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Baby Whisperer: Common Complaints 0-6 Months

In chapter one of The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Tracy Hogg lists common complaints she hears from parents of babies ages 0-6 months and the solutions to those complaints. I thought I would list those that I also hear often.

0-6 WEEKS

Baby Wants to Eat Every Two Hours (page 26)

  • First, be sure baby isn't going through a Growth spurt . If so, feed baby. If not, move on to other solutions (this is not a suggestion of Hogg's, but the number one suggestion of mine).
  • If baby weighs less than 6.5 pounds or has jaundice, he might need to eat more often right now.
  • Be sure baby is taking in a full feed when eating.
  • Be sure the latch-on is appropriate.
  • Check your milk supply.
  • Be sure baby isn't using you or the bottle as a pacifier (again, my suggestion).
Baby Acts Like He Wants To Eat, Then Only Sucks For a Moment (page 26)
  • Baby wants to use you as a pacifier.
  • He isn't taking in full feeds and just wants to snack.
  • Milk supply might be low.
  • Let down might be slow (my addition).
  • Let down might be too forceful (my addition).
  • Baby might have Reflux (my addition).
Naps Are Inconsistent (page 26)
  • Baby might be over stimulated: overstimulation
  • Baby might need to be swaddled: Swaddling
  • You need to lay baby down in bed awake.
  • Again, check for a Growth spurt (my addition).
  • Baby is falling asleep during feedings and not tired for naps (my addition).
Baby is Up Frequently At Night (page 26)
  • Baby has night and day mixed up.
  • Baby is sleeping too much in the day (but don't keep her up to the point of overstimulation).
  • Baby is not getting enough waketime in the day (my addition).
6 WEEKS to 4 MONTHS
Baby Won't Sleep More Than 3-4 Hour Stretches At Night (page 30)
  • Baby might need more food in the day.
  • Baby might benefit from cluster feeding .
Baby Was Sleeping Through The Night, but Now is Up Often (page 30)
Baby's Naps Are Short (page 30)
4 TO 6 MONTHS
Baby Is Eating So Quickly; I Am Afraid He Isn't Eating Enough (page 35)
  • This might not be a real problem. Babies get to be much faster nursers/bottlefeeders as they get older.
  • Baby might not be hungry enough and is ready for a four hour schedule
  • If baby seems unsatisfied, check your milk supply (my addition).
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Baby Whisperer: Starting a Routine "Late"

In The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Hogg outlines steps to starting her EASY routine late--meaning later than birth. She outlines what to do and what to expect when starting at various ages. I particularly love one piece of advice she gives.

Hogg says when starting a routine, take two weeks to stay home and be consistent. She says you must do at least one week. "You must make the time to make the change" (page 42). I love this advice and have given it myself many times.

We started full Babywise with Brayden when he was 9 weeks old. It was summer, and we had a lot of things going on. Add to it the fact that he was the oldest grandchild on one side and the oldest grandson on the other, and he was a popular guy. We experienced disruption after disruption. After a couple of weeks, I finally decided he needed time to be consistent and get this new way of life. My husband and I decided there would be no disruptions for two weeks to his schedule except for church.

This made a huge difference! It was such a huge difference that when we were deciding on the timing of when to have Kaitlyn, we chose a time of year that we knew we could easily establish her schedule with her. This is a huge consideration for me when I am deciding what time of year I want my children to be born.

So when you are starting your routine, give time for a routine to be established. You will be able to enjoy life a lot sooner if you do :)

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Baby Whisperer: 4 Month Old Changes

4 Month old Kaitlyn

A large percentage of parents find four months old to be a difficult time period. For me, four months old was been a "golden age" for both Brayden and Kaitlyn, but a fussy time for Brinley. I have often wondered why so many parents find four months to be difficult (see 4 month sleep problems ). I have had my theories. While reading The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Hogg lists many major changes that happen at four months of age (starting on page 33).

Hogg talks about how your baby is now more aware of her environment and more interactive. She engages with toys and has a better memory. She is a more efficient eater and nurses or finishes a bottle much faster. She can stay up longer than she could as a newborn. These are all things I have noticed (though both Brayden and Kaitlyn became much faster nursers around three months old). These are things that make four months really enjoyable for me.

There are other things Hogg talks about that I think can be contributors to common four month problems parents run into:

  • 4 hour Schedule: Your baby might need to move to a four hour schedule and you aren't realizing it. See four hour schedule
  • Early Morning Waking: Hogg says around this age many babies will wake around 5 AM. BW also mentions this. Hogg suggests you not go into the room too fast. Baby might settler herself back to sleep if given the chance. See also: Early Morning Feedings Before Waketime: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/early-morning-feedings-before-waketime.html
  • Longer Waketime: I listed this above, but if your baby needs a longer waketime and you are not recognizing that, you will have sleep problems. You will also have sleep problems if you see baby needs a longer waketime and add too much. When adding waketime, add very little at a time until you get to optimal. I personally added only 5 minutes at a time with Kaitlyn. That often was literally all she needed. I wouldn't do more than 15 minutes at a time, but would actually stick closer to 10 if you think baby needs more than 5 additional minutes. See optimal waketime for guidance on figuring this out.
  • Dropping the Dreamfeed: This isn't listed by Hogg, but I thought I would add it. Your baby might be ready to drop the dreamfeed around this age. Often times, if you keep the dreamfeed around and baby doesn't need it, it can interfere with restful sleep in the night. See: Dropping the "Dream Feed": http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/dropping-dream-feed.html
If you are having difficulties and your baby is close to four months old, look into these possible reasons. See this post also: 4 month Sleep Problems

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Baby Whisperer: Daycare Tips

In The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Hogg lists some tips for those moms who go back to work. These are found on page 32.

