8 mo sleep issues

[katie80]

Do you think I should take him to the allergist? The pediatrician never recommended it, but I can ask at his next check-up so maybe sooner if it's really worth it.

I think it's at least worth it to talk with your pediatrician about it.  You can also check here for some help... Does my LO have food intolerances?

He doesn't have a set time. Sometimes it's 9:30, sometimes 10, 10:30, 11:15...so on. Will waking for the DF disturb his sleep, do you think?

Oh, that's tough if you can't ever pinpoint it.  I was hoping you could catch him before he woke, so if it was indeed a prop, it wouldn't be another NF, but not sure that will work if he wakes so randomly.  The DF is meant to be just picking him up and feeding him while still mainly asleep, so he shouldn't really 'wake', but some babies do.  I was mistaken in thinking this is what you were already doing... sorry!

Ah, so what would you do if LO was going nuts and could potentially hurt himself? Pick him up? Sometimes that makes him more upset.

Not sure, just know that if I would have held either of mine down, that would've made them even more upset.  Does he have bumper pads?  I typically just tried to soothe by placing a hand on them and using my sleep phrase, but did pick up if they were really upset.  My kids were used to me resettling in the MOTN, though. 

(((Hugs))), I'm so sorry this is so difficult for you.  I know you're exhausted.

[ZacsMumme]

Hi Hun,
Forgive me if these questions have been asked!

How are your LOs poops? - any mucus? Really smelly? Any constipation or diarrhoea? - is your LO uncomfortable until a poop is passed? - lots of gas and if so does it hurt before LO passes it?

How does your LO feed during the day? - any fussing during or just after the feed?

Has the nights got worse since solids ha been established? 2/3 weeks after? - or no change since starting?

(((Hugs)))

[bestsmilee]

I was hoping you could catch him before he woke, so if it was indeed a prop, it wouldn't be another NF, but not sure that will work if he wakes so randomly.  The DF is meant to be just picking him up and feeding him while still mainly asleep, so he shouldn't really 'wake', but some babies do.  I was mistaken in thinking this is what you were already doing... sorry!

Totally fine!
It was 10:20 and I was heading to bed and he hadn't woken last night so I decided to feed him then. (It took him over 2 hours to fall asleep though...classic OT.) I don't think he woke up until 2:15 (which is good, I guess...considering he usually has a wake up in between that is *usually* easily settled...but he was super OT from going from 11am-7:45pm without a wink of sleep so he may just have been super tired.) Anyway, he sleeps on his belly and no matter how gently I try to lift him, he wakes. Even when he slept on his back while swaddled, he would wake as soon as I lifted him (light sleeper, this one).

How are your LOs poops? - any mucus? Really smelly? Any constipation or diarrhoea? - is your LO uncomfortable until a poop is passed? - lots of gas and if so does it hurt before LO passes it?

No to all of the above. As far as they look to me (and DH), they are totally normal! When he is in the middle of a BM I can tell - but he doesn't look in pain or uncomfortable at all.

How does your LO feed during the day? - any fussing during or just after the feed?

Feeds pretty well, I guess. Doesn't fuss so often (once in a while yes, usually because of OT). He is happiest right after a feed. That's the time he is most playful.

Has the nights got worse since solids ha been established? 2/3 weeks after? - or no change since starting?

Hm, I recall vaguely that I thought his sleep was getting better right after he turned 5 months. But then it all went wrong. I didn't introduce solids until 6 months. And even now he still only eats 6-7 different fruits/veggies regularly. I'm way too nervous to start on different foods like broccoli (because I heard it can cause gassiness) or dairy of any kind.

It may just have been a coincidence, but at around 6 months he had had his best night ever. And we weren't even home. He slept from 10:30-7am straight (would have been great if I hadn't been up half the night checking on him/waiting for him to wake), with a teeny wake in between where I just had to whisper "go back to sleep" and that was it. That was after he started eating solids too, about a couple of weeks in.

[katie80]

Hmm, so it doesn't really sound like an intolerance is the culprit.   Although, I am no doctor, so it may still be worth looking into.  I think I'd keep working on the EASY and settling all NWs except the one or two you're comfortable feeding at with some other method.  I'm sorry I don't really have any better advice, but if we've checked all other angles, I think it's worth it to try to start being quite strict in getting him to settle himself (for that afternoon nap and the NWs) and see if that doesn't make a difference.

(((Hugs)))

[bestsmilee]

I've basically not been feeding unless its a 10pm-ish feed or the one around 2:15-2:30. Do you think I should W2S/DF like 1:30?

He was up today wide awake at 5:40am. That probably had something to do with OT as well.

I was strict today with the morning nap. He was falling asleep in my arms but every time I tried to put him down he would start crying. I put him down though and sat with him for 20 min until he stopped and went to sleep.

