HELP ME!!

Hi Sterling,
Just wanted to let you know a little trick we used on our boys.  Right before the last feeding for bedtime, give him a nice warm bath.  Helps them relax.  Hope it helps! Love to listen to you.
Have a blessed day!
Cindi

HI STERLING I HOPE YOU GET THIS.  I HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY BABY.  WHEN  HE WAS 3 MOS. OLD  I TRAVELED BACK HOME, MY MOM NOTICE THAT I WAS LIKE A ZOMBIE.  I TOLD HER THIS BABY CRIES ALL NITE, WHAT CAN I DO?  SHE SECRETELY PUT ALITTLE BABY CEREAL IN WITH HIS FORMULA.  IT WAS LIKE A DREAM,  HE SLEPT ALL NITE.  SHE TOLD ME WHAT SHE DONE, AND THEN SAID TO ME,"YOU'RE STARVING THAT POOR BABY.  APPARENTLY THE FORMULA WASN'T ENOUGH.  HE IS NOW A HEALTHY 34 YR. OLD, WHO I ADORE. PLEASE TRY IT.

Hi again,
I just heard someone mention the timer.  I forgot about that.  We started with 2 minutes, if you know he isnt hungry or wet, pat his back, talking to him, not picking him up.  Do not turn on any lights.  The next time go 3 minutes and so on.  After a few days (less than a week) he will learn to put himself back to sleep without you.  Good Luck!  
Cindi

You will get through this time....don't rush it. My babies are now 19 & 17. I say savor every moment with your little guy....it will all to soon be a distant memory.

Power naps are good for you...if you can...nap while the baby is napping.

Prayers going up for you and your beautiful family.

I used a natural liquid called Baby Z's that works like a charm.  My first little girl, I used Baby Z's by the case now my second come along and I only used a total of 2 bottles.  It helps soothe and calm them.  Try it!

Sterling! You're going to think this is insane but I remember those sleepless nights and I remember how desperate for sleep you feel! My colicy baby did not sleep unless:
1. The vaccuum cleaner was running (yes. right next to her crib. All night long. Switch it off - awake and crying. Turn it on - sound asleep)
2. Get in the car and drive. Or if you're really desperate, and the engine is running and the baby is sleeping, take a nap in the car while it's running (outside of course).

Most of all, know this. You WILL remember these days with nostalgia when your baby is grown! God is smiling down on your family with love!

Hi Sterling!I feel ya! My heart goes out to you!My oldest little girl had colic and was always awake. She cried at the top of her lungs pretty much nonstop, except for catnaps until I discovered two things that saved my sanity. At around 5 weeks, I changed the position I was having her sleep in, and started putting one of those old school hot water bottles in bed next to her when she slept.It worked. She began sleeping,and by 2 months was sleeping for 10 hours straight. The other thing is to remember the soothing power of music. Each of my kids liked different music to soothe. For one it was Mozart or Flight of the Bumblebees. For my youngest, it was childrens songs from church about Jesus. You'll find what's right for you. After all, He promised that He wouldn't leave you comfortless! The inspiration will come. Enjoy this stage and take LOTS of pictures. When they get sassy, its hard to remember this stage!

Congrats Sterling!  First of all, please don't put baby cereal in the milk.  Any medical professional worth his or her salt will assure you this is detrimental; it will make your son feel fuller, but has no nutritive value.  So long as you're nursing, you're providing eveyrthing he needs.  God designed our bodies to provide for our babies, both before and after birth, more perfectly than anything man can make.
  Also, a newborn's stomach is only about the size of a ping pong ball at birth; everything he eats is digested in 90 minutes.  Newborns are intended to eat often, and your son got used to a reverse schedule while still in your tummy.  Knowing that my baby needed my milk that often helped me to cope, and feel positively about our late night nursings--much of the time
  Also, every baby is different.  My daughter, at 8 months, only sleeps 5 hours or so at a stretch w/out nursing; her birthday buddy, born 5 hours earlier, slept 8 or 9 hrs at a stretch by her 2nd or 3rd month.  If you're not comfortable co-sleeping, I recommend getting him used to a sound, like waves on a sound machine, and playing it whenever you nurse.  Then, play it at night while he's sleeping, and give him the shirt you've worn that day so he can smell you near him.  Don't turn on any lights when you get up at night; keep the room pitch black, even if you get up to nurse him (light fools him into waking).  Don't change the diaper unless he has pooed or it is sopping wet--it won't hurt him.  Also, babies wake a little after each sleep cycle; wait to make sure he is really crying before picking him up.  Or better yet, if you can recognize his hungry signals before he wakes all the way, nurse him and he'll fall back to deep sleep quickly, allowing you a shorter awake time.
  Most of all, let the little things (like housework) go.  God intended this time to be for you, your husband, and your baby to just take care of each other.  Spend time with other new moms--www.llli.org will connect you with a La Leche League group that meets near you.  The wisdom and experience of other moms, and just the understanding, was enormously helpful to our family.
  God bless--it will get better!

