My Five Month Old Won't Sleep Through the Night!

Updated on January 21, 2008
M.L. asks from Jackson, MI
11 answers

My 5 1/2 month old son has always been a not so easy sleeper. i started a routine very early in hope that he would sleep well at night. He has been putting himself to sleep in his crib for a while now. He loves to be swaddled and will only sleep when he is. He has been waking up with his blanket kicked off and wrapped around his neck so i have decided that we need to start moving towards not swaddling. I have tried this a few times and he can't fall asleep he just cries or will fall asleep for a few hours and then wakes up and can't get back to sleep. Then falls asleep again and the cycle starts all over again. Another thing I must add is that he has a passy and when his arms are out he takes it out and can't fall asleep with out it. I have tried letting him CIO with going in and patting him but that does not seem to be working for us. Does anyone have any good advice about how to do this and help me get him to fall asleep and stay asleep? My daughter never wanted to be swaddled or have a passy so all this is very new to us and I just don't know what to do! Even when his swaddled he has trouble sleeping through the night. He has had many nights where he only wakes at about 4 or 5 am to eat and then goes back to sleep but other nights wakes severals times. Help please I don't know where to go next

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C.B.

answers from Sioux Falls on

Have you tried on of those swaddler blackets? They fasten somehow so they wont come off and get wrapped around his neck. That might be an idea.

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S.S.

answers from Saginaw on

Hang in there. This is a very tough time. My first child was a "horrible" sleeper. I was given a book by a good friend. . .it saved me!!! The book is called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child". It explains sleep cycles in adults/children. It teaches you how to sleep-train your child. It gives you instructions based on ages and the times they wake up/go to bed. I am NOT a big reader BUT this was a Necessity for us. I have kept the book and referred to it for my next 2 children. I recommend it to all my friends and new moms.

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T.S.

answers from Grand Rapids on

In my experience (two children) and what Ive heard from other mothers, this is a very common thing with 5-6-7 month olds.
You are doing a great job...espically since your son can already put himself to sleep...thats the first step and often the hardest.
And at 5 1/2 months Id say its about time to stop the swaddling. Of course he will be upset about it at first, but after a few nights he will get use to sleeping without it.
As for him waking in the night, I would try to let him be. Dont even go in his room, just wait. Of course if he is screaming after about 5 minutes go in and comfort him - but DONT pick him up. The next time he wakes up, let him be alone for 7 minutes...if he is still crying, go in and comfort him - but again dont pick him up - and this time dont touch him either, just talk to him.
Do this up to 15 minutes and within a week he should not only be putting himself to sleep at night, but able to put himself back to sleep in the middle of the night if he wakes up.
We didnt learn this little trick (from watching super nanny)until our first child was 13 months old and it took him 6 nights to be able to do it alone. We started doing it with our second child at 4 months and it only took her 3 nights.
As for the passy issue...I wouldnt take that from him. At least not at the same time you stop swaddling.
Good Luck -hope you BOTH get some sleep :)

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T.W.

answers from Lansing on

The Delta Sleep System woked well with us. Tthis is a music CD, that regulates your brain waves for optimum rest.

GL:)

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J.S.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Have you thought about getting one of those ummm i cant think of what there called buts its like this thing that you can spread far apart or closer together and you put the baby in the middle of it .. i think its more for them not to roll over but i used one of those for my son to hold him snug in his bed since babies like to be all cuddled up and stuff and it really helped .. you can get them at walmart in the baby section and there not that expensive maybe if you try one of those since he likes to be bundled.... hope it helps

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S.H.

answers from Davenport on

I am a new mom to twin daughters that are four months old. I have never really cared for the passy with any kids but both my daughters take them. One of them needs it to fall asleep at night. I have learned that she can take it out, without knowing she is doing it, then wakes up and starts crying. I have just learned that I will go back and put it in so many times then I let her cry for awhile (usually 3-5 minutes). She has learned to calm herself down and then I go back in to give it to her and she finally ends up taking it and stops pulling it out. Usually within one hour or so she has spit it out and doesn't even know it. She stays asleep.

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J.G.

answers from Bismarck on

At walmart they have swaddle things...you put the baby into a little pouch and then wrap the sides around him. That might keep him from kicking out of it. Otherwise I would try a sleep positioner that might help also!

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N.W.

answers from Davenport on

How are naptimes? I would say to try new strategies at naps vs. bedtime. The other thing suggested to hold him (the no turn over thing) may also help because of it "holding him" without the hassle or danger of the blanket. My other suggestion(one I think helps a lot) is to try a white noise machine or a fan, not blowing on them but running in the room. It sounds like you already follow a routine so this may help. The sound of a running fan is soothing and drowns out other household/ people noises. About the binky....I don't know. He's pretty young to take him off it completely, but if he can't sleep without it, it might help to not have it as an issue at all. Good Luck!

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A.I.

answers from Lansing on

hello there they make a stay put swaddel wrap or sack i only found them at meijer and babie rus my youngest was like that in till she was nine month well good luck and keep up the wonderful job your doing

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D.H.

answers from Sheboygan on

Is the little one eating baby cereal? Maybe more baby cereal before bedtime would help settle him. At such a young age, it's hard to be in a routine already. My little guys woke up at night a lot more than many other people's baby's, but I'd just say maybe some more baby cereal or other baby food's would help, and maybe try breaking him of the nuk. If he knocks it out all the time anyway. They say by nine months it becomes bad for their teeth, so I'd say toss it. Give a little more food before bedtime and maybe his last nap of the day could be taken a little earlier? But if you are putting baby to sleep too late, like 9:00 or later, he might already be over-tired and that might be why he's having a hard time.

Good luck

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B.

answers from Boise on

Use a sleep sack, like the ones from Back to Sleep. Also, my 5 month old started waking up in the middle of the night for a few weeks in a row. We heard him, but ignored it and let him put himself back to sleep, and now he's back to great sleeping every night. I've heard that lots of 5 month old start doing this, though I don't remember it with my other two. Good luck!

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