Sudden Night Wakings--Out of Control

[Serenity]

My son is almost 7 months old.  We had been having problems getting him to sleep, but have since started a new bedtime and naptime routine.  Naptime routine is rocking him in a rocking chair and listening to a lullaby cd.  Night time consists of cereal, bath, pajama's, bottle/rocking/lullaby cd.  He goes to sleep so easily now.  It used to take him hours, but now he's asleep in 5-10 minutes usually.  But he's waking up throughout the night.  It usually just calls for a paci re-plug, but last night and the night before even after you plug in the paci he still cries.  We change his diaper and rock him, but he'll still cry.  Last night we got very little sleep.  I don't think he is OT because he naps very well during the day.  I need help!
Serenity

[lawnseed]

Hello and (((hugs!)))

NW is no fun - we're having lots at the mo with teething:(

I may not be able to help, but if you give a little more information that may enable someone else to help!!

Could you post your routine?

Could he be teething? What do you do when you go in to him? What have you done previously when he's woken in the night? How long has the new bedtime routine been implemented, what was it before and why did you change?!! (it may be nothing to do with that eap as he settles well, but you never know!!)

Sorry to bombard you!!

Lorna

[Serenity]

My routine is:
7:00 wakes, change diaper, gets a bottle and fruit.  Plays
8:30 Usually around this time I put him down for a nap by turning on lullaby cd and rocking.
10:00-10:30 wakes from nap, plays until next meal
11:00 gets a bottle, diaper change, plays
1:00 put him down for a nap
2:30-3:00 wakes up and plays
3:00 bottle and vegetables, diaper change, plays
5:00 catnap if we are lucky
6:30 start bedtime routine of cereal/fruit, bath, jammies, rocking/bottle and lullaby cd.

He usually doesn't wake at night for the first time until after about 10.  It's the very middle of the night that he wakes up and cries.  As far as teething, last time he went to the doc (2 weeks ago) they said it didn't look like he was teething.  When we go into him at night we first try to give him his pacifier.  If he doesn't stop crying we try patting and comforting.  If that doesn't help we rock him with his lullaby cd.  If all else fails, we give him a bottle and rock him if it's the middle of the night.  The new bedtime routine was started about a week ago.  Before it was all in his tiny little hands.  We tried it all every night.  Rocking, walking, driving even.  There really was no routine before.  Since we now have one it's easy to get him down for the night, it's just the night wakings.  Don't worry, you didn't bombard me, I'll even give you my blood type if you think it would help!  Before the new bedtime routine he would wake in the night 3-4 times, but all you had to do was give him the paci.  Now he just wakes and cries.
Serenity

[Layla]

Hey there

I would adjust the daytime routine a little. He's awake for a long time before bedtime & this in itself can cause overtiredness. Try to spread the naps out... something like this.

7am - wakes
9:30-11 - morning nap (limit this nap to 1.5hrs)
2-3.30pm - afternoon nap (limit this nap to 1.5hrs)
6.30-7pm - bedtime

Start with adding 10-15mins to his A time until you get to those times. Wait a few days before adding more A time so that he doesn't get overtired.

I'm also wondering if all the AP going on is confusing him. Do you want to keep the paci? Have you thought about weaning it & doing pu/pd to teach him how to get back to sleep at night without the paci?

hth
Layla

[Serenity]

Ok, thanks, I'll try adjusting the routine.  So I should wake him up from naps?  What is AP?  And how would it be confusing him?     For now, I would like to keep the paci.  I want to wean him before he's a year, but as I was told in another post, due to my ppd I think I should keep it for now.  I at least want to wait until he's been on the new routine for a bit longer, and then I was thinking about just taking it away once he falls asleep to wean him little by little.  What do you think?  And how would that best be done?  I just don't think PU/PD is the best option for me.  I know I couldn't handle it and I don't really have anyone to come help me with it.  Let me know what you think.  Thanks.

[Layla]

AP - accidental parenting (rocking, etc...). When he wakes at night, its better to respond to him 1 way. It could be shh/pat or pu/pd or rubbing his back but don't do it until he is asleep. Once you see that he is settling down then you leave the room & let him fall asleep on his own.

Its ok that you don't want to wean the paci . It can be very hard & might take some crying - so when you are ready. You can either do it gradually... still use it to calm him down before naps & bedtime but take it out before he falls asleep with it & do pu/pd instead or just take it away cold turkey & do pu/pd. Have a look at the props forum for some more ideas & what's worked for others. I weaned Jasmine at 4 months cause she was up all night looking for it & I got sick of replugging. Surprisingly her nights were not as bad as I thought.. naps were a little off but we got there in the end & 2 weeks later she didn't need me at all for naps.

[lawnseed]

hello:)

yes it would mean you have to wake him from naps - not as bad as it sounds:)

your idea of weaning paci slowly is a good one if you can't cope with pick up put down.

Has anyone out there used 'the no cry sleep method'?

I haven't, so don't know how well it works, but it basically involves putting them down a little more awake every time (I thimk)- so if you usually rock him, then do the same but put him down before he's asleep, use a pat shush or whatever he's used to to keep him there, and take it in baby steps until you can put him down awake. same can be done for paci - leave it in until he's nearly asleep and take it out a little earlier every time. Like Isabella and Jasmine's mum said, though, you have to be consistant with what you choose or he will get confused.

how's it going?

Lorna x