What Would You Have Done? - Kirkland,WA

You know the answer - let this child self-soothe. She needs to go to bed at the same time every night, regardless of her naps. You will just change up her schedule all over the place, and that will cause more waking in the middle of the night.

She's 6 months old. Why do you feel like you have to give her a bottle? She doesn't need it. She knows you will feed her so she is waiting for you to come in.

You have a lovely little personality there - so many babies scream to get what they want. Take advantage of her being so laid back and let her sleep train and soon you will all sleep through the night. (Well, I hope you will - you sound like you wake at the drop of a hat and don't need a lot of sleep!)

Dawn

I would not have went in. If you keep doing that, she will get used to it, and wake up automatically and cry, because you are not there.

There is no right or wrong answer ... but I would have let it be, unless she started crying :)

I would've gone back to sleep thankful that she was able to just hang out with herself. No need to stay alert. This is a good thing.

I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, no longer sleepy. I read for awhile. This is the same sort of thing for your baby. Let nature rule. chuckle

If my child seemed and quiet and content, I would not have done anything. However, you did nothing wrong by feeding her!!! I think you had a good night, so obviously feeding her didn't disrupt her.

I would've let my child self-soothe. If they aren't crying - but laying there babbling? leave 'em be!!

At six months - expect her to want to change - it's a big growth spurt and will actually start going to bed later. I know there are moms on here who put their kids to bed at 8PM and there are times I wish I could do that - but my kids go to bed between 9 and 930.

Overall - let her self-soothe!

I don't really think there is a right or wrong decision on this.

Sure on one hand you were soothing her with food. Oh the eating disorders!! :p On the other hand she is only six months old so she isn't going to remember if it doesn't become a habit.

On the other hand, because we know moms need three hands, she seemed content to talk to herself so why was it important for her to sleep....

I wouldn't have fed her unless she was crying a whole bunch. If she was content I would have let her be. Just my opinion tho.

Good luck.

There is no "right" answer. I think you handled it well!

My general principle with my kids has always been if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's an important skill for kids to learn to put themselves to sleep, even if it takes a while of playing and reading. Since your baby wasn't upset, I would have left her alone to do her own thing, absolutely.

But I don't think you damaged her or anything. ^_^ You sound like a first-time mom. Trying turning the volume on the monitor down a bit - not off, but enough so that you can only hear her if she cries. This might help reduce your stress when you're listening for her.

I wouldn't have gone in or fed her unless she was crying.

My mom always told me that I would wake up at 2:30 and sing until 3:30 in my crib and fall asleep. Well, I had a baby that did the same thing. Fro the time she was about 8 months until she was 1.5 yrs, my daughter would wake up and sing and talk in her crib, turn on her music and hang out until she fell asleep. As long as there was no crying, I never went in.

Sounds like you have a happy sleeper. You're so lucky. And try to stop feeding her at night - she doesn't need it. Just a binky and a kiss will do until morning.

Since it was bed time, I would not have come in with a bottle, just listened. I certainly would not want to encourage a habit of her waking up and being fed in the middle of the night if it wasn't necessary. All four of my girls (now 8, 7, 4 and 3) started sleeping through the night (6 or more hours) before they were 4 weeks old- and they all slept in the same room as I as infants, so I was always there just in case.

It's GOOD for her to have some time to herself to chat, experiment with moving her mouth and different face shapes making different sounds (the very beginning of learning language!), and to just be happy and chillin' to herself. We used to sneak a tape recorder or the video camera on nightvision so we could watch our boys' happy little night time babbles. And dances. And chatting to the mobile.
What was real fun for us was when we'd hide behind the door, use the remote control to turn the mobile on when he was jabbering at it....and then it lit up and turned on, and my son's face like "Dude! It listened!" and then kicking his legs and "singing". Awesome stuff. They need time to decompress and "think" too, just like us. If she wanted you, she'd have "called" you (crying).

don't go in! you probably woke her up further by going in there. if you hadn't entered her room, she would have most likely babbled herself to sleep much sooner. if you don't already have one, get a video baby monitor. i was too paranoid to leave my son alone but once i got the monitor, i could see for myself exactly what he was up to and if I needed to go in or not.

I would have done what you did if I was already awake. Why get good and asleep myself, then have to get back up.

you did fine do you have one of those musical toy things that attach to the crib rails? our dd would rock out till she fell back to sleep, she loved the little einstine one it played classical music, colors, spoke the colors and played music, then had a setting for spanish colors with the music. you could set t for 15, 30, 45, 60 mins. she loved it.

I wuld have left her alone until he was crying. I like listening to babies sing and babble. Its so cute. I wouldn't feed her unless you knew she was really hungry. You are doing a fine job.

At this point she does not really need night feedings, so I would skip it unless she is crying for it.

Wow, I would have loved to have an infant like yours! she sounds like she is very easy going and able to self soothe. Now you just have to let her, lol.

At 6 months old, she doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night. If she wasn't fussy and was content to hang out, I would have left her to do her thing. I probably wouldn't even have gone in the first time. Good luck with your continuing efforts to give her some space before you jump in! Sounds like you're making progress.

Good responses I've read below. I wanted to add though, something that we are lacking a bit of info on. Does your baby normally wake during the night for a bottle? If she does, and you were ready to go to bed and not "hang out" waiting for her to eventually cry for the bottle you knew she was going to be expecting shortly, then giving it to her a little preemptively is just fine.
I totally agree with the other moms that she doesn't NEED it during the night at this point, but unless you are trying to wean her from one she expects, there is nothing wrong with giving it to her a little early so you can go on to bed yourself. IF however, she has already given up her nighttime feedings, then you probably would have been smarter long term to just let her babble herself back to sleep. Turn down your monitor, close your eyes and sleep until she calls for you.
The reality is, no harm no foul. She is fine. So are you. Do what works for you and your baby.
:)