6 mo's sleep is a disaster. Pleaasssee help us?

[ceilidhf]

Good luck! My guy does WAY better at night with more day sleep...trouble is that it can get really tough to get that day sleep when you have an older one running around!!! Hope tonight is good...

[ZacsMumme]

Hi Melinda,sorry I was off most this weekend. It was DH and Is 5th wedding annerversary so am catching up today.

TBh I suspect he may have been catching up on OT which is part of the 3-2. Today looks great too. With two long naps and EBT he should be okay, but if you prefer to hang onto the CN your nights just be a bit shorter.

I think your right though in that he def needs 3.5 hrs day sleep and not too much A to BT. if he has less ie 3 or 2.75hrs then the rougher nights will be likely to be OT from this.

He does sound like he's doing well though...playing the days by ear based on each nap length is the Way to go here really, which is exactly what you are doing

[Mjaz]

Oh that's OK Sara!  Happy anniversary

I thought yesterday was a great day - as was today.  2 longish naps, no CN, EBT. 

WELLLLL....last night he had a 2+ hour NW.  Absolutely unreal.  First crying.  Then talking to himself.  Then wide awake.  Would not go back to sleep.  I almost had a meltdown, as he woke DS #1 up, etc, etc...  Anyway, at 12:30am, I finally fed him and that was the only thing that got him to sleep.  He woke again at 4:30, ate and went back till nearly 9am.  Ugh. 

I just do not get what is going on with him.  I feel like I have tried to rule out everything.  It just does not make any sense to us...!!!

  It's 8:45pm here and I am headed to BED.  I'm beyond exhausted. 

Talk soon,
Melinda

[ZacsMumme]

(HUGS) How old is he now? Sounds like WW business, or teeth?

[Mjaz]

He's 6 months, I week.  What's WW???

[ZacsMumme]

Wonder week...Developmental leap

http://www.thewonderweeks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64&Itemid=157
http://blogginaboutbabies.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/wonder-week-26/

[Mjaz]

Ah, OK.  Maybe?  Anything I can do?  We're at the end of our ropes, here...  Would you feed at NW if he doesn't go to sleep for a long time...?

Thank you.  I appreciate your help...

M.

[ZacsMumme]

I guess it depends on where you are all at.

Lets see if we can work this kid out...so these NW, what happens when first waking? Are the NW usually after 12 now?

I am wondering if your LO is getting close to only needing 2 naps and can maybe handle more A than you think....long NW usually are developmental, teeth, OT or UT, and it can be hard to know what but for us they were usually UT not OT as if OT a quick cuddle/resettle would send Z off again.

So no teeth or bulging gums you can see right?
You dont suspect pain or sore tummy?

If neither of these then I am thinking routine and possibly a bit of sleep training.

Can you repost your EASY so we can see an up to date picture...just yesterdays or todays

[Mama_Mia]

Hi, just jumping on to offer some hugs !!

As Sara said, for us long NW's were UT. We used to get 2hr long NWs at this age where I finally gave up and just watched TV for the 2 hrs then put M back to bed. In time I figured out that he needed longer A times. ... Hang in there hun, it WILL get better.

[Mjaz]

I agree.  And I've been trying longer A times, but there are times when after just 2 hours, he is literally CRYING to go to sleep.  And this kid never, ever cries.  No, his NWs are both before and after 12.  Almost ALWAYS wakes up several times between 9pm and 11pm.  Then around 2 to eat.  And 4-5am.  Sigh.  Usually before 12 they are cries...and he'll settle easy.  The 4am one is typically talking/sighing...but eyes closed still...

No signs of teeth.  No, I don't think it's tummy.

Yesterday was an off schedule day, so here's the day before:

wake: 6:30am
E: 7am, solids 7:45
A: 2:30
S: 9-10:20 (1:20)
E: 10:45, solids 11:20
A: 2:30
S: 12:55-2:25 (1:30)
E:  2:45 (just milk)
A: 2:45
S: 5:05-5:25 (woke him)
E: 6 (just milk)
A: 1:35
S: 7

Somedays with good naps we don't need the CN...but most days we do.  I don't think his days are so bad!  But 5-6 NWs at this age?  Oy.

Thanks, ladies.
Melinda

[C_mother]

Hi Melinda,

Do you feed him when he first wakes between 9 and 11?  Maybe it would get him past the 2am (or eliminate the 4) waking?  Those times (apart from there being multiple wakings between 9 and 11) are the natural times for babies to stir, so I wonder if the wakings are just habitual. Do you need to go in at 4 or does he just chat for a while? Tracy wrote that most babies waking in the night and are up for a bit (~20mins) and then go back to sleep. I would ignore him if he is not crying.

I would treat the evening waking like a DF for a week and see if that leaves you with fewer overnight wakings

I do think that the CN starts to be a problem at this age, but would it cause 5-6 wake ups I wonder?

It is tiring, isn't it?

[ZacsMumme]

Just to confirm these cryouts. Before 12 do you have to go in or are they brief cryout then stop like in is sleep?
I wouldn't worry too much about the morning one if he isnt crying for you. .EW are common around this age and if you can leave him to it and he eventually drifts off he will eventually learn to sleep through this one. ( I agree with c mother and trying the DF could be a good idea to try)

I really think you need to push those A times Hun, the CN may just need to go or your days get longer. Can you try for just 15 mins longer each A. 1hr20 min naps for us are usually UT. How does he wake from this nap?

[Mjaz]

Yes, we have to go in and resettle him when he wakes.  Mostly it's less than a minute if shh/pat.  Sometimes we have to pick him up.  Sometimes he's crying/awake for 2 hours :/. The bad NW seems to always be in the 10 o'clock hour.  Maybe that's where I should try a DF?

He's never woken upset from a nap.  He's the happiest baby.  I will try pushing A times by 15 tomorrow as I'm home with himall day.

Thank you!  Today was OTfest with Nana, so I'm probably in for a fun night :/. I'll let you know how doing a DF works! 

[Mjaz]

If I knew what giving up looked like I would!!!  Tried pushing A times - crappy 45 min naps all day.  Tried DF at 10:30 at NW.  Still woke at 1am.  Took another full feed at 2 (I could not get him back) and then up at 4,5:30 and 6:30am.  Probably about a dozen NWs last night.  I am a zombie.

[ZacsMumme]

Hun I really think the NF are causing you issues here are you able to hold strong on not feeding accept maybe 1 a night or at least 4 hrs apart through the night?