Brooke Burke Enlists Mom's Help For a Night's Rest

Flynet

With rigorous dance rehearsals and four children in need of attention, Brooke Burke has certainly been feeling the effects of her sleepless nights over the past few weeks! As any mother would, Brooke had hoped that as her 6 ½-month-old son Shaya Braven got older, his sleeping pattern would have him clocking longer nights with less feedings. Unfortunately for Brooke and her fiancé David Charvet, Shaya is a growing boy and is demanding more food during the night! In addition to waking up with their son, Brooke also reveals that since his birth, their youngest daughter Heaven Rain, 20 months, "has been waking up once every night as well," making for a very long evening. After enduring months of not sleeping through the night and dealing with extreme exhaustion, the couple decided to enlist some extra help: Brooke’s mom! Says Brooke,

"Last night my mom spent the night and kept the babies for us. David and I took a sleeping pill at 8 p.m. and slept 9 hours! It was heaven and I do feel like a new woman today. I highly recommend getting caught up on your zzzs at least once a week, if you can."

In addition to Rain and Shaya with David, Brooke also has daughters Neriah, 8 ½, and Sierra Sky, 6, with ex-husband Dr. Garth Fisher. On Tuesday, she posted a new blog, writing,

"I am getting desperate for sleep. I’m thinking about asleep nurse to train Shaya and Rain to sleep through the night. I havenever done that with any of my babies, and I’m not sure it feels right …Any thoughts about sleepless nights?"

Source: Baboosh Baby

How did you deal with sleepless nights when your kids were younger?

Comments

Ann E. Mouse on September 30th, 2008

That must be a nice luxury. Some of us just haven’t slept 8 hours straight for years. It has been around 5 years since I had a full night’s rest, but no one else can nurse my babies back to sleep and they won’t take a bottle so I’ve learned to function on smaller chunks of sleep. This is totally natural and our bodies and brains are designed to handle it.

marla on September 30th, 2008

as a mother of 2, i sleep for 8 hours a night, unless i stay up late. both my boys were sleeping through the night by 4 months or so (at least 7 hours). by 6 months, they were both sleeping from 7 to 7 give or take 30 minutes. and they were breastfed until a year. i did implement what i read in “baby 411″ which outlines a very effective way to get your baby to sleep on his own. a baby older than 6 months does not need to eat in the middle of the night. it’s a habit at that point, not a nutritional need. i’ll probably be criticized, but i have two happy boys and a well-rested set of parents to attest to the method. initially, there were a couple of crying it out sessions, but after a couple days, it was and has been effortless.

Heather on September 30th, 2008

Maria, I totally understand what you are saying about not needing to eat in the middle of the night after 6 months and I agree with you. Our pediatrician told us that back when our son was little, he said you could give him an ounce and he’ll go back to sleep because he’s not hungry it’s habit and he was right. I feel that the cry it out method or any other method is ones own personal choice and you do not need to be criticized although I’m sure you will be. But not by me With our oldest the cry it out method worked but with our youngest (whose 1) that would not have worked just due to the different personalities. She was MUCH easier to get to sleep though, just had to tweak her bedtime until we found what was the best time for her and she’s been easy ever since and that was many many months ago. So I think it’s whatever works best for the child and in your case it was the cry it out method… good for you and your husband for getting sleep!!! We do too and it’s wonderful isn’t it!!??

I was a little taken aback though by her saying they took a sleeping pill???? If they are so exhausted that they need her Mom to get up with the kids, which I understand, why do they need a sleeping pill? I don’t know that she should be “promoting” sleeping pills… haha, now I’ll get criticized!

momof3 on September 30th, 2008

I can understand the sleeping pill comment. If you’re conditioned to waking up several times a night with small children it would be hard to sleep through that unless you took some kind of sleep aid; I think they sound like smart and responsible parents to have granny sleep over and allow themselves to get some much needed rest! We all have different sleep needs and I have learned, after three babies that it doesn’t benefit anyone in my family if I skimp on my sleep…SO important.

jenny on September 30th, 2008

To be honest, when I first read the sleeping pill comment, I knew it was destined for commentary. However, I totally get it. There have been countless nights when my three month old daughter is sound asleep and I, for whatever reason (full breasts, mostly) cannot sleep. I am completely exhausted, but have become used to waking up to feed during the night. If I didn’t have to wake to feed her, I would probably take something as well just to get some much needed shut eye.

