Have no idea how to sort out nights

[yaya]

DD has never been a great sleeper from day 1! shes had a bout of ear infection, a cold and reflux all in 3.5 months! Despite this she goes to sleep independently so I dont think our nightwaking are due to that. They are not due to hunger either as she feds well, is a big girl at 7.4 kg and often refuses to latch on at nightwakings. Her wakings are totally inconsistent and my GUt feeling is that she is in discomfort of some sort...to me it seems like tummy pain. she usualy goes to sleep well, sleeps solidily till I DF aorund 10.30- 11ish or she wakes maybe 11- 12 sometime later. after this feed she wakes constantly all night till am. Some nights better than other but generally crap. when she wakes she hardly opens her eyes but wriggles squirms grunts and cries as tho trying to get wind out. Now here's my question...why only at night?? she doesnt have this prob in the day and i did think it was soemthing i was eating but i dont eat the same thing every night and shes like this every night!
any ideas

routine to be established still  but shes usually up at
7 am A for 1 hr to 1.5 hrs
nap anything between 30 mins to 2 hrs
max A time fo 2 hrs then try for long nap with lots of extending
catnap when we get one and bed by 7

yep shes OT most of the time but ALWAYS has been becaus eof inconsistent napping despite all my best efforts

[NiknLily]

Thats a puzzler, I assume you don't wind her after DF if I remember your not supposed to need to, maybe she actually needs winding.  Have you tried giving her any medicine to relieve wind before DF.  Even tho she is only young maybe the being still at night causes the wind to trap in her belly, where as during the day she will be being moved about more helping it to disperse naturally. 

That would be my first guess anyway. HTH

[yaya]

hmmm u may be onto something...sometimes i wind but mostly she burps when i move her to put her down and I always hold for at least 10mins after DF and nightfeeds as shes a refluxers, shes be sick otherwise I have been thinking about not feeding her at Df and night waking anymore (well till 4 or 5 am ) coz thats how long i think she should be going at night (AT LEAST"!) by her age and weight..but not sure normally she will have 1 or 2 nightfeeds

[NiknLily]

Could be worth a go if you think shes not actually that hungry just waking in discomfort.  Heck if she manages to go from bedtime till 2/3/4am before needing a feed then gets squirmy for rest of morning she will still be getting a better nights sleep than at present.  And if you dont DF you can go to bed early should you want to cope with the restless mornings 

[yaya]

tried last night...was still up every hr   I have NO idea what to...maybe need to speak to my doctor....

[NiknLily]

best to get her checked out I guess, maybe her reflux is playing her up at night.  Hope you find the answer soon.

 

[Bryony]

Hmm...  did you say you tried not doing the DF?  Some people find that a DF disrupts sleep and so they are better off without it. Could try stopping this for a few days and see if makes any difference. You would be expecting to do a night feed at some point at your daughter's age though. 

Are you using meds for wind eg Infacol (in the UK - not sure where you are...)?

Or could be OT if you are having bad naps - how much daytime sleep is she getting and what is her last A time before bed?  Although as you say it does sound like discomfort of some sort.  Agree with PPs that it would be worth getting her checked out by the doctor in case there is something that will help...

Your "aah to sleep, perchance to dream" made me smile!

Bryony

[Colin Macs Mom]

So what's happened Michelle? Did you take her to the doctor?

[momofclaire]

Michelle,
Do you have her sleeping on an incline?  I have noticed that reflux babies do better sleeping like that.  Also, have you had her reflux meds checked lately?  She may need a higher does or change in meds as she has grown.   

Certainly work on nap as, well you know...

Also, if she is in pain because of gas it could be because as night she doesn't move as much and thus air gets stuck in there.  Do you bicycle her legs during the day.  I did this with Claire at every diaper change and found that we had less gassy nights.

[yaya]

hi guys thanx for asking.. you may have sen my other posts re: what the pead said but basically everyone is stumped...shes healthy , reflux is under control and i have done all the usual. Shes too old for 'colic' if it even exists and doesnt SEEM windy in the day time altho shes alittle constipated sometimes. It MAY be her sleep was so disrupted from a month with an undiagnosed ear infection that she cant get into a good biorhythm OR pead suggested some sort of a an intollerance to my milk as always seems to get bad after nightfeed whether its 11pm or 3am. I cant really be somethign i'm eating as she has NEVER had a good night and that would mean every day i was eatign the same thing which was disturbing her. she isnt bette rif i pu or hold altho it calm hers so its not a prop issue. she suggested early weaning but i'm still debating that. we are trying cranial osteopath and finally a sleep monitoring where a neurologist will monitor brain activity during sleep to rule out a neurological or sleep disorder...scary but non invasiev

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

Oh Michelle, sending you big huge hugs. Hopefully the cranial osteopath will sort things out for you guys, have heard loads of good reports after other parents have been. Have you got an appointment sorted or you have to wait? If you have to wait hopefully it wont be too long,
xx
Fiona

[NiknLily]

Yaya, hope all goes well with tests   I think you may have something tho' with her having had a month with ear infection and it taking a while for her biorhythm and I do remember my HV mentioning an intolerance to my milk (DD was extremely windy as a baby, well still is but no longer has any trouble getting rid of it  ) She said I should not eat/drink any dairy for a week and see if it helps. Might be worth a try.  From memory they don't have the intolerance for long and quite often by taking a break from dairy yourself it sort of clears the intolerance out of their system.

[yaya]

nah it'll be asap when we book it , will go privately. thanks for ur kind words fiona
It gets me down, my baby is healtthy but  I havent slept longer than 2 hrs in 4 mos and this STILL gives me bonding issues with DD: I ador eher now but often feel resentful and bitter for not having an easy baby

[yaya]

i havent had diary since i was PG (strictly speaking, got a bit lax when i saw it didnt really make a diff in DD) as hospital adviced getting rid of diary due to history of intollerance

[Colin Macs Mom]

Glad to hear that you're going to make some appointments Michelle. I know I've said it before, but I really think there's something medical involved that's affecting her ability to sleep.

[yaya]

see? i do too hun, I am now on second kid and i know my BW inside out! i cant help he in any way and nothing i do makes  a diff and seriously? after 4mos its not good for mum or family to be totally OT all the time (N.B. i almost drove into someone today, didnt see a stop sign...and DRINK DRVING is illegal....man  sleep deprioved driving is BAD too!!)))

[NiknLily]

HUGS Yaya, it really does look like you've done everything you can.  Heres doubly hoping those tests can get you some answers and get this sorted out asap, sounds like you both need your sleep.

I can understand how bonding with DD has been troubled by lack of sleep.  Although I had no trouble bonding with DD, its now I'm struggling, still getting lots OT from 2-1nap trans and I have been a miserable cranky bitch for last 2 months due to not getting good nights sleep and my lack of patience with DD has really shocked me, I've said some horrible things in the small hours of the night and I don't myself for it.  Sleep deprivation is EVIL

Keep us posted