https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 23:35:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-994007 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 17:15:40 +0000 Mrswonderwoman 994007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't read every reply, but I feel like you and i are similar in many ways : co bed, baby wearing, wanting to be gentle...</p> <p>We sorta got ds going down for naps without wearing him in a few ways : rock for a bit (we no longer do this), read a book, sing the SAME two songs before every nap, pacifier, lay on tummy (yes....I know I know), and then pat his bottom. Its fairly dark and we play white noise. We started at 6 weeks, and I basically looked for when he yawned or was droopy, lol. Now that he's 7 months, he totally knows the routine. So much so that he starts yawning as I carry him upstairs and start singing! It definitely is possible, you just probably need a bit more of a routine. Ds typically falls asleep for naps in less than 3 mins with no crying. It's great! Now...if only the magic worked at bedtime, and in his crib or PnP! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-993530 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 14:16:55 +0000 Kemma 993530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: I heart everything you said!!!</p> <p>Infant sleep isn't just a lineal progression that results in STTN, it's ups and downs, good sleep, bad sleep, teething, milestones, night terrors and so on! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992927 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:20:05 +0000 MsLipGloss 992927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: LOL - and yeah, magic indeed! *sigh* I didn't/don't have anything to complain about either other than sleep . . . even though my LO was always over tired and needing more sleep, she has always been (for the most part) an easy going, happy, smiley baby. I am a lucky mama! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992904 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:14:41 +0000 2PeasinaPod 992904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: I had a good friend whose baby would fall asleep just lying on the floor playing. Meanwhile, my LO was screaming his head off. Not fair! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992892 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:12:01 +0000 Silva 992892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I was at baby yoga yesterday and TWO babies fell asleep during the class on their mats. I was like WTF! Magic babies!</p> <p>She is perfect otherwise though, so I guess I'll keep her ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992890 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:11:27 +0000 sslm 992890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: ugh. I think 3-4 months is the devil so far in terms of sleep. M's naps have totally gone to crap. We are lucky to get 2 or 3 thirty to forty five minute naps. I'm planning on just waiting it out!!! I nurse her to sleep though, not sure if that might come back to bite me in the ass... Hang in there mama!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992862 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:03:02 +0000 MsLipGloss 992862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: I just wanted to echo the other posters who mentioned the following TRUTHS: (1) This is not your fault!!! People who have good sleepers just got lucky (and even good sleepers have bad nights); (2) Drowsy but awake . . . don't even get me started! My LO can be asleep, but the second I put her in her crib--or move toward it--she is wide awake . . . and then fall back asleep in under a minute; and (3) this is a phase and it will get better, infinitely better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992793 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:43:37 +0000 Silva 992793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: thanks for this, it was reassuring :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992765 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:39:41 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 992765@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: uggg, I was just thinking back/reading my journal from 3-4 months. It's really an awful time for sleep :( Don't beat yourself up about her sleep being your fault - it's not!! Some babies are naturally good sleepers, others are not, and some are in the middle. All you can do is help her build good sleep habits, while also getting as much sleep as possible for yourself! So, here are some more suggestions:</p> <p>1) I am really in the wait it out camp. Baby's sleep changes so frequently and is influenced by so many -often unknown!- factors. When things seem like they're the worst, wait a few more days; it's almost sure to not be so bad.</p> <p>2) If you want to move her bedtime up, do it in 10-15 minute increments over a period of time. It's easier for her to adjust to that.</p> <p>3) drowsy but awake is the devils phrase! I find that my son is wide awake to asleep in 60 seconds flat. He's older now and it's getting easier for us to find that drowsy spot. Don't get discouraged, just keep looking for it :)</p> <p>4) when you're not getting sleep it feels like the end of days. It feels like your baby is getting the short end of the stick because they can't sleep well enough. If she's happy during the day and getting within the range of total daily sleep recommended, you're doing fine!</p> <p>I cried for days about how I ruined F by co sleeping and nursing and he'll never sleep well and it's all my fault, etc etc. I was miserable and so was everyone else. Finally I had to let it go. His sleep is what is, we do what we have to do to sleep, and these months/first years are so small in the scheme of things, it's not worth it to spend so much time obsessing about doing it "right". Right is what works for your family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992739 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:29:19 +0000 plantains 992739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: This is the worst period for that, you are doing really great! She will turn a corner soon. It really is hard to protect sleep for your husband, get baby rested and stay sane, but you are doing great! I will be rough for a week or so, but she will get better. </p> <p>Either Mrs Wagon or Mrs Bee mentioned something once about a bag of rice trick that might help? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992722 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:24:42 +0000 Silva 992722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: thanks :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992720 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:23:43 +0000 Smurfette 992720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: It isn't your fault! I know the feeling though. I cried to DH about it. But you do anything at first to get them to sleep. I had to hold R otherwise she wouldn't nap. She will get it eventually. Just hang in there Mom! