NW? 7months

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

I am not sure if this is considered a night waking. Anyways, my DS has improved quite a lot over the last little bit. I just have a question as to what to do about the beginning of his night. He goes to sleep between 7 and 7:15pm. He then wakes every 45 min. until around 10. At 10 he has been sleeping very well during the night (only 1 or 2 nw's which is fantastic from where he was; last night he slept right through until 7am). Is there any suggestions as to why he might be waking every 45min until 10? If he continues to do this, I really don't care at all, as like I said, this is a HUGE improvement. I just don't know why he would wake at this time and if there is something I can do, then I will! So here is his routine:

Wake 7am
E: 8oz 7am
E: 7:45am solids
A: until 10am
S: 10-11:30/45
E: 11:30 8oz
E:12:30 solids
A: until 2:40
S: 2:40-4:15
E: 4:15 8oz
E: 5:30 solids
A: bath, massage, stories
E: 8oz
S: asleep by 7:15


He is a wonderful little baby and he sticks to this routine very well (angel personality). I am just not really too sure why the early night time wakings.

If anyone has any advice, thank you!!!

[~inbalance~]

Do you think he could be teething? 

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Oh right...I was going to add that... He did cut two teeth about a week ago. They only seemed to really bother him for a day. He does not show any signs of being very uncomfy. I guess it is always an option. Does it make sense that the rest of his night would be so good though? I am not sure how this works!

[~inbalance~]

lol, I've come to realize that you never know what to expect with teething!  Sometimes they sleep more, sometimes they sleep less, sometimes you just don't know.  It think maybe you could try meds before bed, see if it makes a difference.  If it doesn't, then you know it's probably not teething!

What is he like when he is waking?  Does he resettle by himself or does he cry and need lots of help?

What time do you go to bed?  Is is possible that he is waking because he hears you, but then once you are in bed and all is quiet he sleeps well?  I find that my DS will wake once in the evenings sometimes, but after we go to bed he is fine until the morning.

(((HUGS))), I remember pulling my hair out when DS was that age because I could never pinpoint any reasons for waking.  There is so much going one, that it's rarely ever one problem.  So consider teeth, OT or UT (although I think your routine looks ok), any new foods he might have eaten that are causing gas or discomfort, hunger or growth spurts, and also developmental factors can play in here too - has he started sitting, rolling, crawling, etc. 

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Yeah it is so true! There is never just ONE thing going on.

DS might be waking because he hears us doing something. We are fairly quiet, usually just playing a game at the kitchen table or reading. I usually am going to bed around 10 (mostly just because this is when he stop waking lol). DS rolls over a lot but he has been doing that for a while. Still not sitting or crawling. It could just be teething. Or we are being louder then we think! I will try some pain meds (I hate that though!) and see. When he wakes, he just needs me to reassure him. I usually pat his back a few times and he is right back to sleep. Hes just such a good little guy.

[~inbalance~]

I know what you mean about not liking the meds.  But they are really safe, and in the event it is pain or discomfort, they can really help.  Like I said too, if they don't work then you've ruled out teething by process of elimination!

I can't quite remember what nap requirements and A times are like at that age.  I think my LO was doing 2.5hrs, and yours is doing 3hrs which may be a bit long, but that might be ok.  Especially if you are getting good naps.  Again, process of elimination - you could try putting him to bed 15mins earlier and seeing if it helps - then you will know if the early wakings are OT.  Quite often waking soon after going to sleep is OT, and 15mins might make a big difference.

Ah, one thing I don't miss about those days, is it seems they change so fast that by the time you think you got one thing figured out, they go and change the rules and you have to start being detective all over again!! 

[Tweakster]

Hi there Jenn, sorry to hear that early evening wakings are still present :-(  But the routine looks good and glad to hear about the nap successes.

I agree with Martina, sometimes there just is not a 'why' that can be pinpointed and you just have to continue survival mode.  

Are you using white noise in his room, such as a fan or a sound machine?  I think the pain meds suggestion is a good one too because for us the teething manifested far more at night.  During the day Finn was just more distracted and able to handle his discomfort better.

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

We have had music playing in his room since he was like 2 months old. It that considered white noise? I guess it is true about the teething uncomfort. Ethan is always fine during the day so I just assumed that he isn't too bothered by it. I am sure this is not the right thread for this, but does anyone understand how teething pain works? Like how many days after the teeth are cut, does the pain continue for or anything?

If I cut the A time back, he starts waking at his naps at 45min. I tried this a few days ago to see if it would help. If he wakes at the 45min mark for naps it means UT right? Argh this is so confusing to figure out! Thanks for your help girls!

[~inbalance~]

I would just try cutting the A time to bed by 15mins, your naps look ok.