Laura on September 30th, 2008

Bravo, Maria & Heather! I’m joining your club. Also a mother of 2, I also get great sleep. Not b/c my children came out of the womb wonderful sleepers, but b/c I TAUGHT them how to go sleep on their own. And more importantly, how to go back to sleep on their own in the middle of the night. It took two nights of crying it out to get the job done. No, my children aren’t scarred for life b/c they cried it out. We’re talking 30 minutes, not hours. I mean seriously, they’re infants…do you remember anything from when you were an infant? People always say, “you’re so lucky you’ve got two great sleepers”, but it took a little bit of training to get them that way. Each still sleeps 12 hours a night–ages 5 1/2 and 2. I also nursed each of them a year, but the middle of the night stuff was done at four months. Baby Boot Camp never hurt anyone…and our lives are much easier and happier b/c of it.

Julie on September 30th, 2008

I had twins, so I don’t remember a thing from the first year! I don’t remember ever getting the feeling that I was so exhausted that I was going to just shut down. We moms keep going because we HAVE to!!

Dana on September 30th, 2008

My kids did pretty well sleeping through the night. When they did wake up, it wasn’t necessarily to feed. They just wanted some comfort. My husband and I would take turns getting up with them. If it was before 3, my husband would do it. I got them after 3. He is a night owl and I am an early riser.

We definitely did the cry it out method. With us, crying only lasted 5 minutes before they were out. Different babies have different needs. Our oldest was the night waker and our youngest was the night sleeper.

Now, they are 7 and 4 and have completely different sleep patterns than I would have thought. They go to sleep around 8:30 and wake up between 6 and 8 in the morning.

sadie on September 30th, 2008

Like Maria, Heather and Laura, I believe good sleeping habits can be taught to babies. Consistency and patience is the key. My son has been sleeping through since 4 months, which I would say is 10% luck and 90% taught. Even when things like a bad cold or developmental milestones (learning how to stand up in the cot, for instance) interrupt his sleep, a few days of consistent sleep training gets him back to his routine. We’ve never left him to “cry it out” either; there are plenty of great techniques to be explored. Yes, they do mean a few sleepless nights while you’re implementing them but give me three sleepless nights over a year of broken sleep! I am expecting twins in January so that will be the true test, haha.

Stephany on September 30th, 2008

Maria, Heather, and Laura: You three give me hope! I’m not a mother yet but I love, love, love my sleep and it’s something I would dearly miss when I have children. I hope I can get my children to become good sleepers as your children are.

michelle on September 30th, 2008

Being sleep deprived is the hardest thing my husband and I have dealt with since having our second! Our youngest is 10 1/2 months and still gets up a couple times a night. And if he does happen to sleep through the night (like he did last night) then it’s our 3 1/2 year old who gets up for one reason or another. Oh well, I guess we’ll sleep when they’re all grown up!!!

Bubbles on September 30th, 2008

Please give her a break. She has 4 children and two are very young. She does most the work herself like us. WE know how it is. I am THRILLED that she is able to relax with a sleeping pill, putting all worries about her children and life aside, and get a great night sleep. I do it once a month and I can agree with her, there is nothing like it. Rest does a body good.

Heather on September 30th, 2008

Haha, Michelle I can also relate to what you’re saying. I say haha because you said you’ll sleep when they’re grown, not that it’s funny you’re tired it’s just one of those “life of a Mom” deals ya know. For us there have been nights where one kid is up then goes back to sleep and then the other gets up, and back and forth in a cycle all night long… soooo exhausting! That’s if they’re sick or something though but I still feel for you and pray you get some sleep!!

Stephany- I too LOVE LOVE LOVE my sleep. I can promise you that it’s true that mothers have a way of functioning on very little sleep. But yes our kids both sleep 12 to 13 hours and it’s great!! You can get sleep I promise My problem I’m trying to correct though is I’m a night owl and I find that I stay up way too late and don’t always take advantage of the fact that I can get a lot of sleep too lol.

I can understand what people are saying about using a sleeping pill because they are used to waking up, but again we’re all different just like babies are and some of our bodies just konk out and others stick to the routine of waking up… I do think that they are wise for having her Mom stay over and help out. Nothing wrong with that and kudos to her Mom for being so helpful.

