Author Topic: 6 month old waking through night  (Read 5519 times)

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Offline Lor

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6 month old waking through night
« on: January 24, 2006, 10:53:25 am »
Hi there,
Can anyone help me?  My daughter (now 6 months) was sleeping through the night from approx 7.30pm until 6.00am at about 3 1/2 months.  In the last 2/3 weeks she has started waking during the evenings and through the night niggling and if not attended to escalates to crying; typically she goes to sleep at about 7.30pm then wakes around 8.30pm, goes back to sleep by about 9.15pm.  I dream feed at approx 9.30pm then she might wake at about 11.30pm, 1.00am, 4.00am (not necessarily the same times every night).  There is no pattern as such but she is normally waking between 3 and 5 times from her bed time until morning.  I go into her room and sometimes my hand on her tummy is enough to settle her then after about 5 mins I remove my hand, sit for a further 5 mins by which time she's back to sleep but sometimes I have to cuddle her on my shoulder to settle her.  The evening wakings take much longer to settle her, sometimes up to an hour, whereas the 1am's generally only take about 5-15 minutes.  I have no idea why she suddenly can't get back to sleep by herself and needs comforting.  I'm worried that this is becoming a habit as it's been going on for about 3 weeks now.  A lot has happened in her little life recently, e.g. solids have been introuduced, she has moved into the big cot in her own room (however, the first night in her own room she slept from 7.40pm - 8.00am) and she has started teething but if at bedtime she shows signs of 'teethy chops' as we call it, then we give her some calpol to go to bed with.  Any ideas or suggestions would be greatfully received.

Offline teezee

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2006, 17:02:33 pm »
i have had the same issue since around 6 months and i have a couple things for u to think about. 
1 it could be a growth spurt...try upping her calories (more milk) during the day
2 could be getting too much daytime sleep(naps)...maybe try lengthening A time - i didn't do this until recently and wish i would have tried it sooner b/c it has made a world of difference!
3 is lo overtired or in the need of a late afternoon catnap? when it is time for bed??...
Tawnya
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Offline teezee

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2006, 17:03:31 pm »
just another thought.  have u started cereal or solids??  if u have maybe to get lo to take more milk u want to cut it down a little or just leave it at one small meal a day so u will be able to get more milk in...just a thought.   :)
Tawnya
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Offline Lor

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2006, 14:07:50 pm »
Hi, thanks for your suggestions.  I have tried cutting the late pm nap out and i've tried letting her have it again but neither have made a difference.  Regarding 'E', she rarley finishes her bottle but this has always been the case since she was born, i.e. iv always offered more than she wants.  I always offer a top up after 45 minutes to see if I can get a bit more into her too. She's not particularly hungry first thing in the morning either so although I wouldn't rule it out completley, my instinct doesn't tell me it' a hunger thing.  My partner thought LO may be afraid of the dark (we only have a dim light on the landing at night) so last night we left the big light on, she needed settling twice rather than 4+ times.  It may have been a fluke but we're going to try it again tonight.

Offline teezee

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2006, 16:14:17 pm »
how many times do u feed your lo throughout the night?  i have started decreasing the amount of time that i feed dd for her two night feedings...this way she will take more during the day.  i too have a lo that is a small eater/nurser in comparrison to other lo's altho she is growing strong and is healthy, and she was taking the smallest feed first thing in the morning.  as soon as i started cutting back on night feeding she has been eating more..not just in the morning throughout the day!  it's worth a try!
Tawnya
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Offline Lor

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2006, 09:45:46 am »
Hi there.  Her last feed is 9.30pm (that's the dream feed) then I don't feed her until 8.00am.  Do you think it might be time to start dropping the dream feed down (takes approx 4 oz)??

Offline teezee

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2006, 16:51:54 pm »
i'm sorry i am not the one to give u an answer about the df.  i give dd a df and a feeding about 4 am so u are doing way better than us inthat aspect.  u could try cutting the df down and see if lo eats more in the a.m but that's all i can think of.  sounds to me that maybe lo needs to go to sleep earlier (even 15 min can make a world of difference) or get a nap in late afternoon and go to sleep at the same time.  when my lo was overtired or too excited before bedtime she would wake often for the first couple hrs too.
Tawnya
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Offline Lor

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2006, 18:04:29 pm »
Thanks for your latest comment; it sounds like the evening wakings could be due to being overtired.  I'll try putting LO to bed 10-15 mins earlier.