  • Establish Routine. Have your routine in place at least a month before you return to work. If you are already working and want to establish a routine, sh says you might need to take a week or two off to establish the routine.
  • Caretaker: Hogg points out the importance of having a caretaker who is willing to implement your strategies. She stresses the importance of consistency.
  • Consistency: As the parent, be careful that you keep her on her routine. You might feel guilty for working or might want to spend more time with her so you let her stay up later than you should. If you do this, be aware that you will likely disrupt her routine.
  • Enlist Spouse: Hogg says she finds the spouse who is home less is usually better at sticking with the plan for implementing routine.
  • Disruptions: Pay attention to all other disruptions that can affect baby. Job change, moving, new pets, sickness, etc. These things can all contribute to your baby being thrown off.

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Crying Baby: 6 Weeks and Younger

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In The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Tracy Hogg lists several factors to consider when your 0-6 week old baby starts to cry (page 24). She points out that if baby is on a routine, it is much easier to determine the reason for the crying because activities happen in a particular pattern. Here are some possible reasons to consider:
  • Hunger: Is it close to time for a feeding? If so, there is a good chance baby is waking out of hunger. Keep in mind that growth spurts happen often during his period. Growth spurt
  • Discomfort: Does your baby have a dirty diaper? Most babies in this age range tend to soil their diaper during or soon after a feeding.
  • Boredom: Has your baby been sitting in the same place or position for too long? While babies in this age range can become easily overstimulated, that doesn't mean they want to sit in one spot for their entire playtime.
  • Overtired: If baby has been awake for a total of 30 minutes or more (including feeding time), she might be ready for a nap. optimal waketime
  • Overstimulated: If baby has had a lot of visitors or if she has been watching her older brother jump around the room, she might be overstimulated. overstimulation
  • Gas: If she is making faces and pulling her legs up, she might have gas. gas
  • Reflux: If she is crying and/or spitting up a lot after feeds, she might have reflux. Reflux
  • Body Temperature: She might be hot or cold. Either the room could be too hot or cold, or she could be under or overdressed.
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Baby Whisperer: Final Thoughts

There are a few more thoughts I want to add as I wrap up my extensive review of Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.


  • Tackle daytime naps first, night will follow (page 268). I completely agree with this statement. This is advice I have long been giving moms who are trying to establish a consistent routine. Focus on getting your day set and then after some consistency, night should follow suit. Some babies do need some training at night, but wait until days are going really well. It is too hard to train all day and all night at first.
  • A routine helps you to get to know your baby's cries (page 269). I remember when Brayden was a baby before I started Babywise. I had read that you would get to know your baby's cries. Well, it wasn't coming. Once I started a routine, I really started to recognize cries and cues. You have fewer things to work with when you are on a routine. Is it close to naptime? Perhaps the cries are because baby is tired. Has baby been playing with a toy for the last 15 minutes? Perhaps cries are out of boredom or overstimulation.
  • Babies don't manipulate (page 75). If your baby is not napping well, she isn't doing so to make you mad. Always remember that a baby doesn't manipulate.
  • As a baby is crying, time feels like it is going by longer than it is (page 77). I know that listening to your baby cry is disheartening. It seems like forever. But 15 minutes going by without baby crying seems much faster than it does with baby crying.

Those are a few final thoughts from Tracy Hogg, the Baby Whisperer. I restate that this is a book worth reading, and I would say a book worth owning. It is very compatible with Babywise.




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Reader Comments/Advice:

  • Lorri said...
    I mostly agree with this advice, although after 1 month of working on day time naps-I read Healthy Sleep Habits. The ONLY thing I got from that is: babies naturally start sleeping longer during the night but naps are constantly changing from 4 to 3 naps to 2 to 1 to no naps.So I did CIO at night time and in 2 days my baby started sleeping through the night. One month later at 5 1/2 months old he sleeps from 6:30pm to 6:30am and takes 2 2hour naps and 1 1hour catnap in the late afternoon.I do agree that baby Whisperer was very compatible with babywise, my baby just needed a little different way of figuring it out.Thanks for your review of the book Valerie. I think the best thing about this book is she helps you see your baby as a human being with feelings and thoughts. Now when Scoots starts complaining or crying, I try harder to understand what I would be saying if I were in that situation and it has helped me SO much.
    October 9, 2008 9:10 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Thanks Lorri. I agree--Hogg is very good at making the reader realize that babies are humans too :)
    October 10, 2008 2:43 PM
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Baby Whisperer: Pacifiers

A basic summary of Tracy Hogg's view of pacifiers is to not let your child get hooked on using it for sleep, but you can use it during wake time if needed and even in the middle of the night to help train baby to sleep through the night.

That is a basic summary. If you are one who wants to use a pacifier but also wants to prevent your child from getting addicted to it, I would recommend reading Hogg's suggestions. For that reason, I will list page numbers I found helpful for pacifier use, and you can read her words first hand. This information is found in Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg.