This afternoon, however, that didn't work. He cried for 40 minutes and stopped for a but, with no intention of going to sleep. What do you do when it becomes so close to a feeding time that it almost isn't even worth it to keep sitting there? I'm sure it's as though I'm giving in, but when he stopped crying I picked him up and started to nurse him, where of course he has fallen asleep. (That's why I have the opportunity to post again, as I am stuck to my couch.)

EBT hasn't been working. We moved it to 6pm (I'd like it to be 7ish), but since he's so OT by BT, he is up for almost 2 hours after PD!

My DH said I should mention the part where he gets up in the MOTN, and we resettle him, and he looks asleep and we wait a bit before going back to bed, but the second we walk away he starts crying again. He may never STTN if he expects us to sit there and settle him all night long! I mean I would love to help...but we are so exhausted too! :/

[ZacsMumme]

If there is no issues with discomfort, or teething...my bet is OT and prop issues

So what A times are you doing ATM? Can you repost with today's EAS?

Maybe we can get a plan between us for you

[bestsmilee]

A plan sounds good!!

Today has been going smoothly!! Sooo thankful for that! We shall see how BT goes...I'll have to report back tomorrow night sometime what time he actually fell asleep.

WU/E 6:40
solids 8:40
E 9:15 (moved it up because of his nap)
S 9:40-11:18
solids 12:15
E 2:15
S 2:30-4
solids 4:15
E 5:15
E 6:50 last feeding before bed
7 BT


I'll let you know how it goes.

[ZacsMumme]

So that day is fab! Hopefully the night goes ok

[katie80]

Yes, great day!!   FX you get some sleep tonight!

[bestsmilee]

Sorry it's been some time since I've posted. It was a busy (and exhausting) weekend.

So here was Friday's EAS:

WU/E 6:40
solids 8:40
E 9:15 (moved it up because of his nap)
S 9:40-11:18
solids 12:15
E 2:15
S 2:30-4
solids 4:15
E 5:15
E 6:50 last feeding before bed
7 BT

But he didn't end up falling asleep until 7:40 and he still had NWs. And he's been having EWs! He's been waking up 5am now!!

Still at a loss.

[katie80]

(((Hugs))), EWs are the pits!   I wonder if he wasn't quite tired enough to fall asleep at 7pm that night.  What have the last couple days looked like?  Are the NWs happening randomly?  How are you settling him in the MOTN?

[bestsmilee]

(((Hugs))), EWs are the pits!   I wonder if he wasn't quite tired enough to fall asleep at 7pm that night.  What have the last couple days looked like?  Are the NWs happening randomly?  How are you settling him in the MOTN?

At this point, it's hard to say. After that day (there were 2, actually) with good naps and A times he still has NWs. Even yesterday, which was okay, I got him down for 2 naps and he went to bed at 6:15 (that was after almost 4 hours A time). And getting him down that quickly is quite a triumph. He had his share of NWs again. He cried from 12:30-1:30 and we have no idea why. We are trying to settle him and he would settle when we have a hand on his back but the minute we go away he starts crying again. A friend of mine said that this has become a prop and could be the reason he is waking up (what do you think?), so I tried to intervene less and help him after a few minutes, while sitting at his side the whole time. He eventually fell asleep during the time I had my hand on his back and whispered over and over "go back to sleep". At some point during the night I think he was up again and crying. I'm pretty sure DH and I were completely out of it because I didn't get out of bed  but he did manage to stop crying on his own. I imagine he couldn't have been crying very long because it would have woken me up enough to get out of bed and go to him.

The other night I even tried giving him gas meds just in case (because he seems a bit gassy Friday night and Saturday night) but it didn't seem to help the NWs. Should I give another round of ibuprofen a go?

[katie80]

We are trying to settle him and he would settle when we have a hand on his back but the minute we go away he starts crying again. A friend of mine said that this has become a prop and could be the reason he is waking up (what do you think?), so I tried to intervene less and help him after a few minutes, while sitting at his side the whole time. He eventually fell asleep during the time I had my hand on his back and whispered over and over "go back to sleep".

Yes, I'd say that sounds like it could be a prop.  Do you often have a hand on him when he goes to sleep in the first place or just at the NWs?  The way to get rid of it is to start taking it off when he calms and continue to help him settle with your voice.  If he gets upset enough that you need to put your hand back, then do so, but remove it when he calms again and keep using your voice.  It may take a few days, but he will get used to falling asleep without your hand.  And then you can gradually move away from the crib if he's still waking and you need to get out of the room.

Should I give another round of ibuprofen a go?

It's worth a try if you think he's teething.

[ZacsMumme]

How old is he now Hun?

[bestsmilee]

Do you often have a hand on him when he goes to sleep in the first place or just at the NWs?

Only when he goes to sleep at night and at NWs. We are trying to cut down on this though.

How old is he now Hun?

8.5 months. Actually just starting to pull himself up now.