Offline Lor

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2006, 11:20:36 am »
Hi,
So I tried putting LO to bed earlier and it still made no difference.  After reading another post regarding similar problems, today I am trying feeding bottle b4 solids (I've been doing it the other way round) to see if this makes a difference.

Offline teezee

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2006, 21:29:12 pm »
i have always nursed before solids and it still really hasn't made a difference.  i am still giving a df but have shortened the amount of time that she feeds at 4am and it seems to be going well...she'll then sleep til 8-8:30   ;D
Tawnya
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Offline Lor

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2006, 13:21:46 pm »
Hi,
It made no difference to us either (apart from the fact that she did take a couple of extra ounces during the day).  In fact last night was worse - she woke at 8.30pm then DF at 9.30 and woke again at 11.10 and it was 1.40am before going back to sleep! Then woke again at 4.30, went back to sleep at 4.55 and slept til 8.05am.  I'm getting to the end of my tether with this; it seems to be getting worse not better.

Offline colenliam

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2006, 16:33:50 pm »
Hi Lor,
I know I wrote back to you on the other post but I just wanted to make a suggestion,
the feeding b4 solids helped my lo, it didn't for you, but another change i had made at the smae time was not giving a top up like 45 mins later, which I always did.  ds always never took more than 4-5oz at a feeding and as soon as I did the bottle b4 solids and only gave him a bottle every 4 hours no sooner, he has jumped to 7oz a feeding.  he is also formula feed, im not sure if you bf or if thaat makes a difference cause i wasn't able to bf so.....
Just another suggestion to try, it worked for me but as we all find out they are all so different. Oh, one more thing, i also wait 1 hour to 1.5h after bottle for the solids.
hth
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Offline Lor

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2006, 14:53:13 pm »
Hi. Thanks again. I too am formula feeding. Last night LO wasn't even interested in dream feed (only took a couple of ounces) and after she woke at 9.15 she couldn't settle down again; each time I thought she had just about got back to sleep she awoke again. This went on until 1am and in the end I laid her on her changing mat on the floor and I laid next to her and there we both stayed from 1am until 7.30am this morning and she slept peacefully.  Now I'm wondering if it's seperation anxiety creeping in and I have no idea how to deal with this!  I might ask the question on the general topic board.

Offline KCliffy

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2006, 15:00:28 pm »
Just read your message and although I'm having problems too with my 6 month old he is waking up at 12-1am ish and not settling for a while; I have found that at all other times, if crying, doing a 5 min then 10 then 15min .... 'reassurance check has worked'.  Although he may cry initially has managed at all times to go back off with no more intervention other than re-settling him down in his cot, no conversation and kiss and a hug (still laid in cot) and that's it.  Not sure if you've tried it but it may help rather than lying on the floor at night!  Baby will also know that you're not too far away. and doesn't end up crying for ages.

Offline fleadle

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2006, 19:52:23 pm »
WOW.......sounds like you have been living in my house!!!!

my LO is 6 months & has started doing the exact same thing waking loads in the night. She used to have her dummy put back in & then go straight to sleep, now it is taking much more & I have even resorted to putting her in bed with me after standing over her patting & shushing for over 1hr & 1/4 with no luck.

I think it could be separation anxiety.....have you found anything yet that has helped you yet??

Offline colenliam

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2006, 20:12:53 pm »
I can't find anything to help us,
Im at a loss and starting to get desparate ???
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Offline teezee

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2006, 20:28:08 pm »
all i can say is at 6months it may be a growth spurt or developmental...if it is in fact a growth spurt than you want to feed - maybe a dream feed would help some of you??  if it's developmental all i can say is roll with the punches and it will be over soon.  i know when my lo rolled over either way she had WAY more night wakings than her usual few.  i have been very successful in slowly shortening the amount of time i feed her at night.  now at each one of her feedings she is eating more and more (milk and solids!) and the night wakings are slowly reducing as well.
Tawnya
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Offline colenliam

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #17 on: February 02, 2006, 23:08:59 pm »
I never thought about the rolloing over until you mentioned that.
My lo started to roll over both ways now and that is when all these night waking started.  I do give a dreamfeed but hes up 3 hours later, not hungrey, so it might be just getting used to the extra movement he can do now eh??
Thanks for the advice.
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Jo-FrasersMum

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #18 on: February 03, 2006, 06:47:59 am »
Hi Everyone

I have to agree with Tawnya - the 6 month mark is a very common age to have some night wakings - both because of a growth spurt and because of developmental factors.

