Just starting - need help with 7 month old!

[avery2290]

I just got 2 of Tracy's books from my library and want to start implementing her ideas ASAP for my 7.5 month old girl.  She has been having MAJOR sleep issues lately.  Where should I start??  She has been sleeping with us since birth, starts the evening in her co-sleeper and then moves into bed with us.  I've always nursed her to sleep for bed and naps.  She also nurses ALOT at night.  Obviously, this is starting to be a major problem and looking back, it has been for awhile.  I think we just didn't know how else to do it.  She used to sleep fine until we came to bed, she'd usually hear us and wake up, I'd bring her into bed nurse her and she'd stay there all night.  Lately, she will sleep for about 30 mins at a time, wake up and not want to go back to sleep.  She also isn't taking good naps at all.  The other day I struggled for 2 hours to get her down.  We are exhausted and never have any time to ourselves! 
A typical day for us has been:  wake up around 8-8:30, nap around 10, many times in the car or stroller.  Sleep in the car at some point (cat nap), nap around 3:00.  Naps usually last 30-45 mins.  Bedtime routine is bath with Dad, nurse to sleep.  We rock her to sleep when she wakes up or I bring her into bed with me.  She is usually pretty good about going to sleep (but not on her own, always with a prop) but horrible about staying asleep.  I've been feeding her about every 3 - 4 hours and started her on purees once a day around 6pm.   
I'd love to hear anyone's success stories, ideas for what our day should be with a 7 month old.  I am really hoping that once we incorporate these ideas that things will get better!   

[jana224]

Hi and Welcome!
Is your name Avery or your daughter's?  My DD is Avery as well... love the name!
Anyway -- when you have a few issues to tackle, it makes sense to prioritize what needs to get done first, then work on one issue at a time. 
I would say the first thing you need to work on is the BFing schedule and nursing her to sleep.  Then once she is eating more routinely and doesn't need to nurse to fall asleep, I would consider working on getting her to sleep in her own bed.

At 7 months, most babies are able to be awake 2.5-3 hours before needing to have a nap.  If you want to keep a consistent 10am nap, you might consider starting the day at 7-7:30am and planning for a bedtime that is 12 hours later.

Check out the EASY forum for example routines for babies 7 months old.

She's probably ready for solids 2-3 times a day now.  Usually they accept solids best when given one hour after a BF meal.   Once you get a regular meal time of solids going, you can feel comfortable with nursing her every 4 hours or so.

With a bit of work on the routine, you will have her in a more consistent routine that makes your life easier. 
Jana

[balubasmom]

I was experiencing the same problems with my son almost 3 weeks ago.  Tracy's story about the little boy in Chapter Nine of her first book helped immensely.  I would suggest rereading that entire chapter and then looking at your own situation with her ideas/wisdom in mind.  It was hard for me and my hubby to start slowly enough to not scare DS and cause a backlash of insecurity, so remember to take baby steps    Maybe continue nursing to start off bedtime but once he has been laid down the first time to sleep, no more nursing for the rest of the night until a certain time near morning, just in case he is waking from hunger.  Tracy explains it best in the book, so take a look at it and let us know what you try and what works for you.
Good Luck!

marti

[charmie]

Hello and welcome to BW.

BW methods are not compatible with co-sleeping.  They focus more on independent sleeping, and co-sleeping is considered to be a prop. 

Are you intending to keep co-sleeping?  Or you want help with teaching independent sleep?


xxx
charm