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can I do anything to improve 5mo's sleep?

6 replies

lucylookout · 21/12/2012 20:15

DS2 is just over 5 months. He has never been a very good sleeper and his day looks something like this:

We get up at 7.30. Through out the day ds2 can never last much longer than 1.5 hours without a nap, and goes to sleep quite easily in his cot, car seat, stroller or sling. The thing is he still doesn't sleep more than about 35 minutes per nap, so normally has about 4 a day, clocking up just over 2hrs sleep. He wakes up cheerful enough from his naps, just gets very tired very soon after.

Depending on when he wakes up from his last nap, he goes to bed between 7 and 8pm (so he always goes down about 1.5 hours from when he last wakes up). His bed time routine is bath, bf in bed, into gro bag, (same) 2 stories every night and then into cot sleepy but awake, and goes to sleep fairly easily with a few forehead strokes and ssshs. He also has a seahorse that lights up and plays a lullaby while he goes to sleep.

He then sleeps about 3 hours to the minute from when I last fed him. This is usually around when I go to bed so I feed him and he settles quite easily in cot next to bed. Then he sleeps for about 2 hours. I feed again. He then goes back to sleep with slightly more difficulty in his cot. After that it's all a bit shambolic (and hazy). He wakes again every hour or hour and a half. If it's less than 2 hours I tend not to feed him again but try to get him back to sleep by cuddling, but by about 3 or 4am he's so hard to settle I take him into bed with me. I've surprised myself in quite enjoying co-sleeping. Most of the time DS will sleep for a longer stretch in my bed (maybe a 3 hour stretch), but sometimes he's still be up again after 1.5 hours, and then wants me to sit up with him for a few minutes before laying him back down again (thought the point of co-sleeping was that you got to stay horizontal Hmm ).

I should point out he has a cows milk protein intolerance, so is EBF and I eat no dairy, although it sometimes creeps in as a hidden ingredient I think and he often wakes with a sharp cry, or can't go to sleep because of throwing his legs around trying to get poos/farts out.

DS1 was a poor sleeper and didn't sleep through until about 18 months, and even then not regularly. This time I have tried to do things a bit differently - not bf to sleep for naps or bedtime, in cot drowsy but awake, and yet DS2 sleeps just as badly. I'm guessing it's in the genes but would love any (gentle) tips. I'm not interested in night weaning yet as I believe he needs at least some of the feeds, and don't want anything that causes him distress, partly because I think he's too little to do any real sleep training and also because I don't want to wake up DS1 and DH.

Maybe I'm asking the impossible ... Confused

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lucylookout · 21/12/2012 22:08

Bump. Anyone?

I'd be happy with reassurances that he might just grow out of it and start sleeping miraculously well any day now Wink

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lucylookout · 22/12/2012 07:59

Really? No one? Sad

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KatAndKit · 22/12/2012 09:14

It's a phase and we had the same with the half hour naps. You could set your watch by it, he would wake up exactly 30 minutes after falling asleep unless we went on a nice long drive.
I don't think there is an awful lot you can do about it. You could try very long walks but that isn't exactly restful for you! I think it is all something to do with their developing sleep maturity and all that. Whatever it is, it is a right pain in the arse.

Anyway there is hope, my DS is now 8 months and on a good day his naps are 90 minutes.

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claggles02 · 22/12/2012 09:14

Sorry no advice for you but am going through the same with my DS who is also 5 months and cow milk protein intolerant. Mine does the shorter cycles of sleep at the start of the night then I might be lucky to get a 3 hour stretch from 3am (with him in bed with me). Sorry no advice but you have my sympathy, I still feed him throughout the night as he seems to need it.

For daytime naps I either go on long walks or let him sleep in my arms then transfer to the cot, he sleeps longer on his side. I have also bought a robopax which is a pram rocker, didn't think I would have to go to this extreme but helps him sleep up an hour or sometimes longer and great to use during cold weather!

Hoping this is a phase! Good luck and hopefully someone can post with advice

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claggles02 · 22/12/2012 09:18

Also try giving his mylom gas drops or similar before bed to help with the gas pains, mine sleeps better and gets the gas at far more easily

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lucylookout · 22/12/2012 10:24

Thanks both.
katandkit it's hard to go for long walks because of DS1, but when I have been able to he still wakes up after 35 mins and then starts complaining about being in the buggy! Still, it's good to know that yours has grown out of it and sleeps well now.

claggles02 sorry to hear yours has CMPI too. It's a pain isn't because you just don't know how much is discomfort. Weaning soon - we'll be taking that very, very slowly!

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