Unfortuntately I think it is something that you just have to ride out - feeding when necessary during the growth spurt and just responding as best you can for the rest of the time. 

I also found for a couple of weeks during the 6 month upset, we went back to swaddling for a couple of weeks - it was like DS needed to feel secure with all the new developmental things that were happening during the day.  We only did it again until he started to settle a little easier.

Good luck to you all
Jo

Offline colenliam

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2006, 04:08:02 am »
Hi,
Yeah, i know it just has to be riden out, i geuss we just have to relize that it isn't like they are doing this to upset us, probably they are as fusterated as we are.
I haven't swaddled lo since like 3 weeks, should I maybe try again??
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Jo-FrasersMum

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #20 on: February 05, 2006, 09:09:28 am »
Yes I agree - they are likely to be frustrated too (I know my DS gets frustrated when he can't get back to sleep during the night)  It's easier said that done to remain calm I know, but that is always my aim.  I know that DS will go back to sleep soon rather than later if I stay calm so he can also calm down.

I used to use the swaddle on and off whenever I thought that it might help DS - I don't think there's any reason why you couldn't just try it and see how it goes.

Good luck

Offline Thea pink pants

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #21 on: February 06, 2006, 16:24:25 pm »
Hi all! Am i wishful thinking that my LO should be going through the night now she's 5 months?
I've followed all the rules so to speak?! She's formula fed every 4hrs 7,11,3,7+10.30 df. She has 2 naps
1.5 - 2hr plus 40min catnap. I've recently started some solids but only 1 -2 times a day, after am or lunch
bottle and\ or b4 eve bottle. Only started solids because she was taking such interest in food and less
in bottles, only having 4-5oz each time. She's never completely slept through, is always waking
around 4am. Tried wake to sleep but didn't work. She'll go back to sleep with dummy but wakes on\off
till 7am. Do you think she's overriding hunger with dummy? Last night thought it maybe hunger as she had more
of her bottles during day, she took 4oz at 5.30am, but then today her routine has been behind!
Do you think i should up solids to 3 times every day? Do df later at 11? Should i just thank my lucky stars
she's as good as gold other wise, and resign to the fact i may never sleep a longer stretch than 5 hrs!
Would love to sleep 11-7 again!!! ::)
« Last Edit: February 06, 2006, 16:29:38 pm by Thea pink pants »

Offline mthyne

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2006, 20:07:38 pm »
Right there with you with my 6 month ds!  Between separation anxiety, teething, and major developmental milestones, plus traveling, our night wakings are much worse!  No longer will a pacifier do the trick!  I try to think that he just loves me so much he wants to be with me at night, but that's not always easy during the 3rd night waking at 4 am! :)  And I'm pretty sure it's not hunger either; even if I feed him at night he still wakes later.  Just good to know there's others out there riding this out too!
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Offline tracefo

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #23 on: February 06, 2006, 22:22:31 pm »
Right there with you guys and now we have a cold to make things even more interesting at night!  Will this fun be over soon?
Tracey

Offline Mommy in Moose Jaw

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #24 on: February 07, 2006, 11:01:05 am »
Wow, looks like I can join the club too, as I sit here looking for answers at 4:00am!!!  DD is six months old now too and is waking multiple times and unable to settle easily on her own like she was doing before.  We are finished the growth spurt which lasted nearly six weeks on and off and are back to the normal feeding routine (pretty much textbook to the BW for my textbook baby!) so I'm quite sure it's not calories any more. 

I too wondered about the start of separation anxiety as dd seems at least on schedule or even earlier for the cognitive/emotional milestones.  She quite obviously started with stranger anxiety at 4 months and makes cause and effect associations very quickly.  Overall it seems like she's gone from helpless infant to fullly interactive baby over the last few weeks.  The changes have been amazing.  So I can accept development being a part of the issue, but I don't have to like the effect!! ;)

Lately I'm into her bedroom 3-4 times per night in addition to the dream feed and tonight has been the worst.  We're right now going on 2 hours of up and down being unable to settle herself or stay asleep once settled. 

Physical changes lately have been sitting and drinking from a sippy cup.  She's still not rolling (the one area she's not textbook!) but seems on the verge. 

In terms of routine, dd is, you guessed it, 'textbook' for EAS for a 6 month old. We still BF as per BW and have 3 solid meals about 1.5 hours following BF for breakfast, lunch and supper, and DF at 11:00.  DD has two naps 1-2 hours long and WAS sleeping 10.5 to 11 hours per night.

