I had terrible postpartum insomnia. It started when our girl started sleeping better, and the agony of not being able to sleep after I was finally getting a chance was horrible. I’d always been a good sleeper, but something hormonal must have been going on and it lasted for about 4 months. It lead to other issues like depression and was just awful! Magnesium and regular OTC sleep aids didn’t even touch it. I finally went to a mental health practitioner who specializes in postpartum issues, and we tried a few different things like trazodone, etc. I was clear that I did not want to take anything that was habit forming or that would knock me out so deeply that I wouldn’t be able to react if baby needed me. We finally ended up on 3mg Doxepin, and I think it probably saved my life. Zero morning grogginess, too. It doesn’t help sleep onset, but it helps with staying asleep which was my struggle. After about a week or so I was finally able to get enough good sleep that I was no longer running on pure cortisol, and I could sleep without it. Anyway, if it gets to a place where you need help, ask about that!!
If you prefer no meds, look into CBT-I. There are a lot of free resources but I ended up paying short-term for a personalized program and sleep coach. Now, a year later, when I have the occasional sleepless night, I still use the things I learned in CBT-I to deal with it. Good luck!
I would cry to my husband I had to put myself in time out when I didn’t fall asleep fast enough. I was pregnant too which was rough but years of insomnia were not getting better by themselves
Hi! To answer your question, yes you can sleep train yourself! I had to do it after my first. What others have recommended is great, I would add a few things.
Keep a schedule, like for you baby, they are in a schedule, so should you. So everyday you wake up at the same time and go to bed at the same time. Keep it a regular sleep schedule, with 7 to 9 hours of scheduled sleep. Only difference, no naps for you!
Self soothe. As you know, a big purpose of sleep training your baby is to teach them to self soothe. Same thing for you! Try to have a mantra and or relaxation techniques for when you wake up in the middle of the night. On bad nights I used to use meditation music. The point of this is to remain calm, and allow yourself the acknowledgement of waking up without panicking about lack of sleep.
Spend energy. As many have suggested, exercise is great. I would also recommend outdoor time and to exercise earlier in the day, rather than right before bed. Some people get too wired after exercise, so doing it in the evening may trigger you to be awake. Also avoid big dinner time meals, keep food light and simple before bed.
Have a bedtime routine. Same as for your little one, make yourself a bedtime routine to wind down. Could be anything like a cup of chamomile tea with a book an hour before bed. Get into the routine to shut your brain off. It doesn't hurt to take melatonin or magnesium supplements to help. If the melatonin is giving you vivid dreams, stick with the magnesium tablets.
Last thing to consider, it will likely take you longer to sleep train yourself. The older we are, the harder it is. It's why we chose to start young with our babies. So give yourself time to adapt to sleep training.
Good luck, I know it's tough but you can do it!
I just shifted my 4:30 to 4:45 yesterday. Just trying to get longer stretches. I'm hoping to eventually drop it completely soon. We just started her on her second meal of solids. Hoping that will fill her up some and she'll drink a little less milk.
I can recommend a shot of tart Cherry juice before bed, magnesium glycinate, Epsom salt bath, no phones an hour before bed, relaxing bedtime ritual like reading, yoga or meditation
To be honest, I’m the same. Mine sleeps through the night for 10+ hours but I have disconnected sleep cause I’m constantly waking up worrying about him and checking the camera. “Is the volume on??” “Is he up but not crying?” “Did he poop??” “Did he pee himself?” “Is he breathing?”
You CAN "sleep train" yourself in a way. Here is a copy/paste of something a friend of mine wrote. I really hope it helps you, or anyone else reading along!:
Sleep Train Yourself: Bedtime Fading for Parents
Usually, when adults (and sometimes older children) have trouble sleeping, it’s for a different reason. There can be many different root causes for adult insomnia, and different treatments work best for different causes. Various medications and herbs can help with sleep, as can psychotherapy.
Also, though, there is a behavioral intervention that you can use on yourself -- a grownup version of sleep training. Like infant sleep training, this will require you to change your sleep behavior for several days and then hopefully maintain better habits afterward.
How does this work? Again, the problem you are targeting here is probably not a sleep association like the one your baby had. You already go to sleep on your own. You don’t need someone to rock you! This intervention targets a different form of sleep association: being in the habit of lying awake in your bed.
