8.5 Month Old Wakes Almost Every Hour?!!!!!

[Mom to Zach]

Hi, I am new to this site (have read the boards for a long time but have never needed to post - I am now desperate!!!)  My LO will be 9 months on Jan 25th.  He used to be a great sleeper and lately has started crawling, then standing and a little separation anxiety.  We were having some issues putting him to bed for naps and bedtime. I have been doing PU/PD to get him to sleep for naps and bedtime and it is working!!!!  I can now leave the room and the last two nights have only had to go back in to his room 2-3 times before he is asleep!!!     YEAH! 

My new issue is night wakings..... I think he also may be teething now to add to everything else  :shock:  Lately, he is up each hour for the first 3 after his bedtime (7:30-8:00pm).  Then he would wake at approx 5:00am. Thankfully he will now go back down thanks to PU/PD but last night he was up EVERY HOUR!!!  I even tried feeding him at about 4:30am but he only took approx an ounce so I don't think it is hunger?!!!?  :cry:  I have been trying to determine if it is his mantra cry or a real cry and my DH has been wonderful following PU/PD etc.  I think I was rushing in too quickly as I didn't want him fully awake.  Now, I just go in, he starts to sit from standing and he knows I am going to lay him down.  I put his soother in and he is back to sleep right away.  I was worried his soother was a prop but have gone in before and he was sleeping without it - still think it may be an issue though!!  Any help is appreciated!  Here is his current common daytime schedule (note: he is not a big bottle lover, only approx 12 oz a day so I still make his cereal with formula.  his weight and growth are good)

7:30  Wake Up
8:00  Bottle
8:30  Cereal & Fruit followed by activity
10:00 Nap (45 mins)
11:00 Snack (teething biscuit/cheerios and water)
12:00 Bottle
12:30 Veggies/meat & fruit followed by activity
2:00  Nap (1.5 hrs PU/PD back to sleep after 45 mins lately)
3:15  Snack (teething biscuit/cheerios and water)
4:30  Bottle
7:00  Cereal and Fruit
7:15  Bath, Story and then Bottle
7:45  Bed

Thanks so much!!!!

[Katet]

Most babies who wake in the first hours of night tend to be "overtired", so maybe try a 15 min earlier bedtime, as his day naps aren't all that long, ideally you would want/expect  1.5 hours x2 for a 9mo.

Developmentally the 6-12month mark also is huge & night wakings can occur due to that. By being consistent & making sure he isn't overtired when he goes down at night, you should see improvement.

[Beata]

Hi Kate and Mom to Zach -

I am wondering if the  night wakings can be due to anything else?

I've been moving Cate's bedtime around for the last few weeks, and nothing works. She's up 1 hour after bedtime, no fail. Then up when we go to sleep (at no set time, just when the house goes quiet). Then up still 2-3 more times at night. I was not feeding her until 3-4 am (she STILL takes a full feed...I try to up the day calories, and she eats a TON, but still wakes) But maybe there is a 8 month growth spurt, or she is just having one  :roll:

I am very consistent about going in, saying" it's all right, it's night night, and walking out (and giving her paci - could it be that?!?!?!). it's 50/50 as to whether she stands up or falls back to sleep right away - if she stands I keep going in, soothing then leaving until she does fall asleep)...so any ideas? I feel like I am  :shock: always saying this, but I am at my wits end!!! Some nights, I hear her crying and lay there for a few minutes thinking do I really want to get up  :? :oops:  I always do though.

Don't mean to hijack this post, but it seems we are having a few of the same issues.

[Mom to Zach]

Hello!

Well, we have tried putting him down a little earlier (7:15pm) and although he didn't go to sleep right away, he has only been up twice and it is midnight here!!!  Better than before at least!      We'll keep trying the earlier bedtime as well as using PU/PD to extend his short naps.... think that makes a big difference as well. 

Beata.... we were going through the same thing where Zach would sometimes go right back down to sleep and others he was standing up and wide awake.  I was almost ready to give up on PU/PD after almost a week but I have to say I am now an advocate!!!  I have recently seen huge improvements (although he is still waking through the night - he is back to sleep quickly).  He has also just now started to scoot down from standing when I walk in his room and lays down on his own!!! :roll:   Wondering now if it is just a little seperation anxiety and he just wants to make sure I am there?!!!  Any ideas on that one?!  :shock:

Thanks and hope things are better for you too!

Shelley

[NKmommy]

Hi Shelley and Beata,
At around 8 - 10 mos, DS would wake crying/screaming ALL throughout the night.  I must have taken him to the doctor five times because I was sure that there was something else going on - ear infection, teething, etc.  But he was always given a clean bill of health, and I now believe these wakings were from separation anxiety and the incredible developmental changes going on.  It took about four weeks of me going in and out of his room all night for things to settle down.  He still has nights when wakes crying, but they are rare now unless he is sick. 

Kate had good ideas about moving bedtime for a while and see if that helps...

Hang in there!  Things will get better!   :wink:

[Mom to Zach]

Hello!

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update.  Also, hoping some may read this post that are having similar issues as we have seen such an improvement!!!!  Thanks to Kate for your advice on the earlier bedtimes!!!  We are now putting him down approx 1/2 an hour earlier and it has made a HUGE difference!  I am also going in when he has had a short nap and have put him back down to lengthen his naps and they are getting more consistent to 1.5 hours (even 2 hours the other morning!!!).    I think this has also helped his night sleeping.

Our LO is even teething and just cut a tooth the other day with little to no impact on the better sleeping!!!  If you are reading this and are almost at your wits end.... stick with the PU/PD!!!  It really does work!  Also look at your daytime schedule and tweak (IE: our earlier bedtimes now).  I have been telling all of my friends with babies about these techniques - I am a believer!!!

Thanks again to everyone for your help - we are so grateful and much more rested!