Sterling,  I used this trick with both of my children.  The pediatrician shared this secret with me twenty years ago.  Babies are very social beings.  So, if you take away all of the social aspects of the night feedings (no taking, singing, place a blanket between yourself and the baby, etc.) you will soon know if they are getting up because they are hungry or wanting to socialize with you.  The baby cereal idea mentioned previously will help if it is hunger.

Good bless!

Patty

Hi Sterling,
I just called you and told you about using lavender to help you sleep.  Here is a link to the farm I bought lavender from.  This page is where they have their sweet dreams teddy bear.  Best wishes for more sleep.
Dana
applegatevalleylavenderfarm.com/Products.aspx

How I wish I could say I'm sleep deprived because of my baby being up all night.  Instead I am sleep deprived from grieving my precious angel who we lost at 34 weeks.

Well congats on the baby! Every one has there own advice some good and some bad but every child is different. You just have to find what works for you. If you spend so much time trying to keep him calm he can feel that.

Have you tried changing his formula? sounded like my nephew he has had to get his formula changed multiple times.He is now on one that's called GOOD START 2 Protect. a nice warm bath before bed might work too...

My Grandmother wrapped my baby who is now 18 up in light receiving blanket, and I thought she'd be hot,but Grandma said since she was only afew weeks old and keeping her all snuggly reminded her of the womb. It worked and I got things done durring the day also.

Swaddle blankets!

i tryed feeding him alil less than a a normal 6 oz bottle i gave my son 5 oz when it was bedtime and that was around 10. i gave him a bath and made sure he was clean. he slept really good if he was swaddled and had socks on...weird i know lol...also i straped him in his boppy, i wouldnt recomend it unless your sleeping in the same room or have a video moniter, but that fixed the problem for me,but not over feeding and swaddeling and putting him in his boppy so it feels like hes being held, works like a charm!

Sterling,
  I have a 5 month old ( my 3rd ).  he's been sleeing through the night since 4 months.

  Swaddle!!  www.miracleblanket.com
  Ran a box fan right outside his room.  Babies love white noise.
  A bedtime routine is KEY!!!!  START tonight!!  Ours is nurse, cereal, bath, jammies, and straight to bed.  EVERYNIGHT!!  If we don't get home until 10, he still gets a bath.  He knows that after bath is bedtime, no questions asked.
  Next, check out the pick up put down method on the net.  That is what we did and although we had a few rough nights, that is all it took and he now sleep through.  I like this way better because I couldn't stand to let him cry and I'm not just leaving him to cry, ya know?  
  Keep us posted!!

Sterling, my youngest son did not sleep through the night until he was 15 months old.  I did get him to sleep in 6 hour blocks using a bigger bottle before bed and the rice cereal for babies is nutritious for them and it fells they're little tummies.  I also used a baby body wash that had chamomile and lavender in it.  That helped calm him.   I had a tape that was lullabies with a heart beat in the background, that I played continually all night.  Finally nap when he naps, forget the house chores and sleep when he sleeps.   My baby is 13 now and has grown up just fine and is still hungry all the time!!   LOL!!

Hi Sterling,
Try a bottle with an ounce or two of warm anise tea at his bedtime.  Gets rid of any gas and reeeally calms babies enough to sleep soundly. I know mainstream info here in the US says babies don't need anything but breast milk, not even water.  And it's true, but this tea is one natural plant that won't hurt babies.  It's been used for hundreds and hundreds of years in the middle eastern and south american countries. Being born here, I was hesitant when my mom suggested it, but our ped cleared it, so I tried it and it was like magic. Good luck and God's blessings upon you and your fam <3

Hi Sterling, congrats on the new little one.  I have 4 kids and they all slept through the night by 4-10 weeks.  I followed a book called Babywise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam.  It worked for me and then I recommended to my sister, sister-in-law, all my cousins and friends and it has worked for all of them too!  The book simply prods you to help your child establish hunger/sleep patterns and a routine.  It is very practical and helpful and is also written from a Christian perspective.  Good luck with whatever you try!

Pray. That's all I can say. (hey, it rhymes!)

I have 3 kids---2 had NICU stays and every one was different. This last baby (10 months now) still does not sleep through he night..he is up still every 1-2 hours and is breastfed. All I can say is when I made the commitment to co-sleep and breastfeed that I knew in 12 months or so they would sleep through the night. The first 2 kids did at only months old......this one just won't. I say enjoy it, when they're in Kindergarten you'll have a break LOL. You will adjust to being tired all the time--God's faithful and will give you the strength to handle it!

