14mo old freq. nw and loss of appitite

[victoriab]

For the last couple of nights, my 14mo dd has been waking during the night several times.  This is very unusual for her since she usually sleeps straight through.  Last night she woke about every 2 hours and would fall back asleep as soon as I picked her up and rocked her a little.  I finally got so tired of doing this that I brought her back to bed with me at about 4am.  Tonight (and last night) she screamed when I put her down to sleep (very unusual).  It got so bad tonight that I had to rock her to sleep, then she woke up an hour later and I had to rock her to sleep again.

In addition to her nw, dd has not been eating very much during the day.  Each time I sit her down to eat, she will eat very little and then say she is done.  She then continues to tell me that she is hungry, so I give her snacks throughout the day.  My reason for concern for her lack of appetite is that as of her last doctor's appt. she only weighed 17.4lbs.  The doctor has us giving her pediasure to try to add extra calories to her diet (we mix it in with her milk).

I am not sure, but I think her lack of appetite is contributing to her sleep problems.  When we try to put her to bed, and when she wakes in the night, she signs that she is hungry.  I don't want to give her something to eat in the middle of the night, because I don't want this to become a habit (plus, I don't know if she is really hungry since she falls back asleep after that).  I have put a sippy cup of water next to her bed to give to her if she wakes in the night tonight.

One last thing I should tell you is that she does not currently have any teeth, so this may be related to teething, but seems a little unusual.

So my questions are:
Should I give her anything to eat if she asks for it in the middle of the night if she didn't eat much during the day?
and
Should I let her sleep with us if she won't sleep without me having to rock or hold her? (don't want this to become a habit either)

[Shdef]

It sounds like MAJOR teething issues. As if eight teeth or so are trying to push their way through at the same time.

Have you tried giving her paracetamol 45 minutes before tuck-in and see how it goes then? The pressure from the teeth is especially bad when lying down and trying to sleep (no distractions and more blood circulation, more pressure)?

Is she drooling  a lot?

For food, I'd try and give her cold foods, that may soothe her a bit...

Hugs 

[Bryony]

Victoria - hope you don't mind, but I am going to move your thread over to Sleeping for Toddlers - I think your LO is definitely a toddler     You will then get more people with older children to see your post. Hope that's OK 

Bryony

[M and N's Mom]

My vote is for teething too!  Especially if she doesn't have any teeth at 14mos. 

When my kids don't want to eat, and I know they are teething or not feeling well they eat a lot of applesauce and other soft foods.

Personally, I would try pain reliever before bed and I wouldn't bring her into bed with you if you don't want it to become a habit.

Good luck!

[appletree]

I think teething is definitely an idea.

Does she have symptoms of anything else? When Bella (who is exactly the same age and has the same probs right now - hers is teeth but she is also sick) first acted like that - where she'd scream when laying down we took her to Dr. and she had ear infections. He said the reason they scream (like in pain) when laying down is the pressure is more intense on their eardrums when in that position as opposed to upright or at an angle.  She also didn't want to eat or anything. Although she would drink pretty well typically.

HTH, Wendee

[victoriab]

Thanks everyone.
I think it might finally be teeth.  I feel some bumps on her bottom gums.  I will try the cold/foods for a while and see if that helps her.  I have been giving her motrin at night before bed, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.
If this is how it is going to be when she gets teeth, I kind of hope she gets more than one at a time (for our sake and hers)  .

For anyone whose LOs got didn't get teeth til this late, did they get more than one at a time when they finally came in?

[M and N's Mom]

My DD was late with teeth (had just cut #2 at 1 year) and she did eventually catch up by getting them pretty quickly one after another.

[appletree]

Bella just cut her 2 bottom teeth at 12 mos. and now she's trying to cut the bottom 2 next to those - 1 actually cut through the corner- yea! But still no top teeth & actually no sign of them either.  Wendee

[KittyCat]

You say 'lack of appetite'....that you feed her at meal times, and she tells you she's done.

Then you say she signs she's hungry and you'll give her snacks throughout the day. 

I agree, teething may be an issue here, but so are her eating habits.....after all, why eat her meal, when she knows she can snack throughout the day?  Snacks are important at this age, for sure, but it's not where they should be getting the bulk of their calories.  Even adding up all her snacks, she's probably not getting the calories / nutrition she needs.

What is she eating (or not eating) at meals, and what snacks are offered?  What have you fed her at night?

Hope the teething gets better soon!

[victoriab]

I guess I used the term "throughout the day" a little loosely.  She gets a mid morning snack, a mid afternoon snack, and somtimes an after dinner/before bed snack.
Snack ususally consists of Cherrios, Goldfish crackers, or some sort of fruit.

Things are actually getting better.  She is beginning to eat more and is sleeping better.  No teeth have broken through, but we can feel them under the gum.

Thank you to everyone for the suggestions and help.  It helps make me feel better.

[appletree]

Victoria, I'm glad things are going better for you & your lo! I know how frustrating it can be to feel like you have no idea what the problem is. Bella eats 3 meals and 3 snacks during the day, too. She eats small amts. during the day and she seems to do better with that than just 3 big meals. I think as long as it's healthy snacks than it should be ok. Bella's bottom (stomach) teeth are coming in. One has cut the other is in the process - thank goodness. She's been cranky and low fever and also not eating very well. Teeth................ Wendee

[victoriab]

Thanks Wendee.  Sorry to hear that Bella is not feeling to well either.  I hope that their teeth come in quickly so we can all get back to normal (if normal exists) .

[appletree]

Victoria, I don't know that normal does exist - at least not in my house  . Hope all is well. Wendee