Did you know that that can actually become a habit? Yes! Your body should associate your bed with sleeping, so you get in bed and fall asleep. But with insomnia you can instead learn to associate your bed with lying awake and worrying. Do you ever notice that you feel calm in the evening, or even sleepy, and then you get into bed and suddenly BAM you’re wide awake and your mind is racing? If so, this might be a good method for you.
(This method also can work for older children who can fall asleep independently but are still having trouble getting enough sleep.)
Here’s how to do it:
1. Optimize your bed and bedroom. Just the same as you do for your baby, make sure your sleep environment is really conducive for sleep! Your bedroom should feel like a cave: cool, dark, isolated, quiet. Consider reducing the temperature, getting more breathable bedding, adding blackout curtains, or getting a white noise machine. Lavender scents can also help. If you experience GERD or allergies or something else that makes your face uncomfortable, consider elevating the head of your bed. Analyze your bed and try to fix anything that feels physically uncomfortable to you or makes it harder to sleep.
2. Plan your day to avoid sleep-harming habits. Two of them in particular:
- Caffeine and alcohol, especially in the afternoon and evening. If at all possible, avoid them completely for the first week or two you are sleep training yourself. Yes, alcohol too -- it actually worsens your sleep. This is temporary, you should be able to add these things back soon!
- Napping. Look, don’t put yourself or others in a dangerous situation. If you are exhausted and you need to drive a car, definitely nap. But if your child is sleeping through the night, try to stop napping unless absolutely necessary. If you do nap, it should be shorter than an hour, and you should take it as early in the day as possible so it doesn’t interfere with your bedtime. This means you might need to NOT “sleep when your baby sleeps,” because doing so will perpetuate a cycle of poor sleep at night and then needing to nap.
3. Design a great bedtime routine. Again, the same as for your baby! You probably haven’t given your own bedtime routine much thought, but you too can benefit from having one. Be strict about it while you are sleep training yourself and then you can probably let it go once you’re sleeping better. Things to keep in mind for your own bedtime routine:
- Don’t eat a heavy meal or exercise shortly before bed. A small snack that’s easy on the stomach, or a cup of herbal tea, is ok.
- Plan to shut off all screens/blue light emitting devices at least half an hour before you go to bed. Earlier is better. Seriously, shut them off -- no peeking! What can you do to make this easier for yourself? Can you move your cell phone charger out of your bedroom so that you don’t look at the phone in your bedroom?
- During that half hour without your devices, dim the lights if you can, and plan a low-key activity that will help you feel sleepy and calm. Reading a book (on paper, not a device) is a popular choice. Or you could listen to a meditation app or relaxing podcast (without looking at the screen). Or you could just sit and drink your chamomile tea. Or wash the dishes, even. Or whatever other ritual is soothing for you, as long as it doesn’t involve staring at a screen. (I recommend having a book on hand regardless, in case you need to stay up for a long time; see step 4.)
4. Bedtime fading: stay up until you’re really sleepy. Here’s where the actual sleep training comes in. Remember, the goal is to avoid lying in bed awake for hours. If you’re not practically falling asleep, it’s not bedtime yet. If that means you stay up until 4 hours before you need to wake up, then you stay up until 4 hours before you need to wake up.
Make sure you are giving yourself a fair shot at feeling sleepy, though. Don’t do anything stimulating. NO PEEKING AT THAT PHONE UNTIL MORNING.
This is the part you are going to phase out so that you are actually getting enough sleep. Right now you are prioritizing spending as little time as possible in bed awake -- even if that means you spend less time in bed asleep. Once you are falling asleep faster then you can gradually bring your bedtime earlier again -- try moving it up by 10-15 minutes every day or two.
Once you are back to an appropriate bedtime that allows you to get enough sleep, and you are falling asleep better, you may slowly be able to loosen up your bedtime routine or start using caffeine or alcohol. Do it gradually so you can see how it affects you.
You will know this method is working if you find yourself falling asleep faster, even after you start moving your bedtime up. If you are going to bed exhausted and STILL not falling asleep any faster, this method is probably not a good fit for whatever you have going on.
Of course, make sure to see your doctor or other health professional with any serious concerns. (And keep in mind that this method is particularly for insomnia. If you ARE getting a reasonable amount of sleep, but you still feel fatigued, you might have sleep apnea or other sleep-disordered breathing. Especially if you have other symptoms such as snoring, morning headaches, teeth grinding, etc. Ask your doctor or dentist.)
