Author Topic: 8 monther started night waking  (Read 1107 times)

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Offline melon75

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8 monther started night waking
« on: January 11, 2006, 08:00:26 am »
Hi.  This is my first posting.

My spirited 8 monther USED to be a great night sleeper.  Warning bells already, eh.  Since Christmas, recent house sitting for 3 weeks, (we're back home now) and him having a cold, he's been waking frequently at night.  I go in after listening for a couple of mins just incase he will self soothe, and have to re-settle him.  Sometimes this only takes 5 mins, sometimes we're still going over an hour later! 

Then I think I've done it (I definately DON'T leave in a hurry) and it happens all over again.  Sometimes 10 mins later, sometimes an hour later.  Normally he sleeps really well from 7pm till about midnight (we've dropped the dream feed) and then after our big sessions he sleeps fine the last few hours of the night.  He is still swaddled most of the time (we're just about to start leaving one arm out at a time) and to settle him I re-swaddle then do PUPD. I'm making sure he's put down awake still, so know I'm not cuddling him to sleep. 

I've looked at our situation from every angle I can come up with, and need a new perspective.  PLEASE HELP! :shock:

Do I continue PUPD?  Do I try 'wake to sleep'?  Is it just a phase we have to ride out?
Melanie (and Dug)

Elijah Gibson -28/4/05

Offline Katet

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8 monther started night waking
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2006, 09:11:18 am »
I think you hit the nail... it is a phase & you need to ride it out... with my ds#1 it didn't take much disruption in the 6-18month bracket to throw the whole sleep thing pear shaped & my 7.5mo is also going through a big "blip" at the moment. The key is to stay consistent with how you deal with it & the fact he has been a good sleeper means he will mostly likely go back to that soon too, if he keeps getting the message that he "should be asleep.

The only other thing is sometimes night wakings mean it is time to "adjust the day routine" for me it is dropping to 2 naps/day which is helping things improve
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline mk2005

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8 monther started night waking
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2006, 11:09:44 am »
I'm having exactly the same problem with my 8 monther! She WAS  a good sleeper until she started to stand, sit and crawl a few weeks ago. Now she will wake in the night and sit up or stand in the cot and then is unable to resettle. I too do pu/pd. It can take 5 mins ... alternatively I can be in and out of bed for 2 hrs... how frustrating!!! She is also waking earlier...

I would really like to adjust her day routine and as you say this may help. She takes a short nap in the morning (30-45min); approx 1hr in the afternoon and will often need a catnap to then get her through to bedtime. The catnap then makes her late for bed... She is also difficult to get down for the catnap although she is obviously tired and needs it.

I'd love to go to 2 x 1.5hr sleeps but not sure how to make her sleep longer... I've tried pu/pd to extend her morning nap for 6 days now and seen no results as yet. Any ideas?

Offline melon75

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8 monther started night waking
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2006, 18:57:14 pm »
Sigh, it's SO GOOD to feel I'm not in this boat alone!  Thanks both of you.  Last night was better.  He only woke 4x, and took 1 or 2 PUPDs to settle although I stayed with him for longer to make sure his quietness was really sleepness as well.

As far as the daytime routine goes, he has 2 naps... an hour about 9ish, then up to 2 hours in the avo from 1-3.  Sometimes he wakes earlier from his afternoon nap and looks really awake, but I do PUPD and he normally settles in 10 mins or so.  The extra effort is worth the less tired baby at the end of the day.  Sometimes if he's had a bad night I give him a cat nap, but I know what you mean about throwing bedtimes out.  If he catnaps, its 4.30ish, then bed by 7 still.

Right, on with the day   :D
Melanie (and Dug)

Elijah Gibson -28/4/05

Offline Beata

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8 monther started night waking
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2006, 20:28:51 pm »
MK - my dd has never been a good sleeper, BUT she has been standing in her crib for the last 3 weeks or so. All I can advise is be consistent like Kate says.

I go in only when it's a "real" cry. Then I put her down in a way that she would get down herself, and I will stay if she is settling, but if she goes to get up again I say night night, and walk out (almost so she knows it's time to sleep and I will now fight her, but I will not reward her by staying in there...if she says down I say until she is drifting to sleep - and I must say she is letting me leave sooner and sooner these days). If she "really" cries, I go right back in a do it all again. It she is just mad, I will wait a minute or two, but I usually know it will turn into a realy cry so I really listen. Now after 3 weeks, she doesn't get us as much and she settles in a fraction of the time, homefully we will be through this phase soon!

Good luck. This too will pass.

Also, note to all of you things seemed to get better with a longer awake time (3 hours) and no catnap.



Offline melon75

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Awake 10pm-3am
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2006, 09:08:59 am »
This is not funny, eh.

The last few nights (this evening included) he's woken up and seemed to get in a real stew very quickly.  I'm sure that he's not hungry or sick/in pain etc.  It's just like he gets all uptight and won't go back to sleep until a long session of PUPD.  I've had one uninterrupted night sleep in the last 4 weeks, but last night was the worst.

Is this still a 'just ride it out' situation?

I'm wondering about seperation anxiety... and the fact he's a SPIRITED  baby.
Melanie (and Dug)

Elijah Gibson -28/4/05