Sleep issues - 1 year old

[elliejane]

Hi

My son is 11mths nearly a year old. He has never been the best sleeper when he was a baby etc but since April he finally stopped waking in the night unless he had a cold or was teething. The problem I had after that was EW and in hindsight now I wish that was my problem again. This last few weeks he has started waking in the night pretty much every night which started after he had a sickness bug (I think). The pattern is not the same but the time he mostly wakes is between 12 and 1 he lets out a scream then I go in and most of time I can get him back to sleep with just putting my hand on his back and he goes back but if I leave too soon he cries and we have to start the process all over again. Sometimes this works but he only sleeps another hour other times another 3/4hrs then he wakes up again. If it is another hour I just do same again and he goes to sleep again but it takes longer but when he wakes after 4hrs say about 4ish he will not go back to sleep at all until he gets milk as he looks starvign and makes noises he does when he wants milk. He drains the bottle totally and then looks for more. He cries when  you take it away. He does not use the bottle to go back to sleep ie like a dummy or anything as it is normally another 10mins or so after he has drunk his bottle that he goes to sleep again and again I lay my hand on his back. I do not have to feed him  in the am everytime a lot of time it is 515/45 which is when he wakes up anyway. I can handle the EW if no night wakings but now we have both I am shattered

He goes to nursery 3 days a week Tue to Thurs and when there is does not sleep much at all ie 30 to 45 mins only a day. AT home on Friday to Monday he sleeps from between 1.5hrs and 2.5hrs naps around 11ish. Sometimes he will take a late nap about 4 of 30mins but that was affecting his ability to go to sleep at night so tried to drop that one.

I know he is in the middle of 2-1 transition and he is nearly a year old. I am also not sure if he is maybe teething but he has not other signs at all.

One other thing he is constantly hungry all the time just now. I am wondering it is a growth spurt even . Any ideas on what to do to stop this NW and also to stop havign to give him milk at 430 etc. I do not mind giving him milk when he is up for the day ie 515 onwards but before would rather not. I know if I do not give it to him he will scream for hours until I do then my other son will wake up and he has started school this week so do not want him overtired as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please help or give me any hints

Ellie

[Bryony]

Ellie - my guesses would be (1) teething (but I hear you that this is unlikely), or (2) OT due to the short naps at nursery. Is it worse on nursery days? Can you squeeze in a catnap somewhere on nursery days?

I know what you mean about the NW = EW - I can handle one or the other (ish) but it's horrible when you have both

xx

[elliejane]

Hi

Thanks for your reply

Last 3 night have been different .Down at 7 and woke at 9 all 3 nights then 2 out of the 3 woke between 12 and 1 but last night only coughed loads at that time and gave a little cry . Still woke at 520 on dot all 3 days. I know think he might be teething as he has his hands in his mouth loads and not sure but think I can see a raised whiter bit on where front molar would be. HE has also developed  a really runny nose and cough this weekend.

Re being overtired I agree but cannot get a nap fit in with his day at nursery. Yesterday and Friday he slept 1.5hrs from 11 till 1230 then did not get another nap till 7. Tried him twice about 3 then again at 4 but was not tired at all. Do you think I should try a 630 bed to comabt over tiredness. Just worried he will get up at 4am or something I do that
Anyone?

Ellie

[Bryony]

Re being overtired I agree but cannot get a nap fit in with his day at nursery. Yesterday and Friday he slept 1.5hrs from 11 till 1230 then did not get another nap till 7.

I would defnitely go with a much much earlier bedtime in that case - eg 6pm. I know you are concerned that he will wake earlier, but an OT baby is the one most likely to wake early. And even if he still wakes early at least he will be more rested.  The 2 to 1 transition can be really sticky for some LOs and avoiding OT is key! You might want to check out the 2 to 1 nap transition thread in Naps for some ideas and support.

If he's got a cold now I would also do what you can to avoid OT - they all tend to get more OT when they have got a cold and it throws sleeping out of the window for a while!    Many LOs get a cold at the same time as teething so I would be suspicious about teethign too.  Use plenty of pain meds, plenty of teething gel and lots of cuddles - hope he is feeling better soon
xx

[elliejane]

Thanks. Was just going to post again as today has been a bit of a nightmare with sleep. He woke as usual at 520 . WAs tired about 10am which is normal for him although at nursery he goes to 11. Put him down at 1015 and he cried a bit then dropped off then woke up with a fit of coughing and coughed and coughed. Not sure how long he slept for but it was 25mins max. Hubby took him out at 3 for a walk in buggy so he would be more upright and sleep and he slept 45mins from 315 till 4. Put him down tonight at 7 and what a fuss. Took me a good 20mins to get him to sleep. Just with my hand on his back but eventually stopped that as it was not really helping and just stayed in the room. He has dropped off but he is full of the cold his nose is chocked up. Given him calpol and put stuff on his pillow and snuffle baby on his chest not much else I can do.