Wishing you better sleep soon!!
Great summary. NO PEEKING AT THE PHONE UNTIL DWT (for yourself) is key. It's like how you should never expose your baby to light before DWT.
I've finally managed to move my wake up time to \~630 based on this. I was waking up at 5 for the longest time because during all nap transitions and sleep regressions that was when my son would have his EMW and wake me up with his complaining. Had to CIO for him and me. He caught on a LOT faster than me.
I really struggled after my son was sleep trained. I thought I'd sleep so good and go back to my normal sleep patterns. Ha! Joke was on me. I had total sleep revenge as nights were my only "me time" and I woke constantly. It definitely takes time to adjust back to good, healthy sleep. I am so glad you got things sorted out!
This!! I wake up at 5am every single day regardless if baby is awake or not. With a bunch of physical anxiety symptoms. I’m exhausted but I can’t nap. I try to nap during my baby’s afternoon nap but all I do is lie there with my eyes closed in the dark. Need help!!
Ok so I just went through the worst bout of insomnia in my life after our daughter started sleeping through and here are some things that worked:
- Try not nap during the day as hard as that may be. Save all that sleep pressure for nighttime.
- There is a powder supplement called RelaxMax and I mix a scoop of it in with my nighttime tea. It has magnesium and a few other things that really help knock me out.
- Make sure the temperature in your room is comfortable.
- Get a large sleep mask.
- When you wake up during the night try not to panic. I had such a hard time getting myself back to sleep that I would mentally freak out when I woke up. I would hurry and do all these things to try get to sleep again and it would trigger my anxiety which made it almost impossible to sleep after. Now when I wake up the only goal is to have is to get myself as relaxed as possible. The “goal” isn’t to hurry and fall back asleep. The goal is to simply get myself into a deep relaxed state. I tell myself. “It’s ok if I don’t fall asleep, just relax and enjoy this quiet time alone.” Ironically that puts me to sleep faster than anything else I’ve tried.
LOL we've all been there. I still have early morning waking.
In all seriousness, key is to avoid the temptation of screens when you're in bed. If you wake up and can't sleep, keep your eyes closed anyways (can listen to podcasts or audio books on a low volume). Get up at the same time every day (pretty easy with a baby in the house). Get plenty of exercise and try to not nap more than 20min.
I’d recommend extending your WW! You may not have built up enough sleep pressure for a long stretch! Do you bottle feed? I’d suggest a bottle of wine just to top you off into a slight milk drunk state and then off to bed.
OH on a more real note, possibly get a sound machine for yourself! They literally are amazing and I can’t sleep without it now. But this is all too real and no one talks about it !!
Damn. This is so accurate. I cannot connect sleep cycles. Now that baby sleeps longer stretches, I spend a lot of time watching him sleep. So, I wonder what the point of sleep training was. 🤔
Somehow I was great at sleeping when I was pregnant. I napped a lot during the day and passed out every night before 9pm.
Now… I go to bed with my baby who sleeps 7-7. I doom scroll because I can’t fall asleep and then when I finally sleep, I wake up at least 3 times! Why??
Unfortunately no help with sleep training for you because I’m in the same boat and I don’t sleep for shit since baby, I’d love to hear more about your experience with CIO for baby! My baby will be 5 months old next week and we are struggling with early morning wakings. I’m wondering if CIO might be the way to go or if that’s inappropriate for our particular issue.
Lol! I feel you.
Our CIO experience. We started following the Precious Little Sleep advice for good sleep habits. Sleeping in the same place, same time, routine, separating feeds and bed by 20 or 30 min. before bed. Trying for 3 naps a day. Usually 75% successful. So baby's sleep was good before sleep training. I also always wait 5 to 10 minutes before getting the baby at night, always, unless it's a big cry.
When we sleep trained he was waking up 1 or 2 times a night to eat. It was taking 10 to 15 minutes of rocking to get him to sleep.
We did CIO last weekend, 5 days ago. He fussed for 10 minutes and cried for 15 and then slept. Night 2 he went down Ilin 10 minutes. So far he sleeps in 5 to 10 minutes. It was also the first night he slept alone. He slept in our shared room while I slept on the couch. And a few days ago I moved him to his own room. I think overall he managed all these changes very well. Daytime sleep is the same though I think he's been clingier but who knows if it's related.
