Desperate for sleep. 7 months and nw's every 1.5 :(

[becj86]

wanting ONLY me to resettle her

We went through a stage of this here too - its completely normal. It starts just after the mental leap around wk 26 in which they start to perceive distance. It can be quite hurtful for the parent who gets rejected too Stick to LO's side where possible and reassure them that you're there and it will pass.

[katie80]

STing always was set back by visiting (esp. inlaws) for us.

Here too. Hope you can get things all settled when you get back home, Amy.

[timmysmommy]

Hi Liz!  How are you doing?   Are things improving?  Yes, it is nice to know you are not alone! 

Can someone remind me of w2s for nights?  We've worked through a few OT nights with lots of wakes again, and now we are back to the habitual wake at 3:30.  I've been replugging for at least 10 days now, and I'm ready to try something else!

Should I just go in and out her paci in?  How much earlier do I go in?

Thanks!

[katie80]

The standard for W2S at night is to go in one hour before the habitual wake and stir them.  I've never done it with a paci before. I guess if that would cause her to stir and then start a new sleep cycle, it would work.  My only concern would be that it's still dependent on the prop, but again, I have no experience, so I don't really know. The other way would be to rub her cheek or ear or the back of her neck, just enough to cause her to stir, maybe turn her head, and go back to a settled sleep.

Good luck, Amy! Let us know how it goes.

[timmysmommy]

Thanks Katie!  That is a big help!  I'll avoid the paci, and try rubbing her cheek.  I'll try tonight as long as she goes down well at bt.  I'll let you know how it goes!

[becj86]

Just walking into DS' room gets him to stir LOL.

I have posted what I did GW-wise on the Spirited Babies thread for you too Amy.

[timmysmommy]

Thanks Bec!  I have a dream of being paci free one day.  Haha.  I'll Check it out!

Well, we had lots of ot wakeups last night, so no w2s. . My fault as I was hoping to continue her am nap at playgroup, but she woke as soon as we got there and so had a 10 min am nap.   

[katie80]

Oops, there's always tonight. Keep us posted, Amy.

[becj86]

I have a dream of being paci free one day.

I must admit, we still have the dummy - only in bed and he usually sleeps without on in his mouth, just two in each hand He's been able to replug since 5 months and it was introduced in hospital the first night I was out of ICU - so he'd have been 3 days old... LC suggested it to help him learn to suck further back in his mouth.

[timmysmommy]

Well, another rough night. I may try an early Bt tonight. 

I'm feeling crummy and went back to doc, and I have strep again.  I hope this isn't what has been bugging E.  She has been super fussy and hard to get to sleep. 

I am beginning to wonder if I'll ever sttn again.  Ds started sttn at 9 months, right when I found out I was preggo with E.  I am just so beyond tired.

[katie80]

(((Hugs))), Amy. EBTs usually help a lot here, if only so you can get to bed sooner as well. Hope you feel better and get some sleep soon, hon.

[timmysmommy]

So we are in night 5 of multiple wake ups.  I am exhausted.  I'm trying desperately to watch her naps, and they have been fine.  They are all 1.5-2 hrs long.  Our days have been starting all over the place due to EW, but she is generally having 3 hr A times, followed by 1.5 to 2 hr naps.  Our days have been between 12-13 hrs long.  I can't figure out what the deal is. Bt was at 7:30 tonight and she woke at 9 and was up for two hours!  I fed her at 9, and finally again at 11.  She is refusing to be held and is pushing away unless I hold her upright with her head on my shoulder, and even then she couldn't get comfy.  She was screaming so much, I thought she was in pain, so gave her meds and saw no difference.

I brought her to my bed and calmed her down, then carried her back into her crib and she went crazy.  I finally climbed into her crib with her and she calmed down pretty quickly.  (I am very petite!). Once she was calm, I climbed back out and stayed with her until she fell asleep.  This is INSANITY!

I'm ready to go to the doc tomorrow and have her looked over.  If nothing's wrong, I want to trade her in on a baby that SLEEPS!

[becj86]

She is refusing to be held and is pushing away unless I hold her upright with her head on my shoulder, and even then she couldn't get comfy.  She was screaming so much, I thought she was in pain, so gave her meds and saw no difference.

This does sound like pain She's not a refluxer or anything is she?

I would take her to the doc too. Get the doc to check for fluid in the ears (with a pressure test, not just looking) and for ear infection - this can cause lots of pain lying down.

The thing with pain meds - there is some pain they don't touch It doesn't seem to do much for growing pains IME.

Hugs xx

[timmysmommy]

I didn't take her to the doc yet, but I am considering it for Monday. 

No reflux here as far as I know.  She doesn't have any symptoms.  DS had MPI and silent reflux which resolved when I cut out dairy.

I am stumped as to why she is waking.  She is still not replug going when she wakes.  Perhaps I need to look at the paci again.

We are on three hr A time with naps of 1.5-2 hrs.  Sometimes we have closer to four hrs before bed.

[katie80]

Teeth in the works?  I do think it's worth taking a look at the paci, but what you mentioned about the NW a few nights ago really does sound like discomfort (or extreme OT, but with good naps like that I wouldn't think so).

4 hr to bed may a be bit on the high side, if she's got long As already during the day. Have you tried something around 3-3.5 hr?  That being said, there's also a chance she's on the UT side if she's doing 2x2hr naps at 8 mo, so she might need a bit of capping. (I think I'm contradicting myself, aren't I? Just want to give you all the options, I guess.) It seems like she's more of an OT waker than an UT one, so I'd go with that angle first.

Are you having to replug her at every NW? Would it be worth it to get strict with that for a few days and see if she'll start to do it on her own? At least then if she wakes, she'll be able to get herself back to sleep, so you don't have to get up (hopefully).