Author Topic: night awakenings at 8mths old why now? help!  (Read 1017 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline chelseamack

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 2
  • Location:
night awakenings at 8mths old why now? help!
« on: January 16, 2006, 11:56:30 am »
Oliver is almost 8mths and has been a good sleeper since 3/4mths. by christmas he was sleeping from 8pm till 8am. since the new year he has been waking fairly randomly and screaming. a bit of history- Oliver is a big baby born 8lb 120z he weighed 20lb by 16wks and is now 25lbs or more?i have always breast fed, am a prolific accidental parenter through lack of advice(until discovering you only last week). I was advised to wean him at 13wks by health visitor though mamaged to drag it out till 16/17wks. he suffers with reflux and has been seeing a cranial osteopath since xmas-vomitting now much better!
I go to Oliver each time he cries except when mantra crying- usually now i can get him back to sleep by rolling him on his side and just holding his back. he is usually really tired and seems desperate to stay asleep but is sucking frantically on his teddy or mattress!! i did reduce milk feed from 4x daily to 3 at health visitors advice-she thought it sounded like he was having too much! ive now restarted that mid morn feed-though it hasnt made any difference he still seems hungry at night. he wakes desperate for food at 4.30am now aswell then goes back to sleep till 8am. He eats solids very well and cant increase amounts-already huge. He is capable of getting himself to sleep though prefers to rely on feeding from me! I have never really tried controlled crying-omce or twice a few months ago!
He is waking a few times in a night starting from 2-3hrs after falling asleep and if wakes up properly will cry for 3hrs. havent used pu/pd yet as since reading book can get himt o sllep momentarily just by talking and holding his back! Bed is at 30 degree angle aswell for reflux!
Any ideas? my head feels it is wrapped in barbed wire- each direction i turn i get stung! I just dont know where to start! P.S I have a very helpful partner aswell!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!!
c.mack

Offline Katet

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 608
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 14364
  • Sydney Australia
  • Location: Sydney
night awakenings at 8mths old why now? help!
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2006, 21:11:53 pm »
Being a mother of a big baby, I think ignore the HV & go with your instinct on feeding in the day... my almost 8mo has 3 solids a day & 5-6bf. Being 2nd time around, I trust my instinct OVER all health professionals as I am with him 24/7.

That all said, developmental issues play a big part in waking, my bet is he is more mobile... crawling or near to it??? & that can make a big impact on sleep.

I use the method you find works to get him back to sleep & be consistent with it. Feed if you feel he is hungry & sooth back to sleep other times... I have just gone through a "horror' 2 weeks of night waking from my otherwise good sleeper & being 2nd time around, I knew I kind of had to ride it out with consistency.  I have found that every 3 months or so there seems to be a big "hiccup" & it just takes a bit of tweeking & time to get through it.

HTH
dc1 July 03, dc2 May 05

Offline melon75

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 5
  • Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
ME TOO!!!
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2006, 09:20:25 am »
Hi

My 8.5 monther was a premie, and is definately not a big baby, however he's waking up heaps each night at the mo too.

I'm no expert at this parenting thing, but my wee guy isn't hungry (he's been sleeping thru consistantly before this phase) and isn't in discomfort and I'm mystified.  I made a posting last week about it, and it's not got any better.  I was awake from 11-3 last night.  PUPD does work, just takes a while and you definately need to be consistant and kind of remove yourself from the situation emotionally to get thru the crying bit.

Anyway, don't have any answers, but just wanted to say 'you're not alone' and I think we do just have to ride it out.  Maybe it's just a developmental thing.  Hard work tho, eh!!!
Melanie (and Dug)

Elijah Gibson -28/4/05

Offline chelseamack

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 2
  • Location:
night awakenings at 8mths old why now? help!
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2006, 09:48:22 am »
Thankyou for your reply and reassurance. I was also up from 12-4 last night doing pu/pd. it does eventually get him to sleep except i do end up with the problem that he's starving by the end of it and cries in his sleep to the point of waking again screaming. He is trying to suck at my face or anything he can get hold of, so at the end of all that hard work i succumbed as physically could'nt do it any longer.
I hope your wee baba realises soon that sleep is much more pleasant than crying. Its definitely developmental for Oliver as he's trying to crawl in his sleep!! Well best of luck-we'll laugh about it next year when were on to the next thing!!
c.mack