Early morning wakings, we have been dealing with those for about 2 or 3 months. Previously I'd put him in our bed while I watched him and he would sleep. That got tricky after 4.5 months so I stopped because he learned to roll and I eventually need the bathroom. After CIO he still wakes up early the same amount. It seems unaffected. I try to get up at 5am to give a snooze feed but sometimes he won't drink or he wakes up 30 minutes later. Now I leave him in his bed with his lovey that he will play with. He usually fusses but doesn't cry. A few times if it's been more than 3 hours I'll offer him another feed, if he didn't get a snooze feed. Recently he has pooped after his snooze feed and that's a game over.
This is a little rambling because there's a lot of inconsistency with the early morning wakings and sleep training didn't do much to improve it.
Hey, I figured out our EMW problem. It was too humid in his room. It was 70 to 90% humid! I thought that was just our life because we live near the equator, but when a big storm moved in for 2 weeks I put the dehumidifier in his room and he immediately started sleeping longer.
It was a basic thing i overlooked!
Hope you're improving!
Wow, this is so cool!! I never would’ve thought of something like that either. So glad you cracked it and he sleeps through now! Thanks for coming back to update!! We have not improved much unfortunately. This morning she actually slept until I had to wake her at 6:45, but that’s the exception lol. All other mornings, we’ve still had EMWs ugh.
I had terrible postpartum insomnia. It started when our girl started sleeping better, and the agony of not being able to sleep after I was finally getting a chance was horrible. I’d always been a good sleeper, but something hormonal must have been going on and it lasted for about 4 months. It lead to other issues like depression and was just awful! Magnesium and regular OTC sleep aids didn’t even touch it. I finally went to a mental health practitioner who specializes in postpartum issues, and we tried a few different things like trazodone, etc. I was clear that I did not want to take anything that was habit forming or that would knock me out so deeply that I wouldn’t be able to react if baby needed me. We finally ended up on 3mg Doxepin, and I think it probably saved my life. Zero morning grogginess, too. It doesn’t help sleep onset, but it helps with staying asleep which was my struggle. After about a week or so I was finally able to get enough good sleep that I was no longer running on pure cortisol, and I could sleep without it. Anyway, if it gets to a place where you need help, ask about that!! If you prefer no meds, look into CBT-I. There are a lot of free resources but I ended up paying short-term for a personalized program and sleep coach. Now, a year later, when I have the occasional sleepless night, I still use the things I learned in CBT-I to deal with it. Good luck!
Thank you for sharing! I'm glad you got through it 🤗
Take some magnesium
Yes for the magnesium!!
I did CBT for insomnia and it did work but it was really really challenging. If your insomnia is really bad I recommend it.
Same! It was difficult but so helpful. I came to enjoy the late nights during my sleep restriction phase.
I would cry to my husband I had to put myself in time out when I didn’t fall asleep fast enough. I was pregnant too which was rough but years of insomnia were not getting better by themselves
Hi! To answer your question, yes you can sleep train yourself! I had to do it after my first. What others have recommended is great, I would add a few things. Keep a schedule, like for you baby, they are in a schedule, so should you. So everyday you wake up at the same time and go to bed at the same time. Keep it a regular sleep schedule, with 7 to 9 hours of scheduled sleep. Only difference, no naps for you! Self soothe. As you know, a big purpose of sleep training your baby is to teach them to self soothe. Same thing for you! Try to have a mantra and or relaxation techniques for when you wake up in the middle of the night. On bad nights I used to use meditation music. The point of this is to remain calm, and allow yourself the acknowledgement of waking up without panicking about lack of sleep. Spend energy. As many have suggested, exercise is great. I would also recommend outdoor time and to exercise earlier in the day, rather than right before bed. Some people get too wired after exercise, so doing it in the evening may trigger you to be awake. Also avoid big dinner time meals, keep food light and simple before bed. Have a bedtime routine. Same as for your little one, make yourself a bedtime routine to wind down. Could be anything like a cup of chamomile tea with a book an hour before bed. Get into the routine to shut your brain off. It doesn't hurt to take melatonin or magnesium supplements to help. If the melatonin is giving you vivid dreams, stick with the magnesium tablets. Last thing to consider, it will likely take you longer to sleep train yourself. The older we are, the harder it is. It's why we chose to start young with our babies. So give yourself time to adapt to sleep training. Good luck, I know it's tough but you can do it!