It was really cool to see so many people agree and be supportive with what myself and Maria said. I so believe sleep is taught. Like I said we had to tweak our daughters bedtime until we figured out what worked for her. We created a routine that we could stick with… while a bath is very calming, for me putting a bath into the routine would not work b/c I couldn’t know for sure that I could do that every night… So again it all comes down to teaching them to sleep and creating good habits but ones that work with the babies personality and also that are realistic and work for you too. I really saw with her that sleep is taught because she went through a phase where she would not sleep when she was about 4 months old and had already been sleeping long stretches at night. I talked to her doctor and finally realized that a big part of the problem was my husband and I and changes that we needed to make to in order to teach her better sleep habits. We made those changes and we’ve all been sleeping soundly.

Laura- Amen on them getting themselves back to sleep! lol. That is a great thing! And lol, no I don’t remember a thing from when I was an infant.. u?

Sadie- There are definitely things that will interupt their sleep, like you said illnesses or milestones, but you’re right in that they go right back to their routine after a couple of days.

In the end you have to be comfortable with the choices you’re making as a parent. I know it’s not a one size fits all for these different issues and what’s good for one is not good for another. I am just so happy to see that what Maria, Laura, Sadie and myself have said did not (so far haha) get totally picked apart and judged etc. Some of these comments on here get so crazy so it’s really cool that hasn’t happened in this post. Moms have to stick together!!!! I hate when you’re out somewhere and your child is acting up or whatever and someone looks at you all rude and snotty and it’s like, “Yeah you’re child was perfect 100% of the time!” Not. When I see another Mom looking frazzled and stressed and we make eye contact I just say something like you’re not alone and boy you make me feel normal. We usually share a laugh and a “I’m glad someone understands”!! Like I said we have to stick together!!

Brittany on September 30th, 2008

My son in 5 1/2 months old and has slept through the night since he was 1 month! He probably would’ve started sooner, but he was a preemie so they had us wake him up every 3 hours. In my case it was just luck my kid loves to sleep, im sure my next will be up all night:) I totally understand the sleeping pill comment, there were times in the beginning when i just could not sleep!

lnatt on September 30th, 2008

Wow, I can’t believe that there are moms out there who still use the excuse, “They’re babies; they won’t remember it”. Well, they also wouldn’t remember it (on a conscious level) if they were sexually molested, or kidnapped, or starved for days at a time. So what? That doesn’t make it ok. And no, I’m not comparing CIO/sleep training to any of those things. Obviously, those are truly abusive horrific things. But I’m tired of moms using that as an excuse to cop out of nighttime parenting. There are plenty of things you can subject your child to which *are* traumatizing, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not.

Frankly, it disturbs me that more moms are not aware of the research done in this area and are just relying on outdated 50′s-era “the child’s emotional needs should not be met or else they will be spoiled” propaganda pushed on them by their pediatrician (and yes, Baby 411 is full of this). If you really read up on the neurobiology and brain chemistry of this, you will learn all about the cortisol and stress hormones released in the infant brain when he/she is left to cry unattended, the effects of which have been shown to have LIFE-LONG effects on how their brain responds to stress throughout their lifetime.

It’s sad to me that one has to even make it about science. You would hope the sheer nature- or God- given instinct a mother has to respond to her baby would be enough. But nowadays, a lot of moms are so disconnected from their babies, anyway, with our “me culture” and focus on convenience and scheduling (including the way we view birth), that maybe pointing out the science of what we know, hormonally, is happening during CIO and how it affects the baby’s developing brain, will cause someone to pause and think a little before jumping on the “it doesn’t hurt them” bandwagon.

There have been plenty of things that, once upon a time, we thought and justified as “not hurting anything”. Too bad that we often find out, way down the road, they were much more harmful than we ever realized.

Alex on September 30th, 2008

We co-slept so there was no sleep deprivation. All I did was move my shirt or move my daughter to a different side a few times a night. It took about 2 seconds. And she transitioned to her own bed and weaning with no trouble at 2 years of age. I hope the next one is as cooperative!

CelebBabyLover on October 1st, 2008

If I remember correctly, Rain shares a room with Shaya. I’m guessing that’s probably why they don’t want to use the cry it out method with him. And it sounds like he could be going through a growth spurt.

