What am I doing wrong?

[irishprettykitty]

I have a beautiful 15mo boy who suffered dreadfully from reflux which disrupted his sleep from birth. We finally have the reflux under control (fingers crossed it stays like this) yet we still cant sttn. He goes to bed no problem, goes to sleep on his own, naps are no problem although when he takes them can vary depending on the type of night he has had, but he still wakes/cries several times a night. he never wakes fully and all it takes is me putting a soother back in or a drink of water, or if teething some calpol but we have never ever had a single night without being woken up several times.

I thought maybe he just cries in his sleep but if I leave him too long he gets very upset and then wakes fully and takes quite a while to go back to sleep. I am now expecting my second baby in October and really want Finn sorted before pumpkin arrives.
His bedtime is 7pm (he may lie in his bed talking to himself for a while b4 he sleeps but he is always in bed alone by then) and he wakes at 7 am naturally. he usually has 2hr nap a day (usually around lunchtime).

Any ideas please?? I refuse to let him cry it out and that is the only suggestion anyone seems to give me

[macsmum]

i think the problem might be the dummy if lo settles when u pop it back in it has become a prop for lo to sleep, u might want to look at the props board for some suggestions on how to get rid of it? i can't help i am afraid as none of mine would have a dummy, even though i tried to give them all one , if no food came out they just spat them out

If you don't think its the dummy ( if lo can go to sleep without it), it could be the reflux bothering him at night, does little one lie flat?

Emma

[irishprettykitty]

He does throw the dummy out of his cot before he sleeps somteimes so not sure it is that.
Routine is as follows:

 7am: Wakes
7: 15-30am: Breakfast of porridge and toast and water
8:oo -10:30/11:00: Gets dressed and plays, by around 11 he has bottle of milk and cuddles before being put up to cot sleepy.
1:00: Wakes and has lunch: CAn wake a bit earlier or later depending on how he slept.
3:00: snack and quiet time on mummys lap: If really bad night has a nap in cot for around 30 mins
5:00: dinner time:
6:00: bath time and winding down play time( reads books tidys toys away.
6:45-7:pm: Cuddles with mummy and bottle:
7pm: placed in cot with dummy in hand. door closed and he talks himself to sleep. Can take 5-35 mins butdoesnt cry.
Usually get until 11pm then the crying starts goes on every 30-60 mins til 3 am then he sleeps til 7.

Any ideas girls???

[babybarr]

Hi hun, glad you're getting there with the reflux. You've certainly come a long way.

Does he always have a catnap in the afternoon? If he doesn't then 1pm - 7pm is a very long A time before bed at his age.

A lot of LOs do a short morning nap and then a longer afternoon one. 

I'm assuming he can put his dummy back in?  Maybe you need to leave a few round the cot and when he cries for it tell him he has to put it back in himself, show him where it is and then make him do it.  At least that way if it is the dummy then he can start sorting himself!

[irishprettykitty]

I am so sleep deprived I am losing the plot. He now just cries constantly in his sleep from about 11pm onwards. Pain medicine for teething doesnt help, soothers(dummys) dont help, cuddles dont help NOTHING WORKS.
He now has only one nap a day (he did this by himself) or around 2-2.5hours (some days only 1.5) we have regular bedtime routine etc and still this child wont sleep. Only advice I am being giving is to let him cry it out. I dont mind ignoring the little moany cries but I cant ignore the full scale crying.
I am exhausted physically and mentally. I have to calm myself down before I go to him because I dont want to shout at him to just shut up and sleep but its all i feel like doing at this stage. No-one around to take over the night or day shift so I really need a solution to get some sleep PLEASE.....

[Mom to M&M]

Are you sure his reflux is under control? Does he have food intolerances? It sounds like a discomfort issue...

[irishprettykitty]

he had suspected mpi but was then ruled out as he tolerated milk and other dairy fine. No signs of reflux but I put him back on his zantac just in case. I might put him back on his zoton to see if this helps.

[babybarr]

Can you post what routine he is doing now also - just in case there is anything there.

I would maybe see your GP?

Any teeth coming?

[irishprettykitty]

canines coming up.
7-7:30 : up and down stairs for toast and porridge
8: activity time and usually has a snack around half ten/11
11:30 wind down and up in bed usually asleep before 12(usually awake himself about half one /2
1:30-2:00: lunch
2:30 activity time with snack around 4.
5:30 tea time
6-6:30 wind down playing
6:30-7: bath, reading time and cuddles. up in bed by 7
can lie awake talking to himself for up to an hour, hour and half but usually goes down no problem.
By half 11/12 the crying starts and continues on and off all night. alot of it is just moaning in his sleep but usually have to go into him at least 4 times a night.
GP said some babies just dont sleep well. Appointment with his specialist 17th June but I desperately need some sleep before this.

[Mom to M&M]

I'm sure the canines aren't helping but really wonder if reflux/MPI is at play also. LOTS of kids have undiagnosed MPI - when you say he tolerated dairy fine - what do you mean?

[babybarr]

Have you tried an earlier bedtime - esp when he only naps 1.5hrs?

GP said some babies just dont sleep well.

This is what my GP said to me too

[irishprettykitty]

Past few nights he has been getting up at six, back for nap at half nine..up by 11 then lunch then back asleep by half one til half three 4 then starts yawning again by six?

reflux has been getting worse this week but even when its totally under control he sleeps well until about half 11/1am then he starts to cry throughout the night... we both really need to get this sleep sorted

[momtonb&ab]

i agree with babybarr that maybe an earlier bedtime for a few weeks while he figures out the 1 nap would help.  we had about 5-8 weeks of bedtimes closer to 5:30-6 pm and then slowly learned/adjusted to the 7pm-7am sleep again. 

huge hugs, it is such hard work nap switching. 

[babybarr]

I really think you need to start trying the one nap on a regular basis... 

Provided he's not unwell - which is currently my thoughts? 

[irishprettykitty]

SHHHHHHH dont want to knock it but we are down to one nap 12-2 and then bed at half seven and sleeping until half seven am. He only woke once last night at HALF FOUR!! that is more sleep than i usually get in a week!!! he slept again from 12 til 2 and was bit cranky in afternoon but it is really hot and his canines are at him. LONG MAY THIS LAST!!