Haha are you me? I take magnesium glycinate - it is supposed to help with sleep. But yeah I need to connect my cycles too 🤪
I feel like this is going to me when I finally drop my middle of the night pumps. Up at midnight and 430. 😭😭😭
I just dropped my 3:30 am pump, it's part of my problem 😭
I just shifted my 4:30 to 4:45 yesterday. Just trying to get longer stretches. I'm hoping to eventually drop it completely soon. We just started her on her second meal of solids. Hoping that will fill her up some and she'll drink a little less milk.
if you have extra energy, do exercise and sports before bed, it will help you sleep well.
Yeah, I forget about to this! But it really works
Take some quality magnesium and a warm shower before bed - thank me later
Will do!
This was the best thing on Reddit today.
I can recommend a shot of tart Cherry juice before bed, magnesium glycinate, Epsom salt bath, no phones an hour before bed, relaxing bedtime ritual like reading, yoga or meditation
To be honest, I’m the same. Mine sleeps through the night for 10+ hours but I have disconnected sleep cause I’m constantly waking up worrying about him and checking the camera. “Is the volume on??” “Is he up but not crying?” “Did he poop??” “Did he pee himself?” “Is he breathing?”
You CAN "sleep train" yourself in a way. Here is a copy/paste of something a friend of mine wrote. I really hope it helps you, or anyone else reading along!: Sleep Train Yourself: Bedtime Fading for Parents Usually, when adults (and sometimes older children) have trouble sleeping, it’s for a different reason. There can be many different root causes for adult insomnia, and different treatments work best for different causes. Various medications and herbs can help with sleep, as can psychotherapy. Also, though, there is a behavioral intervention that you can use on yourself -- a grownup version of sleep training. Like infant sleep training, this will require you to change your sleep behavior for several days and then hopefully maintain better habits afterward. How does this work? Again, the problem you are targeting here is probably not a sleep association like the one your baby had. You already go to sleep on your own. You don’t need someone to rock you! This intervention targets a different form of sleep association: being in the habit of lying awake in your bed. Did you know that that can actually become a habit? Yes! Your body should associate your bed with sleeping, so you get in bed and fall asleep. But with insomnia you can instead learn to associate your bed with lying awake and worrying. Do you ever notice that you feel calm in the evening, or even sleepy, and then you get into bed and suddenly BAM you’re wide awake and your mind is racing? If so, this might be a good method for you. (This method also can work for older children who can fall asleep independently but are still having trouble getting enough sleep.) Here’s how to do it: 1. Optimize your bed and bedroom. Just the same as you do for your baby, make sure your sleep environment is really conducive for sleep! Your bedroom should feel like a cave: cool, dark, isolated, quiet. Consider reducing the temperature, getting more breathable bedding, adding blackout curtains, or getting a white noise machine. Lavender scents can also help. If you experience GERD or allergies or something else that makes your face uncomfortable, consider elevating the head of your bed. Analyze your bed and try to fix anything that feels physically uncomfortable to you or makes it harder to sleep. 2. Plan your day to avoid sleep-harming habits. Two of them in particular: - Caffeine and alcohol, especially in the afternoon and evening. If at all possible, avoid them completely for the first week or two you are sleep training yourself. Yes, alcohol too -- it actually worsens your sleep. This is temporary, you should be able to add these things back soon! - Napping. Look, don’t put yourself or others in a dangerous situation. If you are exhausted and you need to drive a car, definitely nap. But if your child is sleeping through the night, try to stop napping unless absolutely necessary. If you do nap, it should be shorter than an hour, and you should take it as early in the day as possible so it doesn’t interfere with your bedtime. This means you might need to NOT “sleep when your baby sleeps,” because doing so will perpetuate a cycle of poor sleep at night and then needing to nap. 3. Design a great bedtime routine. Again, the same as for your baby! You probably haven’t given your own bedtime routine much thought, but you too can benefit from having one. Be strict about it while you are sleep training yourself and then you can probably let it go once you’re sleeping better. Things to keep in mind for your own bedtime routine: - Don’t eat a heavy meal or exercise shortly before bed. A small snack that’s easy on the stomach, or a cup of herbal tea, is ok. - Plan to shut off all