By all accounts it seems like this a 'ride it out' issue?  I can't think of anything to change with her E,A or S??


Offline fleadle

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #25 on: February 07, 2006, 21:26:40 pm »
I hope thing are easier for all of you.

I don't know if this will help, but with my dd the last 2 nights I have resorted to feeding her (even though she is not hungry)....the first night I fed her a huge bottle & although not "hungry" she did drink it (painfully slowly!!! more comfort suckling than drinking) the settled ok in her cot without me from 2am til 7am.

Last night I took her into my bed, BF her, then let her fall asleep on my chest & then moved her to her cot where she slept from 3am til 7am.

I know this is not ideal & goes against all the "Teaching her to fall asleep on her own" but I just felt that her going to sleep without screaming the place down for 2hrs was an achievement & hopefully she will grow out of this "phase".

No doubt I will be back here in 2 months time winging how I have made a rod for my own back!!!!, but for now at least it seems to work & she is happy (my priority). ???

Offline Katet

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #26 on: February 07, 2006, 23:00:17 pm »
Maybe it is just my thinking, but if a baby takes a feed & it is at least 50% of a average one & then sleeps then thirst or hunger is part of the problem... If I can't settle my ds#2 in 5mins, I feed & if he doesn't want to feed he won't... if he doesn't feed & won't settle then for me that means there is another problem.

If your baby is falling asleep independently at the start of the night & the wakings are taking 2 hours to settle & you can rule out other issues such as teething/illness, then I think it does come down to thirst... or hunger. With heating or hot weather I always notice that my toddler wakes up thirsty. The thing is just because a baby sleeps through some times doesn't mean they always will, growth spurts, illness teething & milestones all have an influence.

but for me I try to rule out hunger/thirst before I look at any other cause... 4 hours trying to settle a sick baby is no fun (I've been there many times - esp in the last week) & I'd rather try to settle quickly & get back to sleep... I know being second time around it does get better.

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Offline fleadle

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #27 on: February 08, 2006, 19:53:15 pm »
How many posts?????? & I thought I was addicted to this site  ;D

Offline tracefo

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #28 on: February 09, 2006, 16:02:47 pm »
I too have been feeding my dd if she won't settle within 5 minutes.  With the exception of last night she takes a full feed.  Which tells me she was hungry and maybe this is just the longest growth spurt we've  been through yet.  I'm worried though that she's going to decide that this breast feeding in the middle of the night is pretty fun and, even though she is still awake when I put her back in the crib, she'll decide that this is a good routine.  I don't want to be an accidental parent!  The problem is though that there are a whole lot of things going on (first cold, sitting up, solids, growth spurt)  and I really don't know what the problem is in the middle of the night and my body is begging to go back to sleep!  Sooooo, how do I make sure this is really a hunger issue?

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #29 on: February 09, 2006, 22:21:05 pm »
to be honest if you can rule out all other variables ie sick/teething etc & my lo won't settle in 5mins, then I just work on it being thirst/hunger... for me that has worked with both my ds. To me sleeping through the night is not an expectation, just when it happens it is a blessing...
I actually think if a baby isn't hungry they will refuse & if they suck they need it... their metabolism is slower at night, so from my experience they often self adjust, feed slower or shorter as they "self wean" off the night feeds, some babies do that in the first 6 months of life, others it tends to take longer... all babies are different & the important thing it to know your baby & not try to make your baby into a textbook, as that is when more accidental parenting happens if you "follow the book, rather than your baby"
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Offline tracefo

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #30 on: February 10, 2006, 14:24:02 pm »
so basically just relax and it'll happen when she's ready.  It's just that she did it for so long and now we're going back.  It's hard!
Thanks,
Tracey

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #31 on: February 10, 2006, 15:24:24 pm »
I agree that sometimes there is just a blip that you have to ride out but I have also found that there is usually SOMETHING that contributes to the blip that you can adjust and provide some help.  As for tracefo, I had your concern about dd getting used to feeding overnight following the growth spurt.  Her '6 month' growth spurt started at 5 months and lasted 6 weeks on and off.  On occasion I had to feed over night, sometimes twice.  When that happened I just made sure I stuffed her to the gills the next day offering extra at each BF and feeding solids until she refused rather than judging by previous amounts.  One lunch ended up being 9 oz and she was averaging 15 oz of solids a day.  Now it is more like 5-6 oz per day, so she obviously needed those extra calories while growing.  Once I was pretty sure the growth spurt was over she did still have the 'habit' of feeding at night.  I knew it was a habit as her solids intake dwindled to nothing.  It only took 3-4 days to fix that.  First night I only fed once per 4 hours, using pu/pd (roughest night) then the next time I only fed one side after 4 hours, then I pushed that feed back 15 minutes each night.  She jumped a couple of hours on her own that way.  Then if she woke to feed at 5:00am she only got half her 7:00am feed and I gave her the other half when it was time to get up.  Worked like a charm and solids are right back on track and no feeds from 11pm to 7am.

