My 6 month old DD was a great sleeper up until a month ago. From the week she came home from the hospital she did a 10p-4/5a stretch of sleep. At 7 weeks we started EASY to improve her daytime sleep. At about 11 weeks she had a lot of NW and she moved herself to a 4 hour EASY on her own and that improved those awakenings. With growth spurt she would always add in the 1-2am feed in addition to her 4/5am feed. She has never slept through.
The past month has been very rough. She started waking more at night, hungry. So at almost 6 months we started solids. To make a long story short we found out the hard way that she cannot tolerate rice cereal. She does great on all other foods (so far) and oatmeal.
Since about midDecember she has been waking up early for her dreamfeed anywhere between 8pm and 10pm (we used to do it around 10:30). I thought that this may be more evidence that solids were needed. She also had a period where she was extending her A time and dropping the catnap which was rough but straightend out now. We do a catnap only if poor naps during the day and needs it to get through to bedtime.
I got into the habit of feeding her during when she woke up early for her DF but used PU/PD. It took 10 minutes the first night and after a few nights she didn't wake. Occassionally she will now, but I can usually get her back to sleep. If I can't then she is up until 10:15 when I feed her. She then got a cold and her sleep was disrputed by a stuffy nose, but we did not need to feed her for those awakenings. We ended up bringing her in our bed a few nights because she was so uncomfortable laying down, I slept with her on my chest (but we never started the night like that...it was only early mornings). Her cold is gone now.
So that is some brief history. For the past few nights, she is getting up many many times and we cannot settle her back to sleep. Last night she got up at 10pm (around df time--which we were trying to phase out) and I did a "DF", 11:30-1p (I held off feeding her until after 1pm--though she didn't seem hungry before then)--wide awake and wanting only to be held. Then from 4-5 (I fed her aroudn 4:30 and at 5 she needed to be changed--she had wet through her outfit). Sadly this was a GOOD night for us lately.
I have never fed to sleep (except for the df--which she always slept through and night feeds she would be drowsy/ but stir when I put her down). She takes great naps (always varying in length) but goes down easy and wakes up happy.
How old is your child? 6.5 months
What’s his/her daily routine? (Occasionally we start our day at 7am but it looks very similar to this)
E 6:30 BF, solids at 7:30
S 9:15 or 9:30 (1-1.5 hours)
E 10:45 ish, solids at 11:30
S 1:45(1-1.5 hours)
E 3:15 pm ish, solids at 4pm
E 6:15
S 6:30
What’s nap routine? Winddown activity (less stimulating as near nap), go in room, pull shade down, turn on fan, say good night, place in crib, give paci, falls right asleep (usually looses paci at same time--no dependent on it---she had given it up mostly until her recent cold).
How long are naps? sometimes 45 minutes, but with new 3 hour A time, usually 1.5 hours
What's bedtime routine? Time? Bath, feeds and books, snuggle, put to bed drowsy but awake, give her lovie, give paci if she calls out for it (not every night)
Do you bottle or breastfed?? BF
How much? or how long? 15 minutes total
If breastfed.. one side or both?? both
How many wakes per night? 3-6
What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? Fusses at first and then escalates to hysterics, takes about 15-20 minutes to get her to calm down but stays up longer after that, up for 1-2 hours
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry? We wait until crying. Don't think it is a mantra (she goes right to hysterical from fussing, never has mantra cried herself to sleep or woken doing that..so am not sure what "her" mantra sounds like). Her cry is always a "I need you RIGHT NOW" type cry that goes right through you.
What have you tried to settle?? Pacifier, pain relief (in case of teething), last night tried PU/PD because it worked for her wakenings before DF (only took 10 minutes and 3 nights), last night got so mad with PU/PD and never settled in between putting her down. If she does settle she wants to play and starts laughing. Tried putting her down to let her play by herself...she gets hysterical again
What do you do for A time and how long is it? 2.45-3 hours. Play on floor, tummy time, music class, sing songs, exersaucer, bouncy set (not bouncing--she hates that)
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? Doesn't seem to be teething...Tylenol and the topical gum relief do nothing to help. Have also tried Hylands Teething tables...no help there. She is trying to crawl but we give her tons of time each day to practice. Started sitting on her own...again lots of practice during the day.
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months) yes, oatmeal, fruits and veggies 2-3 times per day. 1tbsp of oatmeal, 1-2 food cubes (I think it is 2 tbsp) of homemade food per feed. Occassionally more if she wants it.
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? Pacifier maybe?
She doesn't always use it and drops it after she falls asleep (and doesnt need it back)
Do they have a lovie? Yes, a veyr small blanket (washcloth sized) with an alligator head on one corner. She occasionally will suck on it if she doesn't have her pacifier (which is fine because she can find it on her own in the crib and can put it back in, unlike the pacifier)
Any advice would be great. I am exhausted. My husband is exhausted and our jobs are suffering because of it.
My main concern is whether she is hungry. That is the only reason she has ever woken up at night (besides her cold and the bout with rice cereal we had) She goes 4 hours during the day (and would probably go longer some times), but seems to want to eat every 2 hours during the night. I have tried to increase her daytime fluid intake (she gets EBM when I work but the msot she will take is 5.5-6 ounces per feed). I am nervous she has mixed up her day and night feeds.
Do you think PU/PD would be appropriate for her? We are at a loss.
Thank you for all your help.
Jodi
