14 months old and still having NWing issues

[suzannemoore]

Oh, also forgot about the question of the growth chart.  At his 12 month check up he was in the 20% for weight.  Thanks!!  I really need some sleep!

[speechie]

Hi- I may not get a chance to write much- yucko computer with spirited child- I will respond in next days! ...Your schedule looks pretty good, but one thing that stands out is that most LO still take 2 naps, even if one is short at this age...It is soooo difficult some days to get 2 naps, other days it's easy. We have been going through 2-1 switch for 2 months and it sucks.
Walking milestones WILL mess with sleep and it DOES pass! have faith in that and hold on!
As far as NW goes for a bottle, as long as your LO expects he'll get one he'll wake for it. If you give in and get one, he may keep waking for it. I know you are concerned about weight/health, but as long as the MD is not concerned, your LO is active, healthy with shiny hair, supple skin, good teeth, etc, you probably don't need to worry. What %ile on height? you said 20th on weight...
You are doing a great job, it is NOT easy when you have a poor sleeper...back later with more!

[suzannemoore]

Thank you so much!!  HE is in the 80% for height, I guess I am paranoid!!  I am going to try to stick to my guns more at the NWing's, it is so hard!  Thank you for the encouragement!!  We had a breakthrough, he did eat two jars of stage three food today, so maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!  I will let you know how we go tonight!  Just got home from holiday so might be tricky tonight.

Thanks again!!

Oh, I have noticed that if he takes a catnap in the morning he will not sleep in the afternoon.  I tried feeding him lunch earlier, and putting him down around 12pm and he slept for 31/2 hours.  Not sure if we can do it everyday, but I guess he is just slowly switching!!

[suzannemoore]

Well last night was a nightmare.  He woke at 9pm crying, and when I went up to check on him he had thrown up in his bed, and had been laying in it.  I quickly cleaned him up and changed his bed, and gave him a little bottle to replace what had comeup.  Then he woke up at 3am, and I TRIED to calm him.  I was in his room for about an hour, and hejust screamed.  I picked him up, and sat with him in the chair and that did not good either.  It breaks my heart to hear him scream, so I gave him a diluted bottle.  It was about 7oz of water and enough formula for a 4oz bottle.  He screamed when it was gone, but we sat in the chair for a few more minutes, and he went back to sleep.  He slept until 7:15 this morning.

[speechie]

oh, so sorry for the bad night! Poor LO- his tummy must have been off. Definitely comfort when they feel ill...
Does he seem sick today? I hope he does better for you.

Good news about the stage 3 foods! Great job! Some kids just take a little more time to get to finger foods, but definitely continue to offer more varieties. You may have a lot of wasted food for a while, but it will expose him to lots of textures and will give him a better chance of success. I usually gave Nick 4-6 different foods at lunch/dinner when he was still learning to eat more kinds of things. Small portions, but lots of variety. Remember if he refuses it once, keep trying for a least 12 times. Eventually he may come to like it.
You know, he sounds like he's doing fine- he's tall, he may just be a tall, thin kid. Nick is 90th for height and wavers between 20-50th for weight... GO figure! My DH is tall/slender, my brother/cousins are 6 feet 5 inches, so I'm not worried, as long as he looks well nourished and has good energy.

Awesome about that long nap yesterday! If you are able to do lunch/nap earlier that's great.
We had a weird sleep day yesterday. I put Nick down at 11:30AM, but he woke at 12:30 arghhhh! Didn't nap until 4:30PM and I only let him sleep for 30 mins. Then tried to get him to sleep at 7:15PM, and he pooped- LOL- ever feel like the universe is conspiring against you?? He finally went out at 8:15PM. Whew!

[suzannemoore]

He seems fine today.  I am thinking it was his dinner.  I have noticed that he is sensitive to things with a tomatoe base.  Must be the acid, as he has had an upset stomach before with such foods.  I will see about tonight.  I am so exhausted from getting up in the night, I really feel wasted.  I will see hoe tonight goes.  It just breaks my heart to hear him cry at night even when I am trying to calm him.  What is your trick for calming a NW?  Did you say that you offer him water in his sippy??

[speechie]

hmmm, tomatoes give Nick a riproaring diaper rash with open sores, you never know, maybe that set him off...
Yeah, when we are in a pattern of NW, I give Motrin prebedtime, have water at bedside in a sippy, teething gel, extra lovies. I give water, if that doesn't work, I give teething gel, if that doesn't work and he just seems needy I'll give him a fresh lovie. Then, if I KNOW he's not in pain, I do gradual withdrawal or PD and WI/WO. I usually tell him it's the middle of the night and to go back to sleep. I'll rub his back and once he's calm I'll try to leave. if it takes me 15 times, I'll keep at it, rub back again until he's calm. Let my hand rest for a minute, slowly lift it off, wait one minute, take a few steps away, if he starts crying I start back at square one. usually after a few nights of this, he gets the point, that I AM leaving and it IS time to sleep. Just in a very supportive manner. After an illness, I had started rocking him to sleep in the middle of the night, then I figured out he was no longer sick, but I had APed him too much and I had to reset his nighttimes.
Now he sleeps great most nights. 7:30PM-6:30AM on a good night. If he wakes in the night, I usually don't have to go in, he'll resettle.
There is hope! He will sleep better eventually, but it does take a lot of persistence.
Oh, we also use some white noise at times. He's got a fan in the summer, in the winter he has a "sleep sheep" which playes ocean noise.
HTH! Keep me posted!

[suzannemoore]

Well, I am trying not to get too excited, but we had a full night of sleep last night.  Hayden slept from 7:30pm-7:30am.  I feel like a new person.  I really did not do anything different so I hope it was not just a fluke!!  Wish me luck!!

[speechie]

Happy dance for you!!!!!!!!!!!
Woooohooooooooo!
Sleep deprivation IS a method of torture, and I was tortured for close to 14 months- I so know where you are coming from, and I'm so pleased.
BTW, Nick slept the same hours last night, even after our restaurant debaucle! Hoping you get many many more nights like this.
fingers crossed!

[suzannemoore]

I really did speak too soon.  Last night was a nightmare!  He woke at 4am, I let him whine for a little while hoping he would settle.  When he started into full on crying, I went in to try to settle him.   I tried to rub his back and get him back to sleep, and then is picked him up and sat in therocking chair with him to calm him.  He fell back asleep in my arms and when I put him back in his bed he started screaming.  After about an hour and a half I gave in and gave him some milk.  I tried water in his sippy, refused, tried mil his sippy, refused, but he took the bottle.  I did not let him drink much and he finally went back to sleep.  I am very baffled here.  Not sure if it is really hunger or comfort he is looking for?

[speechie]

oh, sorry about the 4 AM wakeup - you know... I'm wondering if he's got some separation anxiety going on? Sounds like he really is NOT hungry, just wanted comfort/your presence at that time. Did you try Motrin? Maybe teeth too? Hmmm.

[suzannemoore]

I thought of that as well, but it never pops up any other time of day.  If he leaves me, or if I have to leave him for a while he is fine.  He takes his naps great, and really loves being around other poeple.  I am LOST.  I am not really convinced it is hunger, but then again I am not convinced its not either.  WHat to do about SA???

[speechie]

ride it out! Definitely GW or WI/WO worked for us, but do be sure to give meds if you have any suspicion of pain.

[suzannemoore]

We had another good night last night, so hoping the meds for teething and him eating a little more are helping.  Thanks for all of the words of encouragement!!
Suzanne

[suzannemoore]

We are going on a spree of good night sleep, so hoping that it will last!!  Hope everyone had a great New Year!!