8 Month old Constant Night Wakings... HELP!!

[mananieto]

Hello!! I need help. 8 Month old with constant (Almost 10 times) night wakings.

Heres his Easy...

W 7  (He fusses at the 1 hour mark then 2 hour mark)
S 10 (Falls asleep in his crib on his own) A 3H
W 11 (Sometimes 45 min sometimes 1.15 H)
S 2.30 (Falls asleep in his crib on his own)
W 3.30 (Sometimes 45 min sometimes 1.15 H)
S 7 (Used to fall asleep on his own just like for nap time, now about 10% of time he cries and fusses and I have to help him to sleep)

After he falls asleep he usually sleeps for 40 min then wakes up fussing (pacifier still inside his mouth, tossing and turning), fussing quickly becomes crying, and if not calmed down quiclky, it becomes screaming. I try to do pu-pd but it doesn´t work. I dont know why. I used pupd since he was 2 months old and had worked until his NW began. I try to stroke his back and belly. I try to sush. I pick up in cradle but he just get histerical. I have resorted to sitting next to him and talking to him so he knows Im there. If he doesnt go to screaming he will at some point put up his legs turn to his side and calm down on his own (I do nothing). He only calms down If Im in the room, other wise he goes crazy. The thing is when he turns and calms down, He usually starts fussing 2 minutes after and it all begins again. It usually takes up to an hour to calm him down. Then he falls asleep, only to wke up again 1 hour after, where the while thing happens again.

Here are my questions:
1. Could he be OT? I have tried giving him an extra nap but nothing seems to work. If he is Ot, why is he?
2. Are 45 min from UT? He fusses at the 40 min mark (Toss and turns, just as he does in the night) and then finally wakes up.
3. If he wakes at the 45 marks should I move his BT earlier? Or should I make his A time shorter? How do I know how much to shorten?
4. Sometimes he wakes at 6 a.m for the day. What I do when that happens is that I feed him quiclky and put him back down. When this happens he usually sleeps for 2.5 hours so ends up with a wake time of 8.30 and a BT of 8. Should I just start the day at 6 even though he seems so sleepy?
5. if he sleeps horribly at night should I change his easy the next day?  or just stick to it until his NW are solved? What I mean is, wont his NW affect his day, and then his day affect his night and so on and so on?
6. How do I do PuPd? It just doesnt work anymore.

Whew!! Sorry for the long post!!!!

Thank you so much in advance!!

Maria

[mananieto]

Hi I just wanted to add that the 45 minutes I ask about are the naps. He just woke from a nap (45 minutes) after a 4hr A (due to a class). He woke up crying/ fussing. I just realized its the same as he does at night. Like he wants to sleep more but can't. How do I fix this? He falls asleep on his own. How do I teach him to settle back on his own aswell.

Thanks!!!

[becj86]

45min is the length of the sleep cycle - Usually its undertiredness and I'd say you need an A time increase during the day, starting with adding 10-15mins in the morning.

The frequent NW's if early in the night - probably OT from not having any restorative naps during the day - he really needs at least one nap of 1.5hr minimum - the other nap will probably be shorter and your day may get stretched out to 13hr, but that's ok at this age.

[mananieto]

Hi!!! Thanks so much for you reply.

Yesterday we had the following day, and only 3 NW.

4hr A
3hr A
2.5 A

And two 1 hour and then 1.5 hour naps!! I never get naps that long!!!!

So yeiiii!!! Hopefully it will stick..

What do you think about this A times? Is 4 hr too much?

Thanks!!!

[becj86]

4hr is actually within the range of normal for this age. 3hr is average for a 6 month old. DS was doing something quite similar to what you've got there for a long time before we started the 2-1 nap transition, so worked beautifully for us

Stick with it for a few days and be really consistent so his body can get used to it and it may even last you a while

[mananieto]

Hi thanks for your reply!!! I have started to follow the 4,3,2.5 A times. Ill tell you how that goes!!

I have another question, he is now fussing and then crying to fall asleep, I have to stay with him rubbing his back!! Is this SA? It started happening only at night time but its now happening at naps also!! He used to fall asleep on his own!!! Could it be OT also? Or just plain SA?

How long does SA last for sleeping issues?

Thankyou so much!! Words cant say how much I appreciate all your advice

[becj86]

I have another question, he is now fussing and then crying to fall asleep, I have to stay with him rubbing his back!! Is this SA? It started happening only at night time but its now happening at naps also!! He used to fall asleep on his own!!! Could it be OT also? Or just plain SA?

Could be SA - he's the right age for it to start. Here are some tips: Tips for seperation anxiety
re: OT - could be, I'd be surprised if it were OT for all naps and BT though, far more likely SA and/or developmental stuff.

SA can last such a varied length of time - depends on baby's temperament, your approach (which should shorten the time, reading what you're doing), etc.