  • Page 126
  • Pages 172-173
  • Page 179-180



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Reader Comments/Advice:

  • vicko said...
    My daughter always seem to wake up at 5:30. I leave her in her crib to talk and try and pacify with a pacifer and try and to prolong her to start her day closer to 7.
    October 8, 2008 9:54 AM
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Baby Whisperer: Sleep Cues

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Here are some cues from Tracy Hogg that show your baby is ready to go to sleep (found on page 177). I have also listed additional cues found in The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems (page 181):

  • Yawning.
  • Fussing.
  • Fidgeting.
  • Opening eyes wide.
  • Making sounds like a creaking door.
  • Sqeaking.
  • Turning head from objects or people.
  • Burying face in your chest.
  • Involuntary movements with arms and legs.
  • Rubbing eyes.
  • Pulling at ears.
  • Scratching face.
  • Less coordination.
  • Lose interest in toys.
  • Arching back and leaning backward.
  • Falling while walking or bumping into things.
This list moves from younger baby up through older baby.
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Reader Comments/Advice:
  • Emily said...
    That is so funny, when my daughter is tired she'll pull her ear, fall a lot and cry when it actually didn't hurt (this is her best cue), or rub eyes. She was right on with my daughter!
    October 2, 2008 1:46 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Emily, thanks for sharing that. I think it is always good to get a list of cues from other moms so people can be more likely to recognize the cues in their kids.
    October 6, 2008 2:57 PM
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Baby Whisperer: Sleep Disruptions

In Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, Tracy Hogg says sleep disruptions are inevitable for all babies. Here are some reasons for the disruptions (starting on page 187).


Hogg reminds readers that sleep disruptions like these do not last forever. Keep perspective and the big picture in mind. See: It's All About Perspective : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/05/its-all-about-perspective.html




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Reader Questions:

  • Heather said...
    hi jennifer...love the blog. would love your help with a quick issue.we have a 16 week old and ever since we dropped her 10p.m. feeding (gradually moved it back) she has been waking up around 5a.m. i can usually hold her off with a paci for 30 minutes or so, but i would really like her wake time to be 7a.m. because we feed her and put her down around 7p.m. when she wakes at 5a.m. she takes a full feeding and will go back to sleep for another 2-3 hours. what can i do to get her to move her waketime to 7a.m.? any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. thanks again for your wonderful help!heather
    October 1, 2008 9:20 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Heather, I think I would re-introduce the 10 PM feeding. Also, see this post:10-12 Hours of Sleep: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/07/10-12-hours-of-sleep.html
    PS--my name is Valerie :)
    October 1, 2008 3:54 PM
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Baby Whisperer: Sleep Transitions

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When Brayden was a baby, I read a book that talked about sleep transitions a baby goes through. I cannot remember what book it was in, but Tracy Hogg talks about it on page 186 in Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.

A baby's sleep cycle is 45 minutes long. Babies start with deep sleep then move into REM, then wake up. Your baby might make noises at transition time, but if left alone will sleep through the transition.

When Brayden was a baby, we learned that 45 minutes after he fell asleep, we needed to be quiet. We knew if he made it past that 45 minute hump, he would take a good nap. With Kaitlyn, we didn't need to worry about it. She loved to sleep. Brayden, however, did not and was also so curious. Hearing new sounds (or familiar ones) would get him up and wanting in on the action.

This sleep cycle pattern is the reason I list so many of the things I do in nap problems or 45 minute intruder problems. As baby is shifting cycles, if he is too hot or cold, he will likely wake up. If a dog is barking, he will likely wake up. If he smells something of interest, he might wake up (I have a friend whose son was very sensitive to cooking smells). If he doesn't know how to soothe himself and depends on your or some other device, he will likely wake up. If he is hungry, he will wake up. If he is practicing a new skill, he will likely remember that when he wakes up and want to continue work on it. See these posts for more on reasons for waking:

Naps: Troubleshooting: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2007/12/naps-troubleshooting.html

45 Minute Intruder: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/45-minute-intruder.html

Nap Disruptions: Rolling, Standing, Crawling, etc: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/nap-disruptions-rolling-standing.html

Chronic 45 Minute Naps

Poll Results: Did Baby Ever Experience 45 Minute Naps for a Consistent Length of Time?




Reader Comments:

  • Jaclyn said...
    Oh, wow. I'm glad to know my baby's not the only one! She's so sensitive at that 45 minute point. I have to be completely quiet, and make sure nothing else makes a sound in our house.(Sadly, can't control what goes on outside of our house.) She's always been this way! Thanks for your sharing your wisdom and experiences. For a first time mom, it's a HUGE blessing! Jaci
    September 26, 2008 9:34 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    You are welcome Jaclyn! Something you might consider since she is so sensitive is some sort of white noise. There are machines or you could do a humidifier..just something to drown out other stuff a little.
    September 29, 2008 11:28 AM
Reader Questions:
  • Laura said...
    I am so glad I found your blog! It is exactly what I needed. My baby boy is 5 weeks old and seems to be waking up throughout his naps. I don't know how much to let him cry and when I should be going in to help him...what if it's a gas problem or he's cold? He was a good napper but our life has been busier the last week or two so I'm wondering if that's messing him up. Anyway, thank you for your blog. It is no doubt a huge time sacrifice for you but I really appreciate it.
    September 27, 2008 11:26 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Laura, At 5 weeks, I don't know that I would let him cry in the middle of a nap yet (unless you find it works). See this post for ideas:Waking Early From Naps/Won't Fall Asleep For Naps: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/waking-early-from-napswont-fall-asleep.html
    September 29, 2008 11:29 AM
  • Annie Haymans said...
    I just found your blog and I am so excited. Congrats on you new news, that is so exciting. I am a first time mom I have a 6 month old baby boy. I started babywise at about 2 weeks old and he has done perfect until about the past month. He started waking up to nurse in the middle of the night again....he would cry four more than an hour and I would finally go nurse him. So when that started, I decided to introduce solid foods thinking the reason he was waking was due to hunger. That helped for a while and now he has started waking up again. I have had a really hard time with him for the past month. Any advice...please help.
    September 29, 2008 4:35 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Annie, see this post:5-8 Month Sleep Disruptions : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/05/6-month-sleep-disruptions.html
    September 29, 2008 11:30 AM
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Baby Whisperer: Sleeping Through the Night

