My Child is Not Sleeping: LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Karima,

I am at my wit’s end with L.’s sleep. I’m pretty close to my breaking point, as I haven’t gotten more than 2 hours of consecutive sleep in the past week, and I cannot remember the last time I slept more than 3 hours in a row. L. is 18 months old, and I sleep with her on a queen sized mattress on the floor in her room. She wakes frequently to nurse. I would be thrilled if she only woke twice to nurse. The past couple of weeks, she has been waking very frequently, like 10+ times a night. I just don’t know what to do. I’ve read several sleep books, including The No Cry Sleep Solution, but NOTHING seems to work. I am so incredibly sleep deprived, and her sleep habits just seem to be getting worse and worse. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. - S.T. (Note: This letter was shortened)

Dear S.T.,

It sounds like you have tried a lot of different methods to get her to sleep better - and all are wonderful. So I will try suggesting some more unconventional ideas...

Since whatever you drink enters the milk she is drinking I would suggest drinking about 3 cups of chamomile tea a day for a few days. This will help pretty much any problem she has (colic, too hot, tummy issues, anxiety, insomnia, etc...) without having to go through the detective work to figure out what it is. You can even spoon feed her (tip a little in her mouth with a spoon, babies love drinking this way) a spoon or two of the tea herself. If this gentle method does not work, you can also get some chamomile essential oil and mix 2 drops w/ a TBS. Of massage oil and rub it in a clockwise motion on her belly a couple times a day - especially at night. This always seemed to "drug" my kids into a deep sleep. I think it is the combination of the soothing massage and the effects of the oil. Hope this helps.

Also, this seems obvious but make sure you are not drinking any coffee or teas with caffeine. I didn't drink caffeine the entire 6 years I was nursing my three kids because I wouldn't get ANY sleep otherwise. Other things that can cause insomnia are: any foods with MSG (a lot of salad dressings at restaurants have this, Pizza Hut pizza sauce has this, I'm pretty sure Hye-Vee Deli uses this because their food keeps me awake all night if I eat it).

Blessings & Health,
Karima