10mo - night wakings - what to do after PUPD and will I see results?

[Spring_baby]

Hi, I am new to the board and would really like your opinions.
We introduced PUPD to combat night wakings 3 nights ago and we seem to be having moderate success. My question is where to go from here. My son is 10 months old, has slept through the night in the past and can self-settle. Been waking for 5 weeks now, at first he would be awake for 2-3 hours but sometimes goes back to sleep easily and wakes every 50 minutes.
After the first night of PUPD I barely needed to pick him up but he was awake more often. Last night he managed to sleep 6 hours before waking and again I didn't need to pick him up. I did what Tracy suggests and placed my hand on his back. This seems to settle him but only into a doze. He doesn't go back off into a deep sleep and I cannot leave the room. When I do he manages only a few minutes before I need to go back in. Again it is not a severe enough cry to PUPD and he will settle with just a hand on his back. This morning (our 3rd night) he woke at 4.30 and I was with him until 6am when we finally got him up with Daddy so I could get some sleep although we waited until normal time to give him his breakfast.

What I am wondering is whether doing this and spending (what feels like the whole night) with my hand on his back and neither of us getting any sleep (baby or me) whether this is enough to see an improvement in his sleep. I don't understand how it would work and am wondering if I have overlooked something? Please help. However if this is the correct course of action then I don't mind doing it for as long as it takes.

Thanks. SB.


How old is your child? 10months
What’s his/her daily routine? 2 naps of 45mins to 1hr plus catnap if out and about
What’s nap routine? 10am, 2pm plus catnap 5pm
How long are naps? 45mins to 1hr
What's bedtime routine? Time? start 6pm, bath, quiet play, stories, milk and cereal then bed
Do you bottle or breastfed??bottle since 6 months
How much? or how long? 1 bottle 8oz one bottle 6oz
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed)
How many wakes per night? lots!!!
What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? 2-3hours
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry? crying but settles in cot when I go in and comfort
What have you tried to settle?? everything! usually just placing hand on back, sometimes feeding if crying escalates as can often hear tummy grumbling
What do you do for A time and how long is it?
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? Possible teething but night wakings now have lasted 5 weeks
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months)
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? No self settles in cot for day naps and wwhen going to bed
Do they have a lovie? no but wondered about introducing one?

[Colin Macs Mom]

Bumping up for you

[Vicku]

Hi there!
I would try to leave the room if he is settled and then if he cries again, hold back a little to listen if it is a mantra cry (if it is then leave him to try to self settle) or a real cry. If a real cry go in again and repeat PU/PD, or just calm him down with hand on back as you've been doing. I think the key is to take your hand away as soon as he's calmed down, so sort of a modified PU/PD thing where you remove the hand whenhe's settled to allow him to fall asleep independently. This can take some time, just as PU/PD, but if you are consistent you should see good results.
The other option is to do a gradual removal of the hand on back, eventually just standing by the cot and then moving further and further away until you're out of the room. Different tactics work for different babies though, but one of this would be a way to go from here. HTH

[Spring_baby]

Thank you for your reply Vicku. This is what I have been doing (kinda!) Think you're right and that I probably should move my hand and try and make my "escape" sooner as I am worried that he is starting to get dependant on me being in the room.
Had an awful night last night and worried that I have caused set backs as I was so tired I am sure I left him crying and blocked it out as I dozed. Felt dreadful this morning and then reasoned with myself that if he was crying and needed something he would have made himself heard and there is no way I would have been able to "doze" through it - so cant have been that bad and I am hoping no damage done. An early night for me tonight methinks!

As for SA I am not sure it is this because at bedtimes and naptimes he goes down fine. I put him down, leave the room and shut the door. I then hear him talking to himself, ocassionally a little whinge, absolute maximum for 2 minutes (usually about 20 seconds *touch wood*) It is just when he wakes in the night that he is more difficult. Even then it doesn't usually become a problem, it is just the frequency of wakings that is now an issue.
There must be something causing him to wake in the first place, unless it is just his natural sleep cycles???

[Vicku]

Hugs hun! You must be so tired! I think you're doing great, and I wouldn't worry about leaving him as I'm also sure that if he was really crying an 'I need you cry' you would have woken up from a doze. Don't beat yourself up sweetie, you're doing a great job, and a hard one. It sounds as he's having trouble transitioning between the sleep cycles in the night as you sayhe can go to sleep independantly at other times.
Have you thought about the temperature in his room? It could be a little cold for him?
I would definitely think about introducing a lovie at this age. they can form strong attachments to their favourite soft toy/blankie at this age and find a lot of comfort from that, finding it there in the cot with them every time they wake.
Your LO doessn't have a dummy/paci does he?
How often has he been waking? Which times roughly? How about teething?

[Spring_baby]

His nights are getting better, albeit SLOWLY!

Last night he woke at 11.45pm after several early evening wake ups and whinged until 1am. I cuddled him back to sleep  but he is really suffering with a cold at the moment. Again it wasn't real crying, more whingey crying. Anyhow he went back into his cot fine and that was it until 7.30 this morning.

Although there is no real pattern to his waking it tends to be at 11.45pm most nights, 2 or 2.30am and often a 5.30am waking too (at this time I often resort to feeding him, although haven't done this for 4 or 5 nights now - good sign, and when I do I just give him cows milk - not formula).

It really is a mystery and I am finding it increasingly hard to stick to a plan, but equally don't want to ruin all the good work I have put in so far.

He doesnt have a paci, would never take one, but I will try him with a soft toy so see if it soothes him.