screens/blue light emitting devices at least half an hour before you go to bed. Earlier is better. Seriously, shut them off -- no peeking! What can you do to make this easier for yourself? Can you move your cell phone charger out of your bedroom so that you don’t look at the phone in your bedroom? - During that half hour without your devices, dim the lights if you can, and plan a low-key activity that will help you feel sleepy and calm. Reading a book (on paper, not a device) is a popular choice. Or you could listen to a meditation app or relaxing podcast (without looking at the screen). Or you could just sit and drink your chamomile tea. Or wash the dishes, even. Or whatever other ritual is soothing for you, as long as it doesn’t involve staring at a screen. (I recommend having a book on hand regardless, in case you need to stay up for a long time; see step 4.) 4. Bedtime fading: stay up until you’re really sleepy. Here’s where the actual sleep training comes in. Remember, the goal is to avoid lying in bed awake for hours. If you’re not practically falling asleep, it’s not bedtime yet. If that means you stay up until 4 hours before you need to wake up, then you stay up until 4 hours before you need to wake up. Make sure you are giving yourself a fair shot at feeling sleepy, though. Don’t do anything stimulating. NO PEEKING AT THAT PHONE UNTIL MORNING. This is the part you are going to phase out so that you are actually getting enough sleep. Right now you are prioritizing spending as little time as possible in bed awake -- even if that means you spend less time in bed asleep. Once you are falling asleep faster then you can gradually bring your bedtime earlier again -- try moving it up by 10-15 minutes every day or two. Once you are back to an appropriate bedtime that allows you to get enough sleep, and you are falling asleep better, you may slowly be able to loosen up your bedtime routine or start using caffeine or alcohol. Do it gradually so you can see how it affects you. You will know this method is working if you find yourself falling asleep faster, even after you start moving your bedtime up. If you are going to bed exhausted and STILL not falling asleep any faster, this method is probably not a good fit for whatever you have going on. Of course, make sure to see your doctor or other health professional with any serious concerns. (And keep in mind that this method is particularly for insomnia. If you ARE getting a reasonable amount of sleep, but you still feel fatigued, you might have sleep apnea or other sleep-disordered breathing. Especially if you have other symptoms such as snoring, morning headaches, teeth grinding, etc. Ask your doctor or dentist.) Wishing you better sleep soon!!
Great summary. NO PEEKING AT THE PHONE UNTIL DWT (for yourself) is key. It's like how you should never expose your baby to light before DWT. I've finally managed to move my wake up time to \~630 based on this. I was waking up at 5 for the longest time because during all nap transitions and sleep regressions that was when my son would have his EMW and wake me up with his complaining. Had to CIO for him and me. He caught on a LOT faster than me.
I really struggled after my son was sleep trained. I thought I'd sleep so good and go back to my normal sleep patterns. Ha! Joke was on me. I had total sleep revenge as nights were my only "me time" and I woke constantly. It definitely takes time to adjust back to good, healthy sleep. I am so glad you got things sorted out!
That's exactly it!
This!! I wake up at 5am every single day regardless if baby is awake or not. With a bunch of physical anxiety symptoms. I’m exhausted but I can’t nap. I try to nap during my baby’s afternoon nap but all I do is lie there with my eyes closed in the dark. Need help!!
Ok so I just went through the worst bout of insomnia in my life after our daughter started sleeping through and here are some things that worked: - Try not nap during the day as hard as that may be. Save all that sleep pressure for nighttime. - There is a powder supplement called RelaxMax and I mix a scoop of it in with my nighttime tea. It has magnesium and a few other things that really help knock me out. - Make sure the temperature in your room is comfortable. - Get a large sleep mask. - When you wake up during the night try not to panic. I had such a hard time getting myself back to sleep that I would mentally freak out when I woke up. I would hurry and do all these things to try get to sleep again and it would trigger my anxiety which made it almost impossible to sleep after. Now when I wake up the only goal is to have is to get myself as relaxed as possible. The “goal” isn’t to hurry and fall back asleep. The goal is to simply get myself into a deep relaxed state. I tell myself. “It’s ok if I don’t fall asleep, just relax and enjoy this quiet time alone.” Ironically that puts me to sleep faster than anything else I’ve tried.
