11 mo long NW

[CamillaA]

After generally being a great sleeper the last couple weeks my just turned 11 month old daughter has turned into a nightmare. Every second night she is awake from around 2:30am wish (the time does vary) for between 2 to 4 hours. She cries unless held. She has been an independent sleeper since 3 months so it has felt very wrong to hold her hoping she will go back to sleep, but she does and as soon as I go to put her back down in her cot she starts crying again.
Last night I tried PUPD but after 2 hours gave up. I took her into my bed but she squirmed and tried to get away, crying the whole time. I even tried BFeeding her. She still gets one breast feed in the mornings upon waking. Nothing worked. Eventually I put her into the cot in my room (she sleeps in a cot in a room with her 4 year old sister) and i fell asleep from exhaustion at 6:30am. Last i remember she was standing up crying and she must have at some point lay down and went to sleep. We woke at 8:45am.
I am wondering if this is something to do with the 2-1 nap transition, which we have started. The last two weeks have also featured more and more EW's. I took her down to one nap 3 days ago to see if that would work.
Here is what our EASY was about 10 days ago and then notes on what it currently is.

10 days ago

E:7:30 Breast feed followed by big breakfast of solids at 8:00
A:8:15
S:12:00 has some solids for lunch at 11:30 (usually naps minimum of 2 hours, max 3)


E:2:30 Wakes and eats Lunch part 2
A:2:45
S:6:00 Cat nap which I would always cap at 30 mins max, normally 20

E:7:00 Solids for dinner followed by bottle
BT:8:30PM

Would previously sleep thru 90% of the time, when she did wake it would be only a quick pick up and cuddle for a minute and back to sleep.


When she started to wake earlier and earlier - eventually ending up awake at 5am over the last 10 days I decided it must be because of the 2-1 transition so I increased her A time to 5 hours and i dropped the cat nap if she napped 2hrs30 mins. In addition to the EW's the long NW's have been happening. The rough pattern is a night with a long NW or two and then one she sleeps thru but they are getting more frequent.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Should I do PUPD and persist for longer than 2 hours? What adjustments could i make to her EASY? I am so ready for a decent night sleep

[ginger428]

Hi Camilla, hugs! You must be completely exhausted.

We started 2-1 around that age and had similar issues. Unfortunately, it was a long process as OT wreaked havoc, along with teeth, developmental milestones and Wonder Week storms. However, we did get through it and so will you!

Any teething? Do you think she could be OT... especially with the EWs. I think they can be a sign of OT, and leads to a vicious cycle.  I used two strategies, sometimes concurrently for the 2-1...When DS woke super early, I did a 15-20 CN around 9:00, APOP'd in the car. Then did normal nap time, maybe 15-30 mins later than usual. If you have a normal WU time, I did the 15 min CN in the evening, and put down to bed only 1.5-2 hrs later. This helped curb the built up OT.  What do you think about the morning CN?  How is DD in the morning on EW days?

Is your daughter spirited by chance? PUPD always aggravated DS, especially at that age when they're more aware. Are you familiar with GW? Ie Patting/hand on back, and gradually withdrawing the amount/frequency.

[CamillaA]

Hi Ginger413

Thank you for your thoughts and advice. She has her first 6 teeth but nothing more for the last 4 months so there must be some more on the way soon?!
My DD is def spirited and while PUPD worked well for us at 8mo to get rid of habitual NW, the last few nights it certainly has not worked. I am not familiar with GW but instinctively i was putting my hand on her back last night when she wasn't trying to stand up again. It kind of worked to calm her down but she always would start crying again after 30 seconds or so. If you have any links to info on GW I would LOVE to read it. I am ready to try anything

The idea of an early CN for EW is a good one. She often goes through a tired patch around an hour before nap time which if I put her down then I always get a short nap (UT). I will try using this opportunity for a CN of 15 mins or like you say a 15 min CN in the evening. Normally when I was doing the 30 min CN around 6pm, it would be a struggle at BT if there was not an A time of at least 3 hours which of course made BT too late. Hmm this 2-1 time certainly is tricky.

Im really hoping for a better night tonight. DH took both the girls out this afternoon and I had a 2 hour nap so that was awesome and I am ready to deal with whatever tonight has to offer.

Always good to hear what one instinctively knows - that it does pass - but in the midst of it this is hard to see so thank you again for your words.

Camilla

[ginger428]

First, hooray for DH and a nap for you! How did last night go? And yes, I can't hear "this too shall pass" often enough.

Here are links to 2-1 nap if you haven't already seen it, and more info on GW. Yes, the 2-1 is really tricky.

From 2 to 1 nap transition (10-12m and older)

Toddlers: Walk In/Walk Out vs. The Gradual Withdrawal Method (HOW TO CHOOSE)

Can you see any gum tenderness? I wonder last pair of incisors are pushing through? I wonder because if she was a great IS, and now cries when laid down, perhaps her teeth are causing pain? If there's any indication of teeth, perhaps try meds or tablets... something to soothe her at bedtime. 

[CamillaA]

Thank you so much for the links. I adopted the Walk In/Walk Out the last 2 days and it has really worked. No long NW's for two nights, just still an EW but working on that.
She is just over 11 months and i am returning to work from next week so dropping the final BF that I've been doing when she wakes at 5:30 or 6am. It has been getting her back to sleep the last couple of days until 7:30am so tomorrow morning will be the first time i try resettle her without the feed.

Thank you again for your help.

[ginger428]

That's wonderful! And great news about the no long NWs.

That 5am feed was hard to break but be patient and consistent and i'm sure you guys will do great.