LISA23BOYS on October 1st, 2008

Sleeping through the night??? I have a 15 year old, a 12 year old and a 1 year old. While my baby has slept through the night since day 1 (yes, from birth..lucky me, right?!) I however haven’t slept through the night for 15 years, and instead of enjoying my sleeping prince, I find myslef waking up all the time to check on him and his big brothers. Habit? Maybe..

SAR on October 1st, 2008

Having two babies only a little over a year apart would definitely be exhausting. Getting a full night’s sleep is a luxury, and I’m glad Brooke and David were able to get one.

*AJ* on October 1st, 2008

I gave birth to my second daughter when my husband was deployed and had a long 11 months to go without him. I was lucky enough to stay with his parents. I usually got up all night with my second daughter but my Mother In Law would come in around 6 am and take her for that morning feeding so that I could get about 5 hours of straight sleep. I had the baby rooming with me also, my older child was attending preschool and I didn’t want her to be lacking sleep. It was NOT easy and my daughter is now 3 1/2 and still manages to wake up atleast once in a night! She now helps herself fall back asleep but I know how she feels when it comes to be a long time without a full nights rest.
A.J.

Stephanie on October 1st, 2008

There are many ways to parent the right way, and I’m sure each and every one of us have reasons for parenting the way we do.

Personally, my two daughters, who were born a year apart, were each mostly sleeping through the night by 2 months. We knew that they didn’t need to eat in the middle of the night after that point so we taught them to self-sooth. Their pacifiers and swaddling blankets were our best friends!

dsmom on October 1st, 2008

Wow! I feel like I did everything wrong! I have a 2 1/2 year old that still wakes up at least twice during the night! He is an only child and I guess my husband and I are just softies. I guess the lack of sound sleep is something that I have gotten so use to…

paula on October 1st, 2008

I went back to work when my daughter was 3 months old. When she was 9 months old she was still waking up several times in the night and my husband and I took turns getting her back to sleep. Our family doctor recommended the book by Ferber but I couldn’t picture letting my daughter cry at all. A month later I was so sleep-deprived I almost caused a major car accident and decided I had to do something. Three nights later our daughter was sleeping 12 hours a night and still is almost 2 years later. It was one of the best decisions we made. Only after I was sleeping again did I realize how my chronic sleep deprivation was affecting my relationships with my daughter and my husband.

marla on October 1st, 2008

ds mom, don’t think you’re doing anything “wrong.” every family is different as are the priorities for each family. for us, sleep is essential. i am a much less patient mother and wife when i am tired. and my kids are so much crankier (DUH? when sleep-deprived. everything i read said to do it early because the older the babies get, the harder it can be. and my husband has to work a lot on the weekends so the evening is our time together. theoretically, we have a couple of hours every night to look at each other and say, “who are you again?”

i hear too often of bedtime battles that take hours of parents’ time. every time i see or hear stuff like this, it makes me very thankful that we chose to teach our kids early how to sleep on their own. at the end of the day, i need downtime, peace and quiet. not an all-out war that goes into the middle of the night. i know that i’m a parent 24-hours a day, but i also know that as a parent, i have to set boundaries for my children, even ones my boys and sometimes even i don’t like.

so, if it works for you and your family, then great. if not, things can change with a little hard work.

Lesha on October 1st, 2008

If it’s not the 1 year old waking me up in the middle of the night, it’s the suprise thunderstorm at 2am that threatens the clothes I never took down off the line outside (Yah, that was my night last night).

Joey on October 1st, 2008

I am not yet a mother but find all your discussions very interesting. I would love to hear about some of the “training methods” utilized by those of you who have sleeping babies after 4 months! Any recommended resources to read? I understand change comes with children and I cannot wait, but I value my sleep & my career…so any advice offered is very much appreciated!

JM on October 1st, 2008

Well I am not sure I should chime in since I’m not a mother(and I know how people feel about comments from non mom’s with their two cents). But as a nanny I think probably the worst thing you can do when they wake up is run in and get them and pick them up and cuddle them. It teaches them that each time they do that you’ll be right there. So I’m with the mom’s who let them cry it out. It’s not hurting them. The one little girl I watch would be brought into her parents bed when she’d awake. They’re excuse was, “sometimes you do whatever just to get them back to sleep!” well understandable but now 3 1/2 years later the child is known to wake up in the middle of the night and crawl into mom and dad’s bed. The other child I care for at 6 months his parents rock him to sleep each night. Well I can’t deal with rocking while trying to care for other kids so lately I’ve just let him soothe himself for his naps. He may fuss for a few min. but he finds his thumb and drifts to sleep with no problems. Of course if he carries on too long I will go in and rub his back to just let him know I am there but avoid picking him up (and talking to him) unless absolutely necessary.