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Starting on page184, Hogg addresses points to help baby sleep through the night. They are:

  • Don't let baby sleep too much in the day. This means you don't let baby sleep something like 6 hours straight in the day. You can let baby take an extra 30 minutes in a nap if needed, but you don't let baby sleep all day.
  • Cluster feeding. Hogg suggests starting at 6 weeks you feed every two hours before bedtime and also do a dreamfeed. The cluster feeding thing is necessary for some babies, but not all. I would think if baby got a full feeding, he shouldn't need another one 2 hours later. But I know as a nurser, my milk supply is lower at that time of day, so both of mine needed one two hour interval for a while. Hogg defines a dreamfeed as a feed you try to not wake baby for (the late-evening feeding for the BW baby). Kaitlyn would rarely wake up for a dreamfeed, but I was not cautions to not wake her. If she woke, she woke.
  • Pacifier. Hogg says so long as you don't turn it into a prop, you can use the pacifier to wean baby off the nighttime feed. You basically use the pacifier in place of breast or bottle when they wake, cutting down sucking time each night. See Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for more.
  • Don't rush in. Babies sleep fitfully. Do not respond to every noise you hear. It took me a long time to learn this with Brayden, and I was really good about it with Kaitlyn. Give baby a chance to work things out on her own.



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Reader Comments/Advice:
  • The Grovers said...
    Hogg's pacifier suggestion really worked for us. At the time 5-8 weeks, our daughter was sleeping in the bassinet right next to our bed at night. When she would wake up in the night, I would reach over and give the pacifier. If she soothed herself back to sleep, then I knew she was not waking out of hunger. If she couldn't, I would get up and feed her. With this method, she very quickly extended her nighttime sleep and was sleeping through the night by 7.5 weeks and we moved her into her room a few weeks later.
    September 23, 2008 6:31 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Thanks Grovers--that is good to hear a success story of the method.
    September 24, 2008 1:53 PM
  • Megan :) said...
    Hi! We had a very similar success story as the Grovers with the pacifier. :) Now we're working on weaning her off the getting up in the middle of the night for the paci! Not so much fun... anyone have any tips? CIO did NOT work. BUT this method allowed us to go from 11p.m. - 6 a.m. from Week 5! She was never really hungry in the middle of the night and because we used the pacifier, the breast was never a sleep aid... i.e. my sweet hubby can help with the middle of the night wake-ups. Now my three month old sleeps consistently from 8 p.m - 6 a.m. with one 5 second wake up at 4 a.m. for pacifier insertion. Not ideal, but works for us! Thanks for posting this - such an important topic for new moms!
    September 24, 2008 3:40 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Megan, the only thing I could think of for you would be to give her some time when she wakes to see if she would go back to sleep on her own. I understand the trickiness of the situation. If you don't catch her quickly, she will be fully awake. However, at this point it might be time to do CIO and drop the paci in the night.
    September 29, 2008 1:04 PM
  • Reader Questions:
  • Volkov Family said...
    Advice Please...First off, what is considered sleeping through the night? How many hours and from what hour to what hour? Here is my situation-My son is almost 4 months and we do the eat, wake, sleep, but he rarely sleeps more than 45m-1.5 hrs. which makes it hard to do a straight 3 hr schedule. He wakes in the 5 a.m. hour and I feed him and put him back to sleep. Then he wakes or I wake him at 7:30. He then feeds 10:30, 12:30, 3:30, 6:30 and before bed at about 7:30/8 p.m.(It keeps getting earlier.) I would like to cut out one of his feedings, but I don't know how. I would like him to go past 5 a.m., but he seems pretty insistent on it. If I got him on a true 3 hr. plan, then we would have our last feeding at 7:30 p.m. naturally. But at this point his p.m. feedings are pretty much set in stone. What would you suggest? I would intro a dream feed if I knew it would take him til 6:30/7 a.m.(though so far the times I have tried it, it has made no difference), but I don't want to start another bad habit since he is already waking at 5 a.m. and I want to break him of that. But asking him to go 6:30-6:30 is a bit much and I doubt he would sleep 11 of those 12 hours. Suggestions?
    September 23, 2008 9:11 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Volkov Family,The definition of true STTN for you will vary. What BW considers to be STTN initially is sleeping 7-8 hours straight. As they get older (about 4ish months), the requirement goes up to about 10 hours straight, eventually baby will sleep anywhere from 10-12 hours straight. I personally in my head don't consider my kids to sleep through the night until they are sleeping about 9-10 hours--if they wake up at all before I want to get up for good, that is night to me.It sounds like he is technically sleeping through the night, and sleeping the right number or hours for the age. I would just hang in there, and in the meantime, see this post:Early Morning Feedings Before Waketime: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/early-morning-feedings-before-waketime.html
    September 29, 2008 1:02 PM
  • Mark and Janna said...
    My daughter (now 8 weeks) slept through the night a few times starting around 6 weeks. I finally figured out that she was going through a growth spurt during that time, and the extra feeding during the day allowed her to sleep all night, so I decided to add a feeding to her day, which means we are on a 2.5 hour schedule instead of 3. But it worked! She sleeps straight to 7:30 in the morning after her dream feed at 10:30. But now my question is when do I put her back on the 3 hour schedule? She has always eaten every 3 hours since birth, but only now has been sleeping through the night with the 2.5 hour schedule. Should I change it slowly? I don't want to push it because I love that she is sleeping all night, yet I think for her age she should be able to go 3 hours.