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992719 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:23:39 +0000 Silva 992719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@plantains: yeah, we will try. I tried to put her down starting at 7:30 last night, but she woke up every 10 mins until 9 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992715 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:22:26 +0000 Silva 992715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: the thing I can't figure out is the drowsy but awake. My husband starts a month of 14 hour shifts in 2 weeks (he is in residency) and I'm worried about his sleep too! I'm just lucky I am staying at home.... I don't know how you worked with that little sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992701 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:18:50 +0000 plantains 992701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: Don't be disheartened. Honestly, I agree with the others, I feel like you have to try to improve nighttime sleep first before you can tackle naps. </p> <p>Can you put her to sleep a bit earlier? Maybe 7pm instead of 8.30? If you get her to go down on her own she will likely stay asleep longer. Even if tyou move her to your bed when she wakes up at night, just having that long stretch in her crib is a lifesaver! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992683 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:12:35 +0000 MsLipGloss 992683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: FWIW, my LO had horrible reflux and acutally needed surgery to correct the issue which didn't happen until she was 8 months (she is 11 months now). I didn't sleep train until 9 months (I wanted to be sure she was fully healed), and after that, it took me about 5 days to get good nighttime sleep going. Prior to that, I co-bedded with LO, and her longest sleep stretches were approx. 1-1.5 hours. I've been there. It's so so hard! And both DH and I are attorneys, so, there is plenty of stress and no room for error at work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992676 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:09:52 +0000 MsLipGloss 992676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: It is super important that you are consistent with whatever approach you are taking. Even starting with LO going down in her crib for the first 5 hour stretch at night is a good start (you can then co-sleep after her wakeup). You will also need to decide how you want to deal with wakeups, and might want to discuss ahead of time how you will handle certain events (mild fussing/ tossing versus crying versus full on crying/screaming). The last thing you want to do is to try to figure out what you should do while your LO is crying (and your heart is simultaneously breaking). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992668 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:06:40 +0000 Silva 992668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: we have been trying to get her to go down by herself first with mediocre success. At night she only really half wakes up and I nurse her back to sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992658 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 10:04:02 +0000 2PeasinaPod 992658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: Both if you can! I know it's so hard...and you're just doing what's best for your LO...</p> <p>You said you cosleep right now. When LO wakes, how does she go back down? Do you nurse back to sleep? Does she go down before you and DH, or do you all go to sleep together? If you can try to get her to go down on her own first, that might improve wake ups in the middle of the night. If she does wake up, she might be able to put herself back to sleep. </p> <p>We didn't cosleep, so it's hard for me to give advice on that front, but when LO would wake up, we would wait a little longer each time to go in to soothe him at night until he was STTN on his own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992620 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:53:55 +0000 Silva 992620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just feel like we have ALL the sleep problems and like its my fault </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992616 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:52:48 +0000 Silva 992616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: improve in what way? Going down alone or fewer wake ups? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992613 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:51:20 +0000 2PeasinaPod 992613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I agree...</p> <p>@Silva: S's naps didn't start to become more regular until his nighttime sleep got better. We started with nighttime sleep first...then started to get into more consistent naps. We're kicking ourselves now b/c he still has to be rocked to sleep for naps, but goes down on his own for nighttime sleep. But get that down first before you try to nap train. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992609 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:49:31 +0000 Silva 992609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I was hoping to start increasing nap independence b/c my husband has a demanding job and we dont want to sacrifice the sleep we are getting. She doesn't wake up all the way- just kind of roots around and mutters, and I nurse her back to sleep. She is usually asleep by 8:30 and sleeps until 8:30 AM- longest stretch is 5 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992604 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:47:37 +0000 Silva 992604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: I was nursing until drowsy, but she gets super alert as soon as I move an inch. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992603 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:47:34 +0000 MsLipGloss 992603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Silva: Honestly, you're not likely to have good results with nap training until her nighttime sleep improves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992599 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:45:49 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 992599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think she'll just fall asleep because she's tired. My son has skipped naps (even though I tried everything!) and gone up to 7 hours between sleep. I think sleep cues with naps are a good idea.</p> <p>So, if she's used to falling asleep on your body, putting her in the swing awake is kind of cold turkey. I read No Cry Sleep Solutions and she recommends a really gradual approach. For us, F always fell asleep in our arms, so we started like usual but before he was totally passed out we'd lay him down and keep an arm under his body until he fell asleep. Then we started moving our arms from under him to his cheek, then his back, etc. Maybe you could start her off like you always have until she's drowsy and then put her in the swing? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992594 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:45:03 +0000 Silva 992594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: not great. we co-bed and she is up at least 6 times. something has to give. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992591 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:44:17 +0000 Silva 992591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: should I play / nurse during this time? she was crying so I went and got her. She is so tired! just snuggling on my shoulder. Poor girl! :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992587 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:42:31 +0000 MsLipGloss 992587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This seems really early to nap train. How is her nighttime sleep? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/just-wait-it-out#post-992586 Tue, 06 Aug 2013 09:42:05 +0000 Silva 992586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: for nap time- not much. because I usually hold her or wear her when I get desperate. if I'm trying nursing lying down, its in our bedroom with white noise / black out curtains. I'm trying to institute a routine of diaper change, song, dark room, white noise -&gt; swing, but today is day 1. </p>