6 mo old wants to be held to sleep

[eboerman]

My 6 mo old slept thru the night from 6 wks on. Once we transitioned her from her rock n play sleeper to her crib (at 3.5 mos) she started waking several times a night. We always had trouble getting her to sleep in her crib before, even for naps, which is why we waited so long to make the transition. We would try comforting her when she'd wake but I began nursing her because it seemed to be the only way she'd go back to sleep.

Our dr told us at her 6 mo checkup she should be able to go 8-12 hours without eating and that I should stop nursing when she wakes in the middle of the night. We just finished night 5 and it's not going well to say the least. 2 nights weren't bad, she went back to sleep without a fight, but the others have been rough. She starts out crying softly but after a few minutes it escalates. Sometimes she'll calm down if you pick her up and sway with her but other times she just screams no matter what you do.

She loves to be held so we have a hard time setting her down in either her crib or her sleeper. It doesn't matter if she's groggy or already asleep, once you gently set her down she wakes immediately. Some nights it doesn't take much to get her back to sleep but others, like last night, can take 2+ hours.

I really want to wean her off the night feedings but I'm afraid she really is hungry or there's something else is wrong. She has been teething but the tooth has broken through so the worst part should be over until the next one comes in. I'd also love to be able to just set her in her crib without her getting so upset. She is normally a very happy baby. I hate seeing her so upset but I really need some sleep! I really appreciate any feedback!

[Newmom!]

I know what you are going through, I had the same fears too (hungry or "somethings wrong"). I didn't officially wean my son from night feedings until 8mo-1yr (can't remember exactly when any more :-) - It is hard. Your baby is probably is not truly hungry, but just used to being able to nurse. I remember there would be a week where my son slept through the night, then he would get a fever or be teething, etc. So I'd nurse him once a night, then somehow he started waking up to nurse twice a night, then 3 times a night, then I'd realize I'd have to get tough again and he'd start sleeping through the night again. A lot just to say it takes work but you'll get there.

Even when she is yelling in the middle of the night, don't pick her up (I know, an almost impossible task). Pat her back, sing a soothing song, etc, but don't pick her up. I found when I did this with my son it would take about a week, but then he either stopped waking up or I could "wean" to soothing him for briefer and briefer periods of time. (PS the first week at 5 months old that I put him down awake took over an hour of crying and me patting his back for him to fall asleep, but by the end of the week he was doing it in a few minutes)

We also gave our baby motrin a lot at night when he was teething. Always afraid I was going to make him a pain reliever junkie, but it did seem to help.

Here are a couple of threads I posted to a while ago to similar questions. They might have some ideas that you find helpful. At the very least you'll know you are not the only one :-)

http://forums.parenting.com/showthre...3672#post93672
http://forums.parenting.com/showthre...5105#post95105