This past week has been tough as he is night waking, early waking and not going down for naps or bedtime easy at all. Every single thing is hard with his sleep. I am ok if it is just one of them!! Feel I spend all day and night trying to get him to sleep just now

Will let you know how tonight goes. He did not seem tired at all until 7 tonight probably because he slept till 4 as he never had a long am nap

Yes I have looked at the 2-1 transition seem like it has been going on for months with him although is night sleep was fine until 7/10 days ago and now this cold probably will make it worse . Ijust hope it is teething as well and least their might be a reason for the wakings. Feel like I have gone about 5 steps backwards with him this week re sleep.
Thanks so much for taking time to reply. It helps so much to get ideas and have someone to chat with over it. Mostof my other pals have angel babies who sleep 12/13hours each night with 2/3 hour naps and look at me as if I am crazy when I say my top sleep a night on a good night is 10.5hrs and naps at 2 on a very very very good day. Not fair is it

Thanks for reading my moans

Ellie

[Bryony]

((HUGS))!! 

The cold will mess things up - when he's better we can try and get back on track.

And in terms of your friends  - well mine isn't a great sleeper either...! 

xx

[elliejane]

Thanks. He woke twice last night at 11 and 2 and both times was sitting up. Went in laid him down then rubbed his back and he settled quite well . Woke at 530 as usual though wide awake. Still full of a cold. Is that the best thing to do ie go in lay him down and rub his back or should I leave him to settle himself but doubt he will to be honest

Ellie

[Bryony]

If he's got a cold I think he is likely to need some mummy comfort! If you can avoid rocking to sleep or anything that's ideal, so putting your hand on him in the cot sounds perfect!

Hope he's better soon

x

[elliejane]

Thanks another bad nap just  now down about 1020 and woke 1045/50 so 25/30mins tops. He is doing my head in I must admit. Just feel like giving up and crying. Get nothing done and am shattered from lack of sleep. It has all gone very wrong

Ellie

[Bryony]

Oh hugs, I know what you mean - but it's SO hard when they have a cold, it all goes out of the window and they get OT very quickly. Don't be hard on yourself - I sleep really badly when i have a cold too, I am sure you do too!  You have to accept that it will be rough while he has the cold and we will get on track aftwarwards

xx

[elliejane]

Hi

Bit of update things not really improved that much. I get maybe 4 or 5 at most good nights in a row since last post then it is back to NW again sometimes once anight others a lot more (last night was once at 230 night before was twice at 12 then 1).  He has had colds on and off a lot but I when he wakes it is likes he wants me to settle him. If I do not go to him and put my hand on his back quite quick he gets more awake and is much harder to settle.  If you ignore him say for a few mintues even 5 then go into him it takes longer but if I go as soon as I hear the cry he goes back to sleep really quick. Also he has now started to make a right fuss goign to bed at night (probably past 3/4 weeks but not improving) and for naps (but naps he normally does settle most times after 5mins).

 Soon as I lay him in his cot he cries and if I leave room it just get worse so have to go back in and again hand on back till he settles down . Do you think I should just leave him to cry and get him  used to self settling again or just keep doing as I am hand on back and see if it improves. Just wondering if when he wakes he needs me to settle him now. Have not done any bad habits ie no picking up, feeding unless morning time ie after 5am , no pacifier, no talking etc etc. So not sure where I have gone wrong

Anyway if you can help or give me a idea it would be good .

Ellie

[*Nicola*]

((Hugs)) sounds like you have a fair bit going on.

How old is your LO now?

[elliejane]

He is now just over a year. Been same issue though for weeks. Just settling him for his nap just now and again the screaming match. have left the room to let hm self settle and his cries are getting less. Will go back in if they escalate (they wil probably). Finding it pretty hard. Was up 2 times last ngiht at 11 then 3 then usual 6am waking.

Any ideas on what to do??

Ellie

[*Nicola*]

I'm going to move this over to Toddler Sleep for you as they will be able to give you the best advice.

(((Hugs)))) Hang in there x

[elliejane]

Anyone from this board give me any help???