I don’t know what I’ll do when it comes to my own kids someday. I am sure I will go through the “do whatever it takes” mode myself but I hope to also use the teaching methods of self soothing to help insure that my nights are well rested

Laura on October 1st, 2008

Joey–As one of the first posters (in the Maria, Heather, and Laura group) I would HIGHLY recommend Baby-Wise. Someone gave me this book when I was pregnant with my first child six years ago. As a first time mother, you’re clueless about all this stuff–you just assume your kids will love sleeping as much as you do. But, I’m telling you that book was a God-send. I realize some people think it is nuts or too strict to have children on a routine. However, the book will emphasize that you must have a routine, but it must also be FLEXIBLE routine. If your child knows when he/she is supposed to wake, eat, play, sleep (in this order), then everyone is a little happier. This is the method that I used to establish the routine for eat and sleep. Then my pediatrician (as a father himself), suggested that we let our younger daughter just fuss it out for a couple of days until she would go back to sleep. No one was more hesitant to do this than I was…the thought of her crying in her bed, alone, was heartbreaking to me. He promised me it wouldn’t even take a full week. Two days later…bam, 12 hours. Just make sure the baby’s bed is safe–we had a video monitor to watch her so that was comforting. BUT DON’T GO IN the room! First night, about 55 minutes of crying off and on, next night about 20 minutes. Third night, straight through. We could still hear her waking up (rolling over, squirming, etc), but the best part was that she soothed herself (knew Mama wasn’t coming back in), and went back to sleep. Be strong and DO IT YOUNG!!! I can’t imagine doing this with a 2 or 3 year old.

sadie on October 1st, 2008

Hi Joey,
One of the DVDs I found most helpful was called ‘Every Parent’s Guide to Infants and Toddlers’, which I got out from our local library (it’s made by Professor Matthew Sanders, one of Australia’s leading clinical psychologists and the company that produces it is Triple P Positive Parenting Program). If you can get past the bad hairdos (!), it has great chapters on various areas including one on teaching and overcoming sleep problems. It runs through three different methods and the second one was the one we felt most comfortable with and really worked for us. It was more a gradual controlled crying scenario, where our baby learnt a series of cues that signified bedtime (a bath, bottle, dimmed lights, cuddles etc). When we put him down and he’d start bellowing, we’d leave him for 2 mins before going in for 1 minute (no eye contact or words or picking up, just a “shushing noise” and a few gentle pats). If we left and he kept crying, the next time we’d leave it 4 mins before going in, then 8 mins, then 16 mins, etc etc, always doubling the time and going in for just one minute to “shush” him. The first time it took 2 hours and I was tearing my hair out, but by the second day it was down to half an hour, and by the end of the week he was going down without any crying or intervention. My advice would be to read as much material and watch as many DVDs as you can get your hands on while you’re pregnant so you have a nice store of knowledge and can work out what works best for you and your bub. Also, to DSmom, you’re not doing ANYTHING wrong! Each to their own – you stick to what works for you.

K on October 1st, 2008

I know it is hard for Moms to hear their babies cry. The more persistent the baby,the more difficult. With my second son, I was up, still nursing at night when he was 9 months old. My oldest son had slept through the night at 3 months! My husband finally sat me down and said, “he is fine,he is not hungry,he is growing and thriving,he needs to learn to sleep through the night. I knew his cries at this point,if it was a sick cry or dirty diaper cry, I would have gotten up.It took one night of him crying for about 20 minutes and the next for about 10. The third night,he slept through the night. It is hard but so worth it! As long as you know your child is not sick or stuck in the crib or something.Listen to their cry,Moms will know. Sleep is important for everyone!

Amy on October 1st, 2008

I guess none of the commentors have ever heard of Attachment Parenting? I am surprised at all the pro CIO stories. My baby is 8 months old and wakes to nurse 2-3 times a night. He’s hungry as breastmilk is easily digested.
WE have never CIO because attachment is so important – I have a master’s is pysch. Babies stop crying when left alone because they have given up hope that someone will come soother them.

