Desperate for help - 10 month old still doesn't sleep in the evening, or night!

[lou031205]

I had DD 1 month early, and she has/had reflux. She slept through the night from 3 weeks old, up to 14 hrs, which was amazing.  Then she started to wake for feeds.  At 4.5 months she suddenly got scared of her crib, and wouldn't be put in it at all.  She came in bed with us.  At 8 months we bought a bedside cot, which has helped.

She won't go to bed in the evening.  If I do try, she will only BF to sleep, then I have to slip away.  She wakes within 30-40 minutes.  If I try and settle her, she will only settle by feeding again, then the process is repeated.

She will feed to sleep on me in the lounge, and stirs regularly to 'plug herself in'.

When I go to bed, I feed her to sleep, and her night wakings are getting worse and worse.  Between 11pm when I go to bed, and 7am, she wakes 4-8 times.  Each time she will only settle with a feed.

In the day she will go for a nap if fed to sleep, and it lasts anywhere from 20mins to 1.5 hours.  Sometimes she will wake after 20 mins, but then fall asleep on me feeding straight after.

The 16 hour day followed by waking every 1-2 hours in the night is slowly draining me of life!  I can't imagine it is doing much for Jasmine, either.  She wakes up distraught sometimes.  She is a very fractious baby with others, because she  is tired and wants my breast for comfort!

Please help!  I did have a stab at PU/PD and easy when she was 8 months, but obviously did something wrong.  

[hayleysmum]

Unfortunately, your boobs have become highly dependent props for your LO - It will be tough going as she'll need to learn how to fall asleep and settle herself independently.  I'd first suggest reading the following thread -in particular the section on Elizabeth Pantley's Gentle Removal Plan: https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=52857.0 The most important thing is to persevere - you'll need to stick to it for several days if you want to see changes.

Does she have "proper" feeds at regular intervals or is she snacking all day/night long? Assuming she's well established on solids by now, she should be feeding approx 4 times in total per day.  You can find sample routines here:  https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=10386.0

I think you'll find helpful to think about trying EASY again and establishing a good routine.

[lou031205]

Hi & thanks for your reply.

She has her three solid meals in the day, and she has mid morning and mid afternoon snacks.  In terms of BF, she tends to have one mid morning, and one after lunch.  She might have one in the late afternoon.  Then it all goes mad after 6pm, when she feeds on and off all evening and several times in the night.

I am doing the gentle removal thing, and have realised that she really is still aware of my presence when seemingly asleep, but I am persevering.