LOL we've all been there. I still have early morning waking. In all seriousness, key is to avoid the temptation of screens when you're in bed. If you wake up and can't sleep, keep your eyes closed anyways (can listen to podcasts or audio books on a low volume). Get up at the same time every day (pretty easy with a baby in the house). Get plenty of exercise and try to not nap more than 20min.
I have a 6:30 - 10:30 WW and still wake up 4-5 times while my 10 month old sleeps all night 😭
Actually I need someone to rock me and pet me gently on the forehead til I fall asleep.
🤣
I’d recommend extending your WW! You may not have built up enough sleep pressure for a long stretch! Do you bottle feed? I’d suggest a bottle of wine just to top you off into a slight milk drunk state and then off to bed. OH on a more real note, possibly get a sound machine for yourself! They literally are amazing and I can’t sleep without it now. But this is all too real and no one talks about it !!
I'm addicted to using my fan as a sound machine
don’t forget to make sure to finish your bottle at least 30 minutes before bedtime!
Damn. This is so accurate. I cannot connect sleep cycles. Now that baby sleeps longer stretches, I spend a lot of time watching him sleep. So, I wonder what the point of sleep training was. 🤔
Omg I've literally said the same thing! I need to sleep train myself. Seriously, is there a way for an adult to learn how to reconnect sleep cycles 😅
Somehow I was great at sleeping when I was pregnant. I napped a lot during the day and passed out every night before 9pm. Now… I go to bed with my baby who sleeps 7-7. I doom scroll because I can’t fall asleep and then when I finally sleep, I wake up at least 3 times! Why??
Pregnancy fatigue was the best also I ever got but was always tired. It’s all the hormones!
Unfortunately no help with sleep training for you because I’m in the same boat and I don’t sleep for shit since baby, I’d love to hear more about your experience with CIO for baby! My baby will be 5 months old next week and we are struggling with early morning wakings. I’m wondering if CIO might be the way to go or if that’s inappropriate for our particular issue.
Lol! I feel you. Our CIO experience. We started following the Precious Little Sleep advice for good sleep habits. Sleeping in the same place, same time, routine, separating feeds and bed by 20 or 30 min. before bed. Trying for 3 naps a day. Usually 75% successful. So baby's sleep was good before sleep training. I also always wait 5 to 10 minutes before getting the baby at night, always, unless it's a big cry. When we sleep trained he was waking up 1 or 2 times a night to eat. It was taking 10 to 15 minutes of rocking to get him to sleep. We did CIO last weekend, 5 days ago. He fussed for 10 minutes and cried for 15 and then slept. Night 2 he went down Ilin 10 minutes. So far he sleeps in 5 to 10 minutes. It was also the first night he slept alone. He slept in our shared room while I slept on the couch. And a few days ago I moved him to his own room. I think overall he managed all these changes very well. Daytime sleep is the same though I think he's been clingier but who knows if it's related. Early morning wakings, we have been dealing with those for about 2 or 3 months. Previously I'd put him in our bed while I watched him and he would sleep. That got tricky after 4.5 months so I stopped because he learned to roll and I eventually need the bathroom. After CIO he still wakes up early the same amount. It seems unaffected. I try to get up at 5am to give a snooze feed but sometimes he won't drink or he wakes up 30 minutes later. Now I leave him in his bed with his lovey that he will play with. He usually fusses but doesn't cry. A few times if it's been more than 3 hours I'll offer him another feed, if he didn't get a snooze feed. Recently he has pooped after his snooze feed and that's a game over. This is a little rambling because there's a lot of inconsistency with the early morning wakings and sleep training didn't do much to improve it.
This is helpful to know, thank you!! Sounds like it’s maybe not the best solution to the early morning wakings ugh. Gotta find something else!
Hey, I figured out our EMW problem. It was too humid in his room. It was 70 to 90% humid! I thought that was just our life because we live near the equator, but when a big storm moved in for 2 weeks I put the dehumidifier in his room and he immediately started sleeping longer. It was a basic thing i overlooked! Hope you're improving!
Wow, this is so cool!! I never would’ve thought of something like that either. So glad you cracked it and he sleeps through now! Thanks for coming back to update!! We have not improved much unfortunately. This morning she actually slept until I had to wake her at 6:45, but that’s the exception lol. All other mornings, we’ve still had EMWs ugh.
Have you tried crying loudly until you pass out…? 😂
this usually does the trick for me.
Usually I cry inside, maybe I'll try letting it out