Is teething causing these problems. I am exhausted

[Clairehv]

Hi,
I am not sure how much background to give... But I will try and give some background and then write the current issue.
Have followed EASY with exception of DF since 8 weeks old. DD STTN from 12wk old to 20 week old then began waking once a night. I offered bottle.
Have weaned since 24 weeks and she is on 3 solid good meals a day. Her wakings began getting erratic at 8.5 months we dropped catnap so now have an am nap of around 1.5 hrs and a pm nap of around 1.5 hours.
Some nights she would sleep through for 12 hours, others she was up twice.  I began watering formula down and reducing volume to try and wean NF but was advised that cold turkey may be quicker and easier. Also about 2 nights a week she would sleep through so we know she can
So two weeks ago we decided that enough was enough and we would ST.
Typically the first night I had prepared to tackle she slept until 6am.
So next night she woke at 4am. It took me until 5.30am but she settled and went back to sleep until 6.45am.
We then had 5 nights of her STTN to at least 6 am or waking but settling quickly without PU.

All hell broke loose 5 nights ago. Very whiny on Thursday afternoon, took 40 mins to settle at BT (very unusual) then woke twice with a what I would describe as pain cry.

Friday night she woke every hour from 10pm-5am. She won't let me get my finger with gel on or a syringe with meds anywhere near her at night. I am convinced its teeth because she is chewing her bunny blanket constantly and her thumb,
Saturday night moaned in sleep from 8.30 pm until 10pm when it escalated and she woke crying.. Calmed and she went back to sleep until 11pm. She was awake until 1am and held down and got some meds in and then calmed to sleep Crying at 4 am and 5am which were a mantra cry so didn't pick up and she clearly wanted to be asleep.
Sunday night we were up from 2am-4am. I try to calm, cuddle, bring into bed with me,
Same on Monday night.
Last night she woke at 4.30am and I was just so tired I gave a bottle. She resettled until 6am.

I am so tired, but I know offering bottle is not really the solution and also makes the night of ST worthless.

It has also been very hot here and in addition she has a very runny nose.

I feel that at night I don't have very good coping strategies and I just wanted some advice on whether teething can cause this much bother over consecutive nights and how I should try and manage it.

She also has had short A times today as she is just exhausted.

Let me know if I need to type out our EASY.

She is 9.5 months and has 8 teeth already but have not had this issue before really.
I have been to  Drs and there is no ear or throat infection.

Thank you for your help I am at the end of my tether
X

[michaeljacknnugg]

It does sound like teething to me as she is suddenly so unsettled, chewing everything etc. If she already has 8 teeth it is either molars or eye teeth, either of which cause havoc (or did for us).

Can you medicate before bed and see what happens? Can you do a dream med?

For us, teething was one of the things we had to just make it through - we resorted to all sorts! So personally I wouldn't advise sleep training during teething.

[Clairehv]

Hi,
We give teething powders and ibuprofen/paracetamol based meds before bed.

How do you do dream meds?

Last night she woke at 10.30 I offered bottle and she did 150ml she woke again at 3.15 I offered bottle. She calmed and went to sleep but when I checked she had only drunk 30ml, but if chewing on the teat calms her so be it.
I thought about mixing the meds in the bottle but its quite sticky isn't it so I am not sure that would work?

How will I know when the waking is habit rather than teething as I am worried she'll get into the habit of waking for a bottle again

Thanks

[ZacsMumme]

Hugs! I find when they're miserable you just have to 'ride it out' sometimes and re ST if it comes to it. I 'think' it should be easier than the first time because they have to skills now, they just forget

It 'could' also be a sleep regression?

[katie80]

(((Hugs))), those NWs sounds tough!

It does sound like teething to me as she is suddenly so unsettled, chewing everything etc. If she already has 8 teeth it is either molars or eye teeth, either of which cause havoc (or did for us).

This was my first thought as well.  Although she is on the younger side, I've had a couple friends with LOs who have all their molars by 1yr, so it definitely could be that.

The other thing I notice is that you've mentioned it's fairly hot.  That can also cause issues with LOs sleep when they aren't used to it, but I do think this seems more like teetng discomfort.  Could she be taking a full bottle at 10:30ish because she's actually thirsty from being hot all day?

It 'could' also be a sleep regression?

I did wonder this too, though.  You started with ST and then after 5-7 nights the problems started.  This is classic for the regression period after ST.  At that point, we'd advise you to keep doing things as you are and remain consistent, so as not to reinforce the old prop.  The difficult part is, if you truly believe it's something else, you don't want to push her through it.  Does your gut say it's teething?

How do you do dream meds?

Dream meds are given like a dream feed... so you go 6hr or so after BT (when the BT meds will have worn off) and give her another dose, by just sticking the syringe in the side of her mouth and squirting it in.  She may stir and swallow it, but hopefully not fully wake.

How will I know when the waking is habit rather than teething as I am worried she'll get into the habit of waking for a bottle again

You'll have to look at her overall behavior throughout the day and go with what you think is best.  If she doesn't need the feed, then even if she's waking in discomfort, I'd try to comfort her in another way and get her back to sleep rather than feeding.  Otherwise, you are much more likely to come out of it with a bottle prop.

[Clairehv]

Thank you ZM and Katie.
I was pretty convinced that Friday - Monday the hideous nights were down to teething. She wasn't herself and very cry'y and clingy during the day as well and always wanted something in mouth.