JM – if you were my nanny I would fire you. There is nothing wrong with a 6 month old getting rocked to sleep. And putting him in a crib to cry is not right. Does the mom know you are doing that? And when you have a child, you will see that letting your 3 year old climb in bed with you once a while is not a big deal.

sadie on October 1st, 2008

Amy, I have heard about attachment parenting and respect that this philosophy resonates with you. That is why every parent should research, research, research and find what resonates with them. One thing I have personally learnt from having a baby is that learning how to fall and stay asleep is something most babies need guidance with – it’s not just an automatic thing. And I can only speak for my own son, but I know him inside and out and don’t believe for a second that any psychological damage is being done by employing the methods I have. He is thriving, well adjusted and knows he is completely and utterly loved.

Ilaria on October 2nd, 2008

I hope all parents take you moms seriously and follow the cry it out approach, and start ignoring those pesky
needs babies and children seem to have at the most inconvenient
times and at all hours.
I trust that you will pass on your method, so your children can also implement it easily when you’re old, decrepit, bedridden and completley dependent on them for all of your basic needs. They will know just how to ignore your cries even when you’re vomiting and crapping on yourself to get attention.

By the way, many MEDICAL orgs in the world advocate AGAINST cry it out approaches, google it. They are a quick fix that is not developmentally appropriate for babies.

Laura on October 2nd, 2008

YES, we’ve heard of attachment parenting. And while that might be great for you, it’s not what the original post was about. Brooke is pretty much using this method right now (demand feeding) and is exhausted. Those of us who BRIEFLY used “CIO” methods to teach our babies to sleep were responding to how we got through sleepless nights (the original question). And by the way, my babies nursed for a year each, and were both fat as mud…they were not starving, I assure you. I made sure they got FULL feedings during the day to carry them through the night. And, none of us are mothers that would allow a hurting, sick baby to cry in his or her bed. Teaching a healthy baby to self-sooth and starving your child are light years apart. Again, each to his own…but I am assuring those mothers that WANT to sleep through the night (there seem to be a lot of them) that it IS possible if you start young enough teaching your child. My children are as happy and loving as any children in the world, and so am I. And they love me to pieces…so I’m pretty sure they’re not mad about “CIO” when they were tiny.

Kay on October 2nd, 2008

All I can say is “GET USED TO IT” ….. My children are 20 and 21. I STILL stay awake and worry every night! Wait until they drive, wanna start dating or even better LIKE MINE…. join the military and get sent off to war straight from basic training! Once the choice is made to become a parent I think you loose all your rights to get a good nights sleep but in the end you gain the most precious gift ever “little angels from heaven”…. To me a little sleep loss is worth every bit!!!

whitney on October 2nd, 2008

If it doesn’t feel right explore other options. Enlisting your mom was a good way to go because you can think clearer if you can get little rest. A mother’s instincts are usually better than someone elses opinion and only you know your child. Do what feels right to you.

CelebBabyLover on October 2nd, 2008

JM- I agree. You should be respecting the mother’s wishes for how she wants her child put to bed.

That said, I want to point out that there are other options besides Attachment Parenting and CIO. One that I’ve heard a lot is to lay your baby down in his/her crib, and then come back to check on him/her in about five minutes.

The next night, stretch it to ten, and so on until you get to the point where your baby is asleep before you go in to check on him/her.

Another method I’ve heard is to lay your baby in his/her crib, and then sit in a chair next to the crib and talk softly and reassuringly to him/her if s/he starts to cry.

The next night, move the chair to the doorway, the night after that into the hallway, and so on.

C on October 3rd, 2008

I used the Babywise method Sleep-Eat-Wake (feed your baby every 2-1/2 to 3 hours). At 7.5 weeks he slept between 7 and 8 hours a night. A week later he started sleeping 10 hours at a time! And I never let him “cry it out” once. I have a very happy baby and am thrilled to be getting sleep!

coco on October 3rd, 2008

why do you celebrities have so many babies and so close?is it all a publicity stunt?

kris on October 3rd, 2008

“Sleep Nurse”? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Anyone out there know what a sleep nurse would do? Just curious.

My boys are 3 and 6. The 6 year old has always been a great sleeper (well, except while I was pregnant with number 2 but we worked through it) and the 3 year old has never been as good of a sleeper. Different personalities!! The second is way more stubborn!! He seems to go through periods where he wakes at night then it just stops for a while then starts again. Taking him back to bed and getting him settled with covers and his sleep animal is usually all it takes.