It's kinda tricky, I think your evening night wakings could be UT OR OT, but I would be inclined to think OT first and try bedtime 15mins earlier.  If that doesn't work, you know that wasn't the problem!

As for teething pain, TBH I think it's as variable as how each baby teethes.  I've heard 3 days prior to cutting, 3 days to cut, 3 days after cutting is the most painful.  But I'm sure anytime the teeth are moving around under those gums it's uncomfortable.  And it might not always manifest as 'pain' per se, but it might feel weird or ackward for them and that's why they have a hard time settling.  Either way, meds should help with the discomfort.  But I do find it is true, often during the day they don't notice it because they are too distracted, but at night time it's all they can think about!!

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Oh sorry! I was thinking you were saying to cut his A time during the day back. Why I thought that, I don't know! Cutting back A time before bedtime makes more sense! Will my brain ever go back to pre-pregnant/mom state?!?! I have heard the same thing with teething as you have. Maybe he is going to get some more teeth. DS woke from his nap this morning at 30 min and was fussy and wouldn't go back to sleep. He was super tired and his eyes kept closing but he would not go back to sleep. I tried some pain meds then and it did not seem to do much. I am going to go check with the pharmiscist today about how much to be giving him. He is a really big guy and the tylenol bottle says his weight should be 12-23months so I do not know whether to go by his weight or age. The instructions say weight but I just want to double check. I only gave him as much as his age this morning so maybe it wasn't enough. Now I don't know what to do for his next nap since he barely had a morning nap. I am already fearing a bad night *sigh*

[Mom to M&M]

For most, Tylenol doesn't do much for teething pain. Motrin is often much better since it's also an anti-inflammatory. And a big fan of Humphrey's teething strips here, as well as an amber teething necklace. With either med, you give the amount for his weight, not his age.

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

I am starting to think that tylenol does not do much for DS's teething pain also. I am not sure though. I was told not to give him Motrin because I have an allergy to it. I have never heard of Humphreys teething strips...I will keep my eye out for them and see if we have them here. Thanks also, I did talk to the pharm. and they said they same thing about giving meds for his weight.

[~inbalance~]

I do like the motrin better than tylenol, but I guess I'd be weary too with allergies in the family.  We also do homeopathic stuff like camilia or Hyland's teething tablets.  I find too that sometimes meds after the fact don't do anything.  If he wakes 30mins into a nap it's really too late to medicate.  Best to try it before if you think it might help.  Always a guessing game though!! 

I have heard with pain meds, it does not good to undermedicate.  You want to give the maxium dosage for effectiveness.  I would assume that would be for weight rather than age, but of course it's always better to ask a doctor or pharmacist first. 

Sending you (((HUGS))) though, we have had rough nights here the past 3 which is virtually unheard of in this house!!  So if you're having a rough one hope it makes you feel better that we probably are too! 

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Aww I hope your night wasn't too bad! So after a day full of bad naps, we ended up putting DS to bed 15 min. earlier. He fought to go to sleep for about 30 min and then he still woke every 45 min. until 10pm where he slept until 6:30am. So he woke 30 min earlier then usual. Since his naps were so bad yesterday, this might not have been a fair trial of going to bed 15 min earlier. What do you think? This was yesterdays easy:

Wake 7am
E: 8 oz bottle 7am
E: 7:45 solids
A: until 10:00
S: until 10:30 (I tried to get him to go back down until 11:15
E: 11:30 8oz bottle
E: 12:30 solids
A: until 1:15
S: 1:15-2:00 (would not go back down, seemed terribly tired though)
E: 4:00 8 oz bottle
S: 4:15-5:00
E: 5:00 solids
A: until 6:45
E: 8 oz bottle
S: bedtime 6:45 but did not fall asleep until 7:15


Obviously a mess! What should I do tonight? Try going to be earlier again? I am scared he is going to make a habit out of the 6:30 wake up and I am spolied with the 7am wakeup.

[~inbalance~]

I think given yesterday's naps were not good, and he resisted bedtime he was most definitely OT.  Looking at his A time until bed, especially since his naps were not good at all, he was certainly OT at bedtime.  EWs are often OT related too.  In this house an EW is almost always OT and usually go away once DS is well rested.  It sounds like you got OT naps too.  Dare I say you've fallen into a bit of an OT trap?  That's ok, it's frustrating but can be dealt with.  Today I would try shortening his A times a bit to get better naps.  And definitely do an early bedtime again.  Early bedtimes do not necessarily mean earlier wakings.  I mean of course it depends on your LO, but in our experience early bedtimes have always given us longer nights.  I think your LO will start sleeping more soundly once you've worked through the OT a bit.

My suspicions are that if he's teething its making him more tired, so his regular A times are wearing him down and he's becoming OT quite easily.  Try some slightly shorter As for a bit and see if it helps.