As you say it is confusing whether to try and re sleep train when I am not confident she is 100%.
I resorted to bottle quickly last night as I am just so exhausted I needed some sleep. I can tell I am getting ill myself.

Apologies here as I don't know how to do a quote,
But with regards to thirst, I offer water during the day she probably drinks at least 5oz water in day. Is that enough?
If it is thirst should I just offer water at night first before resorting to milk. ?

I am happy to re sleep train, I have 8 weeks before I go back to work and ideally don't want NW to be a regular occurance.

I think I will keep a diary for the next few days and then come back and see if we can get a strategy (other than putting her up for adoption !:) only kidding ) together

Thanks all. I know lots of people's babies wake but at the moment none of my immediate peers are experiencing any problems x

[katie80]

But with regards to thirst, I offer water during the day she probably drinks at least 5oz water in day. Is that enough?
If it is thirst should I just offer water at night first before resorting to milk. ?

She probably is getting enough.  You could try to offer water at night before milk, but if she refuses the water and then takes the milk you're likely reinforcing that prop.

I think I will keep a diary for the next few days and then come back and see if we can get a strategy (other than putting her up for adoption !:) only kidding ) together

Sounds like a good plan.  It would be helpful for us to see your EAS routine for those days too, to make sure there isn't a tweak to be made.

I know lots of people's babies wake but at the moment none of my immediate peers are experiencing any problems x

Just have a look around the boards, hon, you'll find them. I promise you are not alone!

[ZacsMumme]

Hugs!
Also, remember not all people tell the whole truth I have 1 friend who said her LO never short napped or NW then. Year later she went on a out his 30 min naps and NW and another who considers 12-5 STTN, well in that case T does it 99% of the time x

[Beweakley]

Claire, I can definitely tell you that you're not the only mom going through this! My twins are teething and experiencing similar issues with runny noses, clingy, crying, little messes! They've both taken turns this week crying every hour through the night and requiring me to hold them just to get some sleep (one night i had to hold both of them). In the MOTN it's hard not to give in to their every whim because your exhausted and everyone needs sleep.  I can definitely attest to that! I'm a zombie on these nights and days and there's not much that gets done around the house. 

And Zacsmumme makes a good point. I've had several friends that will say their LOs STTN, but only to find out that they're going to bed at 10:30 or they're co-sleeping with them all the time, or they get up at 5:00.  For me, STTN means everyone sleeps in their own bed for 10+ hours.  We're not there yet (at least not with both of my boys) but I'm hopeful every night!  And if it makes you feel better, Elijah has only STTN four times since he was born and they just turned ten months old today. 

[Clairehv]

Hi,
Thank you, it's reassuring to know that we haven't done anything wrong and we are not the only ones.

And at least I only have 1 baby going through it! Wow twins must be amazingly lovely but tough as well.
Thanks for the words of encouragement beweakley.

Maybe slightly better last night but she could have been crying for ages! I was dreaming she was crying and then woke and she was hysterical! I could barely get out of bed with tiredness.
Anyway we were up between 12-1am. She had 40ml milk then settled then 20 mins later crying again. Just gave bottle again, she chewed it for a few mins then went back to sleep.

Cried at 5am which I ignored and then woke at 6.15am.

So good that she didn't really want the milk ( bad that I offered! ) she refused any meds but hopefully we are over the worst of the teething for this week. We have friends with their own children up this weekend and she is going to have to be in our room. I will just have to ride it out this weekend and then ST again next week.
Waiting for the amber necklace that I ordered in desperation to arrive x x

[katie80]

Hope the weekend goes well and that you are through the worst of the NWs. (((Hugs)))

[Clairehv]

Just a quickie! Arrgh. Up from 2-4am again then 5am.

We have our guests this weekend so can't do anything as she is in our room.
Will update on Monday x

[katie80]

Oh (((hugs))), I'm sorry hon.

[ZacsMumme]

Hugs. I just had a thought, could it be sa? What is she like at the long NW? X

[Clairehv]

Hi,
So the NW seems to be taking the pattern that if she wakes up she's awake for two hours!

When she wakes she is really crying and won't calm down for a while. Once calm or appearing tired, really cries upon being put down.
We had guests this weekend and DD was in same room as us so to try and preserve the household sleep I offered bottle and also tried to calm by bringing into our bed. She just fights me, crawls around bed etc.
our EASY has been a bit off due to guests plus it has been 30 degrees here.

Friday's EASY.
WU 6.20am
7am bottle
8 am breakfast
S 9am-10.30am
E 12 solids
S 1.20-3pm
E 4.30pm solids
Start bath time 6.30
Bottle
BT 7pm. Settled well
NW- woke crying loudly 2am- asleep 4am
NW 5am- gave bottle due to guests.
Slept until 7.15am

Saturday.
WU 7.15am
Refused bottle (due to 5am feed)
E 8am solids
S in pram 10-10.40 am
E 12 solids
A
S in pram 1.30-2pm
A
S fell asleep in car 4.30-5pm
E 5.15 solids
7pm started bath time.
Bottle.
Putting into travel cot 7.30pm
Took until 9pm to get to sleep. Very very unusual. ( maybe too hot, managed to get to sleep in just nappy by rocking in front of fan.

NW 5am, took until 6.20 to get back to sleep. Would not take bottle.

Sunday WU 7.00 am.

So a difficult weekend due to guests, heat and lack of structured naps but this NW has been going on for 9 nights now.

How do I know if its separation anxiety and what do we do to address it please