Claire

I should also say I used these with my 3.5 year old who went from sleeping like an angel to getting up multiple times at night. I was angry and sleep deprived, and Dr. Becky made such a big difference. So thankful I signed up for her stuff even though it’s not cheap.

I recommend Becky Kennedy’s sleep modules. They totally changed my perspective and some of the tips improved things almost immediately (e.g., a mantra like “mama and papa are near, I’m safe,my bed is cozy”). Basically, her idea is that the kid is having issues with separation and needs to feel connected and safe.

My almost 6 month old also nurses 2-4 times a night (one side each time, including an early morning feed that I could use as a wake-up time). It’s completely normal. I’m certain my baby needs the calories. He too is gaining on the slow side and will likely not double his weight by 6 months. I also pump during the day and know he’s getting enough to eat then; he refuses extra. Night nursing helps keep your supply up and you usually produce a good amount in a night feed (I know from observing my pumping output). If you are open to co-sleeping, it can help you fall asleep more easily. I honestly feel quite rested during the day despite technically being woken up multiple times.

Ugh, that sounds so challenging!

I love this answer! Some people are fundamentally against sleep training; this could be a great way to help if the couple in question is not interested in CIO and if they are actually in need of help with their situation.

Some people respectfully disagree about cry it out methods being OK for babies. Having personally observed difficult CIO (baby crying hysterically for long periods of time), I’d never use this approach with my baby despite what Emily has said about it being safe. I’d rather go without sleep during this relatively short and very formative period in a child’s life. Do your son and DIL want help? Are they happy cosleeping? I would not offer advice or comments in this area at all until you open your mind to other perspectives like the heysleepybaby Instagram account. After that, I’d ask how they feel about the situation. If they are happy, leave it be. If they aren’t, tell them you read something helpful about sleep and forward them something to read on their own time. If my MIL told me to do something differently wrt to sleep, feeding, etc. and I hadn’t invited her to give me advice, I would feel she was intruding and it would not be helpful for our relationship.