledge of my husband coming home soon, I did let my son cry it out in his crib and he now sleeps through the night (I followed, STRICTLY, the "Solve your child's sleep problems by Ferber). This also coincided with the weaning off nursing and switching to Soy formula (my son has many allergies, including milk and eggs). Good luck!
And always, ONLY do what FEELS RIGHT TO YOU!!!
You are the expert on your child!

I have not seen this suggestion from anyone else; but this seemed to help my little grandaughter more then anything else.

Bake an onion and squeeze the juice out and give a few spoons of the (sweet) juice. It would calm her down and she would play and then go right to sleep.

I have told this to other mothers that said it helped so much
it is an old fashioned remedy.

E. H.

Get some night time bath wash or vapor bath wash and try giving him a bath in it after he eats. I have a 14 mo. old that I have to do that with also. There are also times that fanning them helps. She is usually hot so the fanning and the bath helps to relax her. Let me know if this helps.