Play LONG Versios of all songs on the air and nap between them. If you could find a 19 minute version of a MercyME song you'd have it made. Take care

My niece swears by the book, "Babywise".  Her little girl slept ALL night from about the time she was a month old.  I'm talking 10 hours at a time.  Imagine how you'd feel if you got that much sleep.
Also, don't laugh.  I didn't know any lullabyes either so I sang "Oh, Holy Night" and "Amazing Grace" to my babies.  

sterling,
I have had this problem with my what 4 kids!  I learned quickly that although ur docs think they know it all that every child is differant!  U might want to put a dad bit of baby cereal in the bottle feed right before bedtime.  No juice mixed in or anything.  My kids loved the oatmeal and it seemed to have been the better choice!  Hope u take this advice!  my kids are now 6, 5, and 4 and love listening to klove~!  what a joy it is to share my faith with my kids!  the older lives with his father and I don't know what he does to pass his timeaway but we are listening to u now on my computer!  lol  they said klove on computer....then the other said not just klove bubby STERLING!!!!  LISTEN SHE;S BACK!
lol  they loved u then and they love u all now!

oh yeah warm bath with lavender scent!  my kids worked well with those!

Hi...read lots of the comments.  Don't remember exactly when your baby was born....i agree with establishing a routine....the picking up but not feeding in middle of the night...but if you have to, no lights no singing no stimulation.  My daughter also used the book, Babywise.  Schedules and routines really work...yours doesn't have to be as strict.  Adapt to what works for you and your husband. You may have to endure some crying...those little blessings are smart and know you'll come in if you've established a habit of coming in.  My daughter would go in and softly rub her baby's back and sooth her VERY quietly and then leave the room.  Hard to hear them cry, but they have to learn to sleep.  They will be happier also.  Hang in there...they are all different.  Take in all the advice but ultimately you and your husband are the ones who decide.
blessings...i remember way back then.
with love

My kids were the same way. I think we all go through it. Here is what I did. first play soothing music-beethoven, bach, work best then if it is colic try switching formula (if you use it) to soy the baby may be allergic. If you are breastfeeding, cut out all dairy in diet. I had to do this for a year.  Enjoy these first years, it tought but worth it. I always rocked mine to sleep then put then in bed with a blanket that smelled like me and it helps.

This too shall pass, maybe like a kidney stone but it will. My son was the same way. We eventuallly figured out he had silent acid reflux. After we got him on meds he was much better but still was in the habit of being rocked to sleep or walked to sleep. At 15 months I let him cry himself to sleep in the twin size bed next to our bed. After three hours of him fussing and throwing binkis at me, I laid him next to me to comfort him and told him he could fall asleep laying next to me but no "rocky" (his word for the rocking chair) It eventually worked.  I have friends let their kids cry themsleves to sleep at age 2 months and i personally thought that was cruel. Now we had a daughter two years later and the night i brought her home i nursed her and laid her down. My husband asked "aren't you going to rock her?" I said nope she doesn't know she needs it she laid next to me in our cosleeper bed and peacefully fell asleep. If she did fuss i would burp her good and lay her back down. I did rock her at times but it wasn't for her it was more for me she never cried herself to sleep in the first year and now she may fuss a little because its bed time and she wants to play but its only for a minute or two. Make sure your little guy is burped good and try the rice, we did that with my son and that helped some. You may have created a little monster but in time he will grow out of it. Me son sleeps WONDERFULLY now. Do what your mommy gut tells you to do. Time flies and he will be 3 soon Take care and like my brother in law use to tell me "you can sleep when your dead ;)"

My friend wraps her little bundle in a blanket.  I mean literally wraps...snuggly, including arms and then lays baby in crib.  Baby sleeps all night this way.  Her husband is a doctor so it is safe.

Sterling,
I know how you feel... I had to take my niece when she was 4 days old because of her parents being heroine addicts even though the baby had no drug symptoms she was a little colic... and I had to work a full time job on top of taking her with no time off... I thought I was going to loose my mind...But I remembered what my mom told me with my kids who are know 17 & 18 years old... we used a little bit of Rice cereal in that bottle at bed time and its so watery and it doesn't hurt them, plus a nice warm bath with lavender baby bath soap, and wrapping her in a blanket tightly just like at the hospital...she has been sleeping from about 9p.m. to 8-9 a.m.  It has been great... Good luck and just pray and ask the LORD to show you he knows all secrets...God Bless and congratulations...enjoy time goes by quickly... my niece is now going on 7 months...what a blessing...Anita

Play chant music in his nursery.  It works like a charm.  Very low, very mellow.  It put my grandbaby to sleep every time we went into my husband's prayer room where chant plays 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It can't hurt.

Buy a book called "Moms On Call" - gave it as gift to both my daughters who just had babies (one is 8 months the other 2 months) - both are sleeping through the night following the recommendations in the book.

I always teach parents the 5B's (I'm a NICU RN)...bath, book, bottle/breast, binkie, bedtime. Usually (now Lincoln might be a little more strong willed :O) ) by the 3rd night of this routine, baby is anticipating the routine, and by the 5th night baby is half way asleep before the feeding is done.
Good luck - my littlest just 1st grade this week - the freedom is quite glorious!