Every child is different and in the end end parents have to do what is comfortable for them. If you are not comfortable with a certain sleep method research other suggestions. It won’t work if you are not comfortable implementing it.

Lauren on October 3rd, 2008

For someone with a Master’s in Psych, Amy, you sure are speaking like an uneducated person. Not because of your opinions, but because you present them as fact when they are not. There is plentiful research available to prove that rocking babies to sleep and indulging their every whim DOES negatively impact their sleep habits, which is in no way fair or beneficial to them. And just because you cannot stand to allow your child to cry in his or her crib and feel obligated to soothe him or her at every opportunity does not give you the right to demand that everyone else follow suit.

If you don’t care about having your and your child’s sleep disrupted, that’s your business. But you have some nerve portraying alternative sleep techniques as something they are not.

grace on October 3rd, 2008

I was so against the cry it out method before I had my daughter. She started sleeping through the night around 3 months, then suddenly stopped around 5, she was waking up every 2 or 3 hours again and I was a zombie and so moody everyday, I was snapping at everyone and could barely hold a conversation or keep my eyes open. I tried everything else and finally crying it out when she was 7 months old because I felt as if I would lose my mind otherwise! I did her usual bedtime routine and put her down at 8. When she woke at 11 I didn’t go in her room at all, but she never got into the hysterical crying or I would have. She fussed and made noise for about an hour the first night, then 30 minutes the next night, and about 10 or 15 the last night. It hurt me so much to sit there and listen to her and not go to her, but I knew I would be a better mommy if she and I both slept through the night. I just had to “train” her in a sense. She had to learn that she couldn’t eat and get up to play in the middle of the night anymore. Now she sleeps a solid 12 hours, and even naps better during the day. She’s a happier baby because she sleeps better. I suggest it to any mother in the same situation I was in, pure exhaustion and on the verge of a breakdown:) It goes against your natural instinct to let your baby cry, but I just kept thinking about the benefits and how this was the start of many things I will be teaching my daughter. It’s not for everyone, but I’m glad it worked for me.

lauren on October 3rd, 2008

i believe in the CIO method. i peronally don’t think that letting my daughter cry for 30 mintues for 3 nights is going to harm her in any way. i give her all the love and affection she needs every other time of the day, that’s what i think she’ll remember. she sleeps better and is in a better mood since i let her cry it out, she naps better, and soothes herself. i don’t want to be one of those moms who gives their child everything they want just because they cry for it. of course it hurt me to hear her cry and not go in to get her, but i didn’t want to start a pattern. i pictured her being a 2 year old, screaming at the grocery store because i won’t buy her a candy bar. even though they seem so fragile when they’re infants, i don’t think it’s too early to start teaching them. sleeping more at night helps me keep my sanity and be a better mother, so it was worth it to me. like i said, of the 1000 or so times my 11 month old has cried i’ve gone to her 997. are the three nights i didn’t going to affect her forever and make her think i’ve abandoned her or not trust me? absolutely not.

brooke on October 3rd, 2008

I give brooke a lot of credit, she has 4 kids and the youngest being only 14 months apart and you never see a nanny out with her kids. She has been honest in saying having 2 babies 14 months apart has been even harder for her than when she had neriah and sierra who were 2yrs apart or when she had rain when neriah and sierra were 7 and 5. She also has been doing awesome on dwts, so she is balacing both motherhood and career. If she and david needed a sleeping pill, well good for them to get rest

Amy on October 3rd, 2008

I am a mother of 3 and the best advice I can give is a little tough. LET THEM CRY IT OUT. MUCH harder for you than them. It’s a habit once they are 6 months old and every one of them will break out of it if you exercise some consistency. If you are having trouble “hardening” to it while they are crying, do it gradually – picking them up one less time each consecutive night until they realize you aren’t coming and that they are fine – they will tire out. NOTE – some are VERY stubborn and cries will turn to angry screams – they will sound like they are hyperventilating!! (they are just fine even though you will feel guilt all the way to the tips of your toes – fight it girl!)

Mollie Anderson on October 14th, 2008

wassupp snoop doggy dog mommies. rock yo babies to sleep errr night , no matta what hoes!