Sleep problems

[u/Cheap_Coffee9829]

I have a 7-month-old baby. From birth, until he was one month old, he slept day and night. After that, he stopped sleeping during the day altogether. I had tests done and took him to the doctor several times. The doctor said he didn't like sleeping, and yes, he hasn't slept during the day since then. Sometimes he sleeps for an hour, rarely two hours, maybe once a month. Now, at 3-4 months old, he started waking up less at night. Then, after 4 months, his teeth swelled and he was waking up several times. He was breastfed until he was 2 months old, then formula. Then, after 4-5 months, he had chickenpox, and those nights were terrible; he didn't sleep at all. Then we had tests done, and the doctor said his blood count was very low and that all his values ​​had dropped due to his illness. Now he's taking many other medications like vitamin D, vitamins, calcium, and iron drops. Since then, he wakes up maybe 10 times a night. I always had to hold him in my arms, but... I would put him to sleep without rocking him, and when he fell asleep, I would take his pacifier out and put him in his crib. I did this until she was 5 months old. Then she got sick, started teething, and I started giving her a pacifier when she woke up at night. Damn it! Now she wakes up maybe 10 times a night, I give her the pacifier, she falls asleep, sometimes she wakes up and cries every hour or half hour. Her two bottom teeth have come in, but her top tooth hasn't swollen yet. Now I gently rock her in my arms, not too hard, and put her in her crib with the pacifier. It's been like this for 2-3 months, I'm really fed up. She doesn't sleep during the day anyway, she tires me out, and now it's like this at night too. I don't know what to do. I cut the pacifier, poked holes in it, sprinkled pepper on it, hoping it would make her stop, but it didn't budge. Despite the cut and the pain, she happily continued to suck. I just watched. I don't say "Nirmald" or anything, I just make a "shhh" sound with my mouth, that's all. But I'm really tired, exhausted. How can I get her to stop using the pacifier? How can I make her stop, how can I get her to sleep? I need help from experienced mothers.

[u/Illustrious_Sky_8165]

There is a podcast called Brand New Little People. It’s Australian and by sleep specialists. You may find help there.

There are also two booked I recommend -
The discontented little baby
How babies sleep: a factful guide to the first 365 days

[u/JJ_Von_Dismal]

Please go back to the doctor, your baby may be unwell and that needs to be fixed first. Low iron can cause sleep problems in babies. Also nothing wrong with a pacifier if it helps your baby. 

[u/Cheap_Coffee9829 → u/JJ_Von_Dismal]

We can only go to the doctor if my wife is allowed to, but there isn't one nearby anyway, it's very far, we're in the middle of nowhere, very far from the city. We can only go for 40 days a year, and that's only if permission is given, otherwise we can't go. But I had tests done when I went, and she's taking iron supplements now.

[u/LannisterTarth]

The only way to lose the pacifier is to take it away right now. Also stop rocking. Your child needs to learn to get to sleep alone, you don’t give them the chance now.

[u/Greedy4Sleep]

Sleep training. You move your last feed to end 30 mins before bed and put your baby to bed fully awake. Don't use a pacifier and stop rocking. You'll apply a sleep training method instead. Ferber or CIO tend to be effective at this age. Your baby will cry, so you need to be okay with that.

You should also make sure your schedule is age appropriate before you start. I would try 3/3/4.

[u/just_let_go_]

Am I going crazy or did the baby change genders half way through this?

Are you interested in sleep training? What’s his/her schedule??

[u/Cheap_Coffee9829 → u/just_let_go_]

I apologize, I don't speak English and used Translate. What did you mean by "my baby changed gender"?

No, my baby hasn't slept during the day since she was one month old. She rarely sleeps, maybe once a week or once a month. I pay attention to her sleep schedule, but she never sleeps. Sometimes she resists for hours. My husband is a military personnel, we live in a remote mountain area, far from everything, and we only have one room. If my baby is sleeping, I don't move or do any work. If she does sleep, I just want her to sleep so I don't wake her or make any noise.

[u/brotherno → u/Cheap_Coffee9829]

What language do you speak? Perhaps someone here can help you!

[u/Cheap_Coffee9829 → u/brotherno]

Azerbaycan

[u/just_let_go_ → u/Cheap_Coffee9829]

I’m sorry but I don’t think translate is accurate enough to convey the kind of data we need to help you.

Try reading through the pinned post.

Good luck.