Keeps waking since going in cot - any tips????

[Amanda]

Charlie has always been a fantastic sleeper (I think that's why I'm finding this so hard!). Even when he was a tiny baby, he seemed to know the difference between day and night as he always went straight to sleep after a night feed. He then used to sleep for 3-4 hour stretches during the night. When he started sleeping through, he actually slept all night. From about 8pm to 6am with no waking at all.

But since putting him in his cot before Xmas, he's waking loads - and it's getting progressivly worse.

It started with a couple of shouts in the night for his dummy, then the odd wake for a bottle. I started weaning him and he's now on 2 meals a day and is putting weight on and is happy. But it hasn't cured the waking in the night. Last night, he went bed at 7pm, straight to sleep (never a problem with this).

Then:
10.15pm - woke for dummy
10.50pm - woke for dummy
11.15pm - had dummy in mouth, but was shouting loudly until I stroked his head
11.35pm - woke for dummy
12.50am - woke for bottle - had 7oz then back to sleep
3.10am - had dummy in mouth again but shouting
4.50am - wide awake so he came in bed with me for a play till he got hungry at 6am

And that was actually a good night!

I'm back work in 2 weeks and don't know if I'll be able to cope if he's like this then.

The funny thing is that he slept at in-laws on New Years Eve in his moses basket (he just fit!) and slept through from 7pm till 8.15am!

DH would sleep through WW3, so I'm doing all this on my own.

HELP!!!!!!

 

[Dionne]

it might be because he is going from a small cosy basket to a big scary cot.
tdoes he wear a sleepbag? and maybe roll two blankets up and put them close either side of him so he is real squashed up. its the only way Dior would sleep as if i were holding her.

 

[KX]

or swaddle/bind him so he feels secure? i donr that with Rebecca, but she was a really bad sleeper. Hope he sleeps for you soon hun xxx

 

[Amanda]

He does use a sleeping bag, so doesn't get cold - apart from his hands.

I've tried swaddling him KX, but he's so strong now that he gets out somehow!

Dionne - I like the idea of the rolled up blankets, thanks. I'll be trying that tonight.

 

[LynnieH]

Have you tried putting him in the moses basket in the cot for a few nights? Also do you put him in the cot for naps during the day?

 

[Lauz_1601]

How old is he now ? Is he too young for controlled crying ? I did this recently and it worked after 3 nights.

 

[Amanda]

The rolled up blankets didn't last long enough to do any good last night! He's just too wild!!! He thrashed about and before long, they were all unwrapped and all over him!!!!

Lynnie - I'm actually trying this tonight - even before I saw your post!! He's asleep at the minute. Can't do it for too long though as he's got about 4 inches gap for his feet at the bottom, and the same at the top. I can't believe he used to look sooo tiny in his moses basket!

Lauz - he's almost 5 months now. (sorry, ticker's broke!) He's not actually crying when he wakes, just shouting. And if I leave him, he will nearlly always fall back sleep, but it's the fact that he's waking that's killing me cause I wake with him, and then I'm awake listening after he's gone back sleep.

 

[Amanda]

Well the moses basket didn't work.

He was awake every 20 mins from 11.50pm. At 1.50am, I gave him a 6oz bottle, and he went back sleep until 3.05am. Then he was wide awake at 4.55am. But I brought him in bed and he slept until 6.30am. But I really don't want to start that. Kayleigh never came into my bed, and I don't want Charlie to get in the habit either.

I actually considered putting a spoonful of Medised in his bottle at 1.50am. I didn't do it as it would be the equivilent of giving his a sleeping tablet, but I feel embarrassed to say that I considered it.

 

[LynnieH]

Sorry the basket didn't work hun! Iunderstand what you say about having him in bed with you. When i went back to work Jonny ended up in our bed because I needed to sleep and this lasted until he was 14 months when we did controlled crying for three days and never looked back.

If he is going back to sleep on his own I think maybe you just need to ride out the storm.

 

[Amanda]

We'e trying something else tonight!

Charlie normally has 15 minute power nap at about 5.30, then bath at 6.30, bottle and bed at about 7pm. But tonight we've not let him have his power nap. DH played with him until he was getting so over-tired, we bathed him at 6pm, then bottle and bed zonked at 6.30. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for the tips Lynnie - if I'm still struggling in a few days, I will try the controlled crying. It's just hard as we live in a tiny flat and DD has to go school in the morning. We also have a lovely woman upstairs who's bedroom is above ours, and she's recovering from a double masectomy at the minute, so I hate Charlie crying in case she's disturbed in the night.