Help! ... Everythings gone weird with my 8 month old too ...

[sair]

DS is exactly 8 months now.  Everything was going gr8 but this past week or so the whole routine has gone pear-shaped - including night wakings, shorter naps during day and even being funny with his solids.  His routine goes like this:

7.30 ish wake - full breastfeed
8.30 ish breakfast
9-10 A time
10 am nap (used to be 1.5 - 2 hours but usually now only 40 mins!)
11 ish breastfeed
1 pm ish lunch followed by A time
2 - 2.30 pm nap (used to be 2 - 2.5 hours but now only 1.5 hours)
4 pm ish breastfeed followed by A time
6 pm ish dinner followed by bath
7 pm ish bed

Anyway, I'll give you as much detail as I can ...

FEEDING
He was weaned onto solids at 6 months, after being exclusively breastfed.  He took a while to get the hang of the whole solids thing and was beginning to enjoy the solids and even some finger foods.  Last few days he has taken a few mouthfuls and then started crying - this has happened at all 3 solid meals.  I wondered whether it was the texture - but he has been having it mashed for a quite a while now, so not sure.  His signals aren't clear - sometimes he turns his head away, other times he opens his mouth as if he wants more and then decides he doesn't.  Then I wondered if he was too full on the milk feed - but I think I'm leaving it long enough before I offer the solids, aren't I?  Anyway, I thought I would try just offering one breast at the 11 and 4 feed to see if that makes a difference.  Weight wise he is certainly not starving - he is a very healthy size - way up on the chart - and has always breasfed well, so not sure what is going on here.  He doesn't have any teeth yet and it doesn't look like any are coming through yet either. 

ACTIVITY
He sits up very well by himself but is not crawling yet.  He has tummy time and jolly jumper time during the day.  He can roll-over from his back.

DAY NAPS

Usually always goes off to sleep by himself ... has a cuddly but no other aids.
As you can see they are getting shorter and shorter ... is it coz he is not crawling or moving about yet and doesn't need so much sleep during the day?

NIGHT SLEEP

Again, usually always goes off to sleep by himself.  Never used to wake at all until 7.30 am ish.  On the odd occasion he has woken I usually give him a cuddle and he goes back fine.  But not last night.  He woke at about 2 am ish and he had rolled onto his tummy (for the first time in his cot) and I don't think he could get to sleep like it.  I ignored him initially as he was only really moaning and then he seemed to go back to sleep and then he woke again ... and it went on ... then I cuddled him and that made it worse ... then I breastfed him (which settled him but then when I put him back in his cot that seemed to make it even worse ...)  We had our worst night since he was about 4 weeks old!  He finally got off to sleep again about 5 am ish.  I did not give any pain relief as I don't really want to give this just for the sake of it ... know what I mean ... and I'm not convinced it is the teeth.

I think he is very over-tired today as his day naps have been awful.  Both have been cat-naps and I breastfed him back to sleep when he woke after the first 40 mins after his afternoon nap. 

Sorry that all seems a bit long-winded but I would really appreciate any advice anyone can offer.
Thanks
Sarah

[charmie]

Hello Sarah

I know you said you don't think it's teething, but from the way your lo is refusing all 3 solids, it could well be teething.  I wouldn't reduce the amount of milk he is having as his milk intake is the most important until 12 months.  I would try to put teething gel 15 mins before solids and see if it makes any difference.

As for the activity in the cot, that is highly developmental, and I would normally advise to increase a times slightly.  Except you lo is OT at the moment, so you need to decrease them first in order to remove OT, and then start increasing them again.

With the feeding to sleep you are entering a dangerous path.  You have done a wonderful job with sleep training, and your lo is doing great at independent sleeping.  I wouldn't get him used to feeding to sleep.  You do it a couple of times and he'll come to expect it.  Unless you know he is hungry of course.  But that didn't seem to be his need since he didn't settle after feeding.

So here's what I suggest;

-Keep milk feeds same (both sides)
-Teething gel 15 mins before solids
-Reduce a times by 15 mins for 2 or 3 days or until necessary, and then start increasing them again to 15 mins more than he was normally doing.
-Do not feed to sleep if possible
-Use shussh/pat or PU/PD to extend naps in order to avoid OT.  Hopefully with the routine tweak you will not need to extend for long.

Let us know how it goes.

xxx
charm