    September 25, 2008 11:38 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Janna, you might have to keep it for a while. Babies her age usually can only do 7-8 hours straight, and she is doing about 9. For that reason, she might need a 2.5 hour schedule where other babies her age would be fine on 3. I would leave her there until she reached the age for 9 hours of sleep at night (see this post: Babywise Milestones: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/02/babywise-milestones.html ) or you are sure she needs to go 3 hours rather than 2.
    September 29, 2008 1:07 PM
  • ange77 said...
    Please help!! My baby is now 7 months old and I have been following a Babywise routine since she was a few days old. She was sleeping through the night at 5 weeks (with her last feed sometime around 11pm) but has just started waking in the night again now. I breastfeed her 4 times a day.. at 6am when she wakes naturally, 10am, 2pm and 6pm, with solids offered after each feed. She goes to bed between 7pm to 8pm and up until about a week ago, was sleeping through the night no problem until 6am. She is now waking almost every night, usually only once, but last night, she woke twice. It does not seem to be the same time each night that she wakes. When she wakes, I feed her one side, and she happily goes straight back to sleep again, no problem. I have tried just picking her up to soothe her in the night as I am afraid that if I get in the habit of giving a breastfeed at night, then it will become a habit, but this doesn't work! She just cries louder when I try putting her back down again. I am anxious to get my baby back in to her routine, as we are going on holiday in 2 weeks, and I am leaving her with my mum for 12 days!! Will feel much happier going if she is sleeping through the night again... please help!!! She is teething at the moment, but I don't know if this is causing her to wake, because she goes back to sleep happily after a feed, without requiring any pain medication. Do I need to change my daytime routine.. perhaps go back to 5 feeds? Lately, she tends to wake about half an hour to an hour prior to her next scheduled feed during the day. She is quite happy to wait for her feed, but this means that we are not following the sleep, feed, wake cycle during the day anymore. I have tried extending her waketime but she gets too tired. I have read the Babywise book a couple of times, but can't find an answer to my problem!! Would be grateful for any advice please!!
    October 3, 2008 1:39 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    It definitely could be the teething. I might go back to 5 feeds just to be sure. Also, see this post:5-8 Month Sleep Disruptions : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/05/6-month-sleep-disruptions.html
    October 6, 2008 3:10 PM
  • Kate and Robbie said...
    I am really at a loss. We have been putting our almost 6 month old down every night with the same routine...and we dropped a feeding cause we think that he is large enough to last through the night (18lbs). It has been almost 2 months now and he still wakes up 2 a night screaming. Once at 1 am and once about 4 am. We just let him CIO, cause that is what we were told to do, but he still hasn't learned. What are we doing wrong??
    October 10, 2008 10:21 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Kate, my guess would be that he is waking for reasons that can't be fixed with CIO. See these posts:Nighttime Sleep Issues: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/nightime-sleep-issues.html 5-8 Month Sleep Disruptions : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/05/6-month-sleep-disruptions.html
    October 21, 2008 1:15 PM
  • Amber said...
    Hi! I've been reading the blog for a while and love it. Thanks! I have a question for you. Daytimes are going ok for us; we have a good 3-hour schedule in place for our 10-week-old (though it gets messed up occasionally for church or when we have a sitter). Nights, however, are difficult. He's still waking every 3 hours, sometimes every 2 hours, or even less. It's not consistent, but it is frustrating. The closer to morning it is, the closer the waking intervals. Is it reasonable at this age to expect him to drop a feeding? Also, if we try to use a pacifier when he wakes at night, at what point do we give up and assume it's hunger? It seems like once he wakes up, he gets really worked up no matter what we do and won't go back to sleep. Thanks so much!!
    October 10, 2008 3:36 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Amber, I would say most 10 week olds who aren't STTN have only one feeding. After a couple of nights of pacifier not working (maybe 3), I would assume it is hunger. But if it is hunger, he will most likely wake up soon after falling back asleep.
    October 21, 2008 1:17 PM
    Amber said...
    Hi, it's me again. Our little guy is almost 4 months old now, and still waking several times at night. Waketime is 7am, and his last feeding before bed is 7pm....bedtime 7:30-ish. Sometimes he'll sleep for 4 hours after bedtime, sometimes less; but then for the rest of the night he wakes up every 3 hours or even less. When I tried using the pacifier, he would either not calm back down or wake up in 20 minutes, and then eat as if he's really hungry. I'm pretty sure he could drop that last night feeding because he's not too hungry at 7am, but I don't know how. Trying to feed for less time at night resulted in him waking up again after an hour or so. Any other ideas? Anything that we could be doing differently? Or is he just not ready to sleep through the night? i really don't want bad habits to develop. Thanks!!
    November 24, 2008 11:17 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Amber, it sounds like he isn't ready. Since he is waking shortly after a small meal, it sounds like he needs it. 4 months is also a huge growth time, so keep that in mind.
    December 1, 2008 11:17 AM
    Amber said...
    Hi! I've been reading comments and your responses, and have found lots of helpful information. Shortly after my last post, our 4-month-old started sleeping all the way from the 11pm dreamfeed to 7 a.m. We had a glorious few weeks of that, but then the holidays, an ear infection, a cold, and learning to roll over made him start waking up frequently. It's been a couple of weeks now, and whenever he rolls over he gets stuck and wakes up. We are working so hard during the day to get him to roll back (from tummy to back). He usually wakes every 20-45 minutes starting at 4 a.m. (we roll him back over each time)...by 6am he's fully awake and probably too hungry to go back to sleep! Do we just have to wait this out? Any suggestions from anyone? Thanks! Have a great day!
