Dr Marc Weissbluth...anyone used his method?

Hi Everyone

I have never wanted to do CC or CIO on my DS but at 12 months he cannot put himself to sleep. He is co-sleeping and can spend up to 3 hours awake in the middle of the night rolling around the bed unable to sleep. I rock, feed etc but it doesnt always work...

Anyway was looking on youtube and came across Dr Weissbluth. He had some really interesting information about sleep, lack of it causing problems and children requiring the need to self settle. He talked about babies being constantly overtired as being damaging to their health. What he was saying made a lot of sense.

Has anyone used his method? If so, how did it work for you? could someone explain graduated extinction to me?

I have never heard of him sorry.
Some books that helped us were the no cry sleep solution and anything by Pinky Mckay!
My theroy as to why babies are overtied is the strict routines parents put on them instead of just carrying around and letting them feed whenever? Just my crazy theory!
Just follow your heart and read a few books before deciding one method is the best your instincts are usually right! :hug:
Good luck hun if its any conselation my 11mth old still doesnt sleep through :hug: xx

Thanks for your reply Boomba.

The problem is not just the he is not sleeping through, its that he cannot put himself to sleep. It is horrible watching him be so tired and yet unable to put himself to sleep. I have read all those books you have suggested and have tried the techniques and none have worked for me DS.

I think the problem with him being so overtired is actually caused by me not having any routine for him. He has always just had to go with whatever I have been doing and on many occasions has been so overtired but unable to put himself to sleep. At the moment my heart is actually telling me that I have to get tough and let him cry so he can learn to put himself to sleep. Its not something I ever thought I would consider with him. I tried it on my DD when she was younger and it was horrible and definatly didn't work for her, but she could be parented to sleep. My DS no matter how tired he is sometimes cannot put himself to sleep, not with feeding, rocking, sling even the car.

:hug: Fig. It's really hard when they struggle so much with sleep (for both of you!)
My DS was over 2 before he could put himself to sleep. We tried all sorts of things and just gave up and went with it till he figured it out himself. I know that sounds terribly unhelpful, but I think it's unfortunately a stage of their development that some kids really take a lot longer to get to than others. It's kinda hard to make them when they just don't want to sleep.
I hope you can figure something out soon

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Hi Everyone

I have never wanted to do CC or CIO on my DS but at 12 months he cannot put himself to sleep. He is co-sleeping and can spend up to 3 hours awake in the middle of the night rolling around the bed unable to sleep. I rock, feed etc but it doesnt always work...

Anyway was looking on youtube and came across Dr Weissbluth. He had some really interesting information about sleep, lack of it causing problems and children requiring the need to self settle. He talked about babies being constantly overtired as being damaging to their health. What he was saying made a lot of sense.

Has anyone used his method? If so, how did it work for you? could someone explain graduated extinction to me?

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this article explains it:
The Ferber method: A guide for the science-minded parent
personally I think teaching a child not to bother crying, since noone comes to comfort them, (learned helplessness) is cruel. not to mention the long term effects of turning bedtime into a stressful event.
is your room too hot/cold/dark/light/noisy/quiet? if its a regular waking then I'd look at those things before trying any sleep training.

trishalishous thanks for your reply. I didn't actually read the article you posted as I have decided I have read/ researched / worried myself sick over the right thing to do. We have been to sleep school a number of times since and I have been a little "tougher" on him but not leaving him to CIO, just trying to set limits on the fact that he should be asleep at 2am in the morning!!!!

Currently he is happy sleeping on a mattress on my bedroom floor, no crying to sleep, just cuddles. Only problem is, its just me who can do it. If I ever want to go out at night even for a couple of hours it means he wakes up, freaks I am not there and then stays up till I get home. Hopefully it will get better in time.