Hi there:
Our DD (8 months) has been doing great at night, sleeping 8 - 11 hours at a stretch consistently. However, in the last week she has started waking up at least twice between bedtime and 1am. She wakes up crying, and if I leave her she will sometimes settle herself only to wake up again 20 or 30 minutes later. The 2nd time she wakes up she gets very upset if I don't go in to her. The first time she wakes, I can settle her without feeding, but if she wakes up after 10pm she won't go back to sleep without being fed (or she will settle but wake again within 30 mins).
I know she is teething, but we have been giving her teething relief and the wakings are continuing. I'm wondering if maybe she needs a routine change (ie a later bedtime).
Here is a typical day for us:
730: wake up and b/f
Playtime
900: cereal and fruit
Get dressed, playtime
1000: nap (usually 1 1/2 to 2 hours)
1200: bottle and lunch (veggies)
Playtime, or out to run errands
230: nap (usually 45 mins to an hour)
Playtime
500: bottle and dinner (veggies and fruit)
700: bathtime and b/f
730 or 745: bed
One overnight feed, time varied from as early as 1030 to as late as 445!
This has been our routine for the last few months and has been absolutely fantastic until this week.
She has a lovey of sorts - there are three blankets in her bed as well as a stuffed animal. She will go to sleep without them but they are always in her crib at home. She also uses a pacifier but can take it out and replace it herself (and has no trouble settling herself and sleeping without it).
Last time we went through this we had to tweak our routine every week for a few weeks, until we had dropped her late afternoon nap and re-established a workable bedtime. Any suggestions or advice on what to do to help her get back on track now would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Heather