    January 10, 2009 11:15 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Amber, see this post: Nap Disruptions: Rolling, Standing, Crawling, etc: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/nap-disruptions-rolling-standing.html
    And also:
    4 month Sleep Problems : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/05/4-month-sleep-problems.html
    January 16, 2009 11:22 AM
  • Amy said...
    Hello,I have a question on what we should do with our 9 week old son. I was so hoping he'd be sleeping through the night (7-8 hours) by now, but he's still not. He usually wakes up around 4ish for a feeding. I've tried giving him the paci sometimes but it usually doesn't work. I noticed that sometimes he's only getting 7 feedings a day, instead of 8, like you say they should have until they are STTN. By the way, he's being formula fed (breastfeeding didn't work out like I hoped it would!). How important do you think it is for him to get 8 feedings a day? Do you think that might be why he's still waking up for one feeding in the middle of the night? I just hate waking him up from naps during the day. Ha! Also, do you think it's ok to go in and give him his paci at that 45 min mark of a nap? Our son seems to wake up A LOT when that 45 min mark hits and sometimes he can go back to sleep but sometimes not. Like when he wakes up, there's no turning back for him. That's why I try to give him teh paci so he'll keep sleeping. Is that ok? Thanks for your advice. And I think you're doing a great job with the blog, by the way!
    October 28, 2008 7:17 AM
    Amy said...
    It's me again. I read the blog entry on early morning feeding and suggestions. I'm going to pay attention to his first feeding of the day for the next couple of days, and see if he really needs it. If not, then I'm going to try your suggestion on feeding him less. Great idea!!! I'd still love your advice about the naps...
    October 28, 2008 2:54 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Amy, the more calories he gets in the day, the less he will need at night. I would try for 8 a day until he STTN. You can try the paci at 45 minutes. I would be careful and be watchful. You don't want it to become something he needs long-term, but it could be something short-term that would help him.
    October 29, 2008 9:23 PM
  • Lucie said...
    Hi! Again, thank you so much for your time and effort! You are playing a VITAL role helping me work out the kinks of teaching good sleep habits to my Little Man. My Little Man is 10 weeks old. He is wonderful Little Guy with a great disposition. He is exclusively being bottle fed. He is taking 5-6 ounces every three hours during the day. His bedtime is 7/7:30. He goes down very well for bedtimes and naps and we have been CIO since I spoke with you ast (about 5 weeks). He does great and is rarely having episodes when he cries extensively. (He does have episodes at the one hour mark after he is put down at night or nap time where he will cry for a short period but then settles himself back down.) My questions lie in getting him to sleep through the night. Collin goes down at 7/7:30. We then get him out of bed for a "dreamfeed" at 10/10:30. He does not wake up for this and only will take 2 or 3ounces when he normally takes 5 or 6 when he is awake. I have tried to wake him up and he will not wake up for this feed. He was consistently waking at 2:30 for a couple weeks and is now waking at 3 or 3:30. He then wakes at 5:30 or 6. I want his "waketime" to be 6:30 am. I am lost as to what to do to get him to STTN.1) Should I continue to get him up for a dreamfeed even though he only takes 2 or 3 ounces or should I just let him sleep from 7/7:30 and see how long he goes? My fear there is that if he goes 8 hours from 7:30 that would still have me getting up at 3:30 which (obviously) is not ideal! 8 hours from 10 or 10:30 is much better for Mommy! LOL 2) Should I continue to feed him at the 2:30/3:00 feed as well as the 5:30/6 feed? If not which should I drop and how should I drop it? Should I drop it cold turkey or make him strech it more since this is what he seems to be doing naturally?I am just not sure where to go form here! I look forward to hearing from you!
    November 3, 2008 5:30 PM
    Lucie said...
    Hi Val, I posted a question a few days ago on this thread. I also have a couple of updates to my question that may lead to different suggestions from you.Since the last post I have been able to get Collin (my very tired, not awake DFeeder) to take a full 6 ounce feed most night at 9:30 or 10 o'clock. It takes me a long while (like a solid hour) to get him to take it but he has most nights. He then has been sleeping till 4 or 5 am. This causes an issue with not taking a full feeding at his 6:30 wake time.The nights when he hasn't taken a full feed (only 2 or 3 ounces) he wakes at 1:30-2:30. This stinks because it is a VERY middle of the night feed.My new questions are:1) Do I continue to wake him for the DF and just cross my fingers that he takes more than 2-3 ounces (even though it is taking him an hour to get a full feed down when he takes it) since it results in a longer night sleep? Then I will just have to work on the Early Waking.2) Do I try skipping the DF and see what happens? Since he wakes at 2 or so when he only takes 2-3 ounces at the DF I am guessing skipping the DF will result in a middle of the night feed at 2:30 or so. This would save me from getting him out of bed for just a possible 2-3 ounces feeding. I could be wrong and he may surprise me and sleep longer-- should I try it? 3) Each of the above situations results in its own issues which then need to be fixed so I would love to know what option to go with... Thanks again Val!!!
    November 10, 2008 1:16 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Lucie, I am sorry I am so late. I didn't see your question until now. I would probably try skipping the DF and see what happens, but know that at his age at best you can expect 11 hours of sleep (since he is bottlefed), but 9-10 would also be acceptable for him. If he went to 9, that will put him waking at 4. This isn't a problem as far as he goes, but might be for you.My guess is the same as yours that since when he eats well at the DF he sleeps longer that he actually needs that food to get him through. Some do sleep longer though, and I have a friend who says it doesn't hurt to try it. Really any of your "fixes" are acceptable. You are just going to have to decide which one you prefer. He isn't old enough to make it 12 hours yet. It is possible for 11, but it doesn't sound like he is quite ready. Pick which solution is best for you.
    December 1, 2008 10:42 AM
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Baby Whisperer: More on Sleep

