Francine 12:28 PM 09-07-2011
I have a new 5 month old who just started. His mom is a teacher so she started bringing him a couple of mornings a week the beginning of August. Mom told me back then that she usually feeds him a bottle at 7 and by 9 he is ready for a nap but only sleeps for about 45 minutes. Sure enough that is all he sleeps in the morning which was fine was mom was picking up at noon but it isn't going to work with him here all day. He totally acts like a baby that is use to being carried around all day, when he isn't being held he screams at the top of his lungs. Mom swears that isn't the case and the only time he does that at home is when he is tired. Today she brought me some cereal to give him this morning before his nap, I made 6 ounces of formula and made cereal with part of it and he drank the rest. He had eaten at home 1 1/2 hours earlier. Still only slept 45 minutes and then screamed until I fed him again which he puked because he wasn't really hungry, he was just still tired but refused to sleep. This afternoon he slept for one hour, he is now up there screaming but if I bring him down the whole house will be awake because he will scream down here too. How can I get this little guy to sleep, he is obviously tired. I can't just hold him, I have 4 other kids to take care of.
Michael 03:21 PM 09-07-2011
MyAngels 03:32 PM 09-07-2011
Originally Posted by Francine:
I have a new 5 month old who just started. His mom is a teacher so she started bringing him a couple of mornings a week the beginning of August. Mom told me back then that she usually feeds him a bottle at 7 and by 9 he is ready for a nap but only sleeps for about 45 minutes. Sure enough that is all he sleeps in the morning which was fine was mom was picking up at noon but it isn't going to work with him here all day. He totally acts like a baby that is use to being carried around all day, when he isn't being held he screams at the top of his lungs. Mom swears that isn't the case and the only time he does that at home is when he is tired. Today she brought me some cereal to give him this morning before his nap, I made 6 ounces of formula and made cereal with part of it and he drank the rest. He had eaten at home 1 1/2 hours earlier. Still only slept 45 minutes and then screamed until I fed him again which he puked because he wasn't really hungry, he was just still tired but refused to sleep. This afternoon he slept for one hour, he is now up there screaming but if I bring him down the whole house will be awake because he will scream down here too. How can I get this little guy to sleep, he is obviously tired. I can't just hold him, I have 4 other kids to take care of.
These are some things that I would try:
A cool, dark room (the farther away from the playing daycare kids & still within regs the better).
White noise of some type. I have a cd recording of a hairdryer running that I play on a loop if I need it. A fan would work, too.
If the white noise doesn't work, maybe a lullabye cd.
A particular scent sprayed in the room every day to set the mood. I haven't had to use it for awhile, but I used to use an apple/cinnamon scent.
A swaddle, if the parents are ok with it. I've never swaddled a 5 month old before, only younger babies, so this may not work for you.
My niece has a device that projects really soft lights on the ceiling & turns, creating a little show that she swears by for her little girl.
harperluu 03:48 PM 09-07-2011
Is he nursed? I know you said you're giving him formula. Just wondering if he's nursed back to sleep in the evenings/nights at home?
cheerfuldom 06:41 PM 09-07-2011
Is he napping longer at home? perhaps they are rocking, holding during the nap, nursing or bottle to sleep. really the only thing you can do is just let him CIO and get used to making it past that first sleep cycle (each cycle for young kids is about 45 minutes, they have to practice going back to sleep). just because he is getting up doesn't mean he needs to up. I would assume that mom is doing the opposite of what she is telling you. It may be unintentional. perhaps she doesn't realize how much she is holding/rocking/soothing especially is this is her first child.
Francine 07:01 PM 09-07-2011
He is nursed but also gets bottles at home, he takes the bottle just fine. Mom says that he sleeps for about 45 minutes in the morning at home and 2-3 hours in the afternoon. I got 45 minutes this morning and only about an hour this afternoon, it wouldn't be such a big deal if he wasn't screaming when he was up. I really think if he would sleep more in the morning that would solve the problem, he really isn't ready to get up but he screams bloody murder and doesn't give up. I did let him CIO today but he never went back to sleep, I finally got him up. I think Mom probably has been getting him up at the first little peep, and both parents are teachers so they both have been home all summer I'm sure they were entertaining him in one way or another all of the time. The other issue is that he is here Wed-Fri so by the time he gets use to being here he has 4 days away so we have to start all over again. Hopefully things will get better as he gets more use to being here, thank you all for your advice.