Developmental milestone causing erratic night wakings - Is this a myth?

[hbfm]

Dear all,

My 6 month old (updated) DS has been on a textbook EASY schedule since 3 month old and was well on track to sleeping through the night from 7pm-6.30 am with occasional 1 night waking. When he does wake it used to taken less than 10-15 mins to resettle either with a dummy or shush/pat. If he dispelled signs of hunger I would feed him. We all thought we have developed a nice little routine/rhythm with the wee fella.

In the past week or 2, he has been waking up erratically in the middle of the night and would take more than an hour to resettle. He did not want to feed as I would offer him the breast after an hour of shush pat/PUPD, he wouldn't feed. He is EBF and has been on the same routine since 4 month old so I am very confused (and tired) what has changed? I have also noticed that it is taking longer to get him to sleep during the day, previously all I needed to do was stroke his head and maybe offer a dummy. Now, he is a lot fussier and takes a lot more coaxing and soothing before he would close his eyes.

The only thing I have observed is that he started rolling over quite efficiently and has started showing signs that he is trying to crawl. I don't know if developmental milestones like rolling over or crawling would have that huge an impact on him. Have any other mothers experience this before? I am really gutted as it took us a long time to get to a point where we were all in a happy place. now we are just confused and not sure what the problem is. Please let me know if I am doing anything wrong?!?!

His typical schedule

E:6.30 am
A:6.30 to 8.30
S: 8.30 to 10/10.30

E: 10.30
A: 10.30 to 12.30
S: 12.30 to 2/2.30

E: 2.30
A: 2.30 to 4.30
S: 4.30 to 5.30 (sometimes 45mins)

E: 5.30 (tanking up), 7 tanking up
A: 5.30 to 7 (including bath time routine)
Bedtime - 7 to 7.30

Dreamfeed - anytime between 10-10.30

Night feed 3-3.30 am sometimes

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

How old is your lo now? Developmental milestones affected sleep for 2 out of 3 of my kids so that is certainly possible. 

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Lol just saw your intro thread and found the answer! If your lo is 6 months now then I would suggest he probably needs his A time upped as this it the age when typically babies drop the catnap. Not settling easy for naps and long nw's are most likely because he is undertired. This link shows average A times by age:

Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

[hbfm]

Thank you all. Sorry yes DS is 6 months old, just turned 6 months last week. I will try that for today and see how I go.

[creations]

I totally agree with the advice given about increasing the A time. I'm sure you will find it easier to help him settle for naps and BT and eliminate those NWs.

I will say though that the sleep disturbances you have heard of related to developmental leaps are very real.  Some LOs are effected more than others and during the processing of different skills, so for instance whilst mine did not appear to be disturbed when he learned to roll, crawl and stand others will be unable to stop themselves doing this in their cot and may wake up to find themselves rolled over or standing and not able to right themselves.  Mine had and continues to have a lot of developmental sleep disturbance for other skills though and that's even on a suitable and stable routine.

[hbfm]

Thank you all of your answers, last night I got my baby back. fingers cross it stays that way. he is so much easier to put to bed this morning as well. I manage to stretch A time for another 20 mins, will have to work my way up to 3 hrs.

Appreciate everyone's contribution, this is such a lifesaving forum for confused/exhausted moms!!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Oh that is great! Glad you saw such quick improvement - I remember having similar happen with DD2 and if not for someone on here helping me, I would have gone bonkers!

[creations]

Glad to hear you've had results. Sometimes they settle into that new A time in a few days or a week and then need a bit more so don't be surprised by it.

[hbfm]

morning ladies, my DS started with the night wakings again. I have successfully stretch A times to 2.5-3 hrs as per previous threads. I probably should have mentioned this initially, I have also just started baby led weaning with him a couple of weeks ago and I notice on days that he has taken to solids, he sleeps through to 2.30/3am. On days that he doesn't show any interest in solids, he wakes at 12 am and doesn't settle till 2 am. I was under the impression "food before one is play" but I also understand food and sleep are closely related. What is everyone's view on this? Does solids really help sleep or is this a "red herring"?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Are you doing just blw, or purees too? My 10 month old does mainly blw and tbh she does not always ingest that much so I am not sure that what a 6 month old ingests would make a huge difference, but it could I suppose.

[creations]

I did BLW with DS (no puree at all) and he took to it like I'd been starving him for 6 months, ingested a proper amount of food, small servings yes as he was young but even so it was certainly more that 'tastes' for him although I continued to put milk first and to ensure his milk intake didn't drop.
I think food can disturb sleep in terms of gas/digestion and in terms of it being a highly stimulating activity (all those new flavours, smells, textures!) can make LO OS/OT, or to have developmental dreams based on their experiences.  However, I don't think I have really come across any thread where a LO is disturbed at night by not having had enough solids. My guess (though it is just a guess) is that something else is disturbing him. It is still normal for a LO to have either a DF or a NF at this age too.

[hbfm]

Hi just BLW, no purees of any kind. He can eat up to half a banana around 5.30pm so I would think it makes a difference. to be honest with you, I am just confused! the books that i read all claim that insufficient calories due to the lack of solids cause night wakings at 6 months but I am not so convinced.