Here are more sleeping tips from Tracy Hogg in the book, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer:

SLEEP TYPES (page 174)


  • Angel baby: falls asleep easily and independently (very true of Kaitlyn)
  • Textbook baby: falls asleep easily and independently
  • Touch baby: you cannot miss this baby's window or it is too hard for him to wind down (very true of Brayden)
  • Spirited baby: fidgets a lot. You may need to block out visual stimulation. Sometimes gets a wild, wide-eyed look when she is tired
  • Grumpy baby: might fuss some, but usually happy for a nap

THREE STAGES OF SLEEP (page 175)
Babies pass through these stages every time they fall asleep. The entire process takes about 20 minutes.

  • Stage 1--The Window: this is when your baby shows his nap cues. See Nap Cues : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/03/nap-cues.html. Hogg recommends having baby down by the third yawn (though best to act on the first).
  • Stage 2--The Zone: your baby has a fixed, focused gaze. This lasts 3-4 minutes. His eyes are open but he isn't really seeing.
  • Stage 3--Letting Go: He closes his eyes, his head drops forward or to the side. He seems to be falling asleep then is back awake...he repeats this process 3-5 times then goes to sleep.

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Baby Whisperer: Sensible Sleep

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In the book Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, Tracy Hogg talks about steps to creating sensible sleep. This starts on page 172.
  • Start as you mean to go on. For more on this idea, see Baby Whisperer: Start as You Mean to Go On : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/08/baby-whisperer-start-as-you-mean-to-go.html. In terms of sleep, just think through how you want your child to sleep in the long run. Everything you do teaches your baby. If you teach him that he needs to be rocked for 30 minutes before a nap, that is what he is going to need in order to fall asleep. I remember when Kaitlyn was 5 days old. For the first time, she wasn't just falling asleep. I sat down and started to rock her. Before she was born, I had decided we wouldn't start CIO until she was 3 weeks old. As I rocked her and she didn't fall asleep, I realized that was silly. Why would I teach her to need to be rocked only to take that away a few weeks later? That didn't seem fair to her. So I put her in her bed and braced myself. She actually went to sleep without a peep.
  • Independence is not neglect. I know we often feel guilty about teaching our kids independence, especially with our first child. But do know it is not neglect. You are doing what is best for your child.
  • Observe without intervention. Understand your baby's sleep cycle and observe and don't interfere with that cycle. Let baby fall asleep on own.
  • Don't make your baby dependent on props. This is anything from a pacifier, to nursing to sleep, to being held or rocked. Know that when you use these things, you are teaching your child to be dependent on them. Also, Hogg points out that a prop is different from a transitional object. A transitional object is something your child adopts; your child chooses and controls rather than mom or dad choosing and controlling. But this doesn't usually happen until 7-8 months old according to Hogg. Let baby discover how to calm herself.
  • Develop bedtime and naptime rituals. Do it the same way each time. See this post for more: Sleep Routine: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/sleep-routine.html
  • Know how your baby goes to sleep. Nothing works for everyone. You must get to know your baby, and that will take some time. This is a good time to use your log: BW Tips and Tricks: Keep a Log: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2007/12/tips-and-tricks-keep-log.html and Problem Solving Tip: Detailed Log : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/03/problem-solving-tip-detailed-log.html. I know some moms like to distract themselves during sleep training with earplugs or an iPod or something. Hogg recommends this (though she isn't really a CIO advocate, see below). My husband would try to get me to do the same. The problem I see with such a practice is that it doesn't allow you to get to know your baby. I have to know and monitor my babies cries. By listening each time, I get to know the pattern. I can also judge if something is wrong. So I personally like to listen and listen well (even though it is sad for me).
Hogg does not advocate CIO, though she does advocate baby learning to sleep on own. I am honestly a bit confused as to her exact CIO policy because her method for baby learning to sleep does involve crying, though she says it doesn't. I am not really sure. If you are interested in trying her method, you will have to read her book and interpret it.

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Reader Comments/Advice:
  • Jasmine said...
    If you read her third book "The Babywhisperer Solves All Your Problems" you'll find a lot more detail and ways to troubleshoot. In fact she provides techniques to use besides CIO that help you with getting the baby to sleep without props. She does differentiate between what she calls a mantra cry (the noises/cry a baby sometimes makes when settling) which you don't rush into and a serious cry which you attend. The techniques used are the wind down routine, the shush/pat, and the pick up put down when appropriate. Anyway that other book helped me tremendously, and so has your blog. Thanks!
    September 15, 2008 1:25 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Jasmine, that is good information. Thanks!

    September 22, 2008 3:29 PM
  • Jessica said...
    I echo Jasmine. From what I remember of Hogg's book her method including picking the baby up and when they stopped crying immediately putting them down. Didn't she say she had to do that over 100 times with one baby?I must admit that I am a rocker (a BW no-no) and I do not regret it. That is what is best for our family. To me, that is part of me being a mother, a very enjoyable part. I do understand why others do not rock. Each family, and child, are so very different.
    September 15, 2008 4:40 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Thanks Jessica! You are right, you have to do what works for each baby.
    September 22, 2008 3:30 PM
  • Lorri said...
    Yeah her method is that they don't CIO ALONE. She says she is an advocate for your baby and that changing a routine for a baby- ie not rocking them any more etc- and then letting them try to figure it out on their own is not the way to do things.I have to admit, I tried her PU/PD method last week. My little one didn't have any problems falling asleep for naps or for night time-but once he woke up-he had a hard time getting himself back to sleep. So I thought that maybe him falling asleep on his own to go to bed might be a fluke.

    After doing that routine for a week I haven't seen a single bit of improvement like I did following Babywise. At this point he actually doesn't even fall asleep initially like he use to. I have learned that when I'm in the room with my baby when he is trying to sleep-he wants to be picked up. Hogg says that after they start crying, you pick them up until they stop and then immediately put them down-continuing the shush and patting until they've fallen into a deep sleep. I'm not sure how the babies don't then use that as a sleep prop-she doesn't explain that.

    Some kids though-like my scooter are social butterflies and if there is someone in the room with them-but that person isn't playing with them or picking them up-it makes them more mad and they won't ever go to sleep. My husband and I evaluated the past week. We decided that being in the room with little Scoots does more damage than having him fall asleep on his own without us in there.
    September 16, 2008 11:36 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Lorri, thanks for more clarification--I think her initial idea of CIO and my initial idea of CIO. My son was the same as your son :)
    September 22, 2008 3:33 PM
  • bradysmom said...
    Jessica - I am a rocker too. However, I don't rock to sleep. I work, so I don't see my LO all day. I put him to bed and after he eats I put him on my chest and we sit and rock in teh rocking chair, while patting his back, for maybe a minute. I do this 1 - to see if there are any more burps in there; and 2 - that's my time to cuddle with him. I also feel like it helps him to just wind down and cuddle with mommy. I know BW says it's a no-no, but it's a very special time for me! And most of the time when I put him in his crib he's awake. Just my 2 cents! :-)
    September 16, 2008 12:29 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Bradysmom, I don't think rocking while awake would be considered a no-no for BW at all.
    September 22, 2008 3:35 PM
  • Jessica said...
    Lorri - I have never understood how that particular method isn't considered a sleep prop either. I read another book (Lull A Baby Sleep Plan, I believe) where the author encouraged you to sit by your baby's bed and sing, read, talk, etc. them to sleep. She said that as long as your baby went to sleep in their own bed that it was not a sleep prop.Bradysmom - I have just recently gone back to work (this week) for 3 days and I know what you mean about wanting to cuddle with your little one. About the rocking, BW thinks it is fine as long as you are not using it to get your baby to sleep. That is where I part with BW. Frequently, I do rock my little girl to sleep and at times she doesn't want it, she will wiggle and want you to just lay her in her crib. I would say it is a sleep prop for her because when I go to sit in the rocker she starts crying but all I have to do is insert the pacifier and those little peepers close. Hopefully, I don't get razzed to bad for that, ha!
    September 16, 2008 6:06 PM
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Baby Whisperer: Infant Massage

Tracy Hogg, author of Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, recommends infant massage as an activity. Benefits are that it can speed development of the brain and nervous system, improve circulation, tone muscles, and reduce stress and irritability (found in premature babies--full term babies benefit too).

Hogg says three months is an optimal time, but she has seen moms start earlier. She has a section on how to do massage in her book. You also might be able to find a class near you. I know my hospital teaches an infant massage class.

Hogg says, "...massage can raise their stimulation threshold, allowing the tolerance to build gradually." This is especially helpful for touchy babies. I did massage with Brayden, and I found it to be one of the only things that would keep him still before I started Babywise. I would definitely recommend you learn to massage your baby if you feel so inclined.


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Reader Comments/Advice:

  • Rachel Stella said...
    Personally I think massage is beneficial to begin with a newborn not just a 3 months old as Hogg suggests. I've heard some people say it really helped them and baby get through the fussy evening times.
    September 11, 2008 1:40 PM
    Plowmanators said...
    Rachel, I agree with that. Our hospital has an infant massage class that they teach with mom and baby. They prefer baby to be 4-6 weeks old, but you can start earlier I am sure.
    September 15, 2008 6:52 PM
  • bradysmom said...
    I've been doing massage from the beginning with my LO as part of his bedtime routine. However, now he knows that after his massage he gets his bottle and gets to go to sleep. So, I can do his legs, but then he starts to get antsy and just wants to eat!
    September 15, 2008 6:37 AM
    Plowmanators said...
    Bradysmom, that is funny. They sure are smart.
    September 15, 2008 6:54 PM
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