THe other thing I found helpful was the little tidbit that too long a morning nap can create sleep problems the NEXT early morning (think I read that under an early waking post).  Sometimes when dd woke too early I let her have a big morning nap to make up for the early morning but then over a few days her night sleep got progressively worse.  As soon as I shortened the morning nap to no more than 1.5 hours, she slept 13 hours the next night and didn't need ANY midnight help back to sleep!!  It took a couple of days to get the pattern all straightened out but it sure worked!  I discovered that if she has more than 2.5 to 3.0 hours of sleep in the day her night sleep gets messed up even if total awake time is the same.  Funny the things you learn.


Offline tracefo

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #32 on: February 11, 2006, 21:57:36 pm »
I wish I could get her back to 1.5 hour morning nap.  She's right back into the 45 minute nap.  I think I'm going to have to wait until we are all done with the cold she started us all on and then try to figure out for sure what is going on and there are just too many variable for now.  She certainly takes a full feed at night right now but I'm not sure that's happening during the day.  She's only taking one side at some bf's and I can't convince her that she wants more during the day. ??? ??? ??? This is how I'm feeling right now! Thanks, I'll certainly follow this advice once we are all feeling better!  Question about your pu/pd, when I've tried this she stops crying as soon as she's picked up and starts again as soon as she's put down.  Do I pu right away again or wait/  It's a full on wail when she's crying.

Offline Mommy in Moose Jaw

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #33 on: February 12, 2006, 21:50:16 pm »
DD actually has had a few 30 and 45 minute naps too lately and we go back to pu/pd when that happens.  I think it's due to overtiredness when they're nights are out of whack.  I know for sure that if she has been up for 3 hours before the nap, that a 30-45 minute nap is not adequate so I do pu/pd and so far it has worked to put her back to sleep.  Sometimes all she needs is 'sh' while in the crib, sometimes I have to pick her up.  If she fell asleep after only 2 hours awake time and woke up babbling and happy, then she's had enough nap and pu/pd would only result in screaming bloody murder for the next hour.  DD is fairly easy to read that way, that is if she needs more sleep, the whole resettling routine calms her.  If she really doesn't need more sleep I could pu/pd till bedtime and it wouldn't work.

Her only taking one side at feeds is interesting.  Is she on a 4-hour EASY?  I'm sure the cold is a big contributor.  DD just had her flu shot and that has made her feel pretty tough for the past 3 days and her food intake has definitely dropped.  In general I don't worry about intake as long as she's not trying to feed at night.  Following the dreamfeed my rule of thumb is no feed for 6 hours at this age, so if I DF at 11:00, the soonest I would allow BF is 5:00am.  And even then I try to help her resettle first.  She WILL NOT resettle and cries quite hard if it is actually hunger at that time.

As for pu/pd dd does the same thing sometimes and will settle as soon as she's picked up.  I have found with her that if she cries as I'm setting her down I put her right down and try to sh/pat for a few seconds to see if she'll settle.  Eventually that does work and I don't have to pick her up again.  My dd's cue that she won't be settling is if she is kicking her legs.  If she sounds frustrated but not kicking, she'll probably settle with more sh/pat.  If she's kicking, I keep doing pu/pd, then eventually on one of the pd's with sh/pat she jsut turns her head and settles.  I just try as much sh/pat as I can first before picking her up.  I have found with little regressions that it only takes about 3-4 sleeps (naps and bedtimes) to correct little problems with pu/pd.

All that being said, it is pretty tough to implement anything while a baby is sick.  Once she's feeling better, then you can go hard at the routine :) Good luck


Offline chechebean

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #34 on: February 13, 2006, 00:20:20 am »
 :oHI!  My LO just turned 6 months and has been waking through the night for the last month.  Teethign has been a part of it I think, but I know that there is something else involved.  I am getting to my witts end from exhaustion.  I try patting on the bum.  He goes back to sleep for 45/1 hour then is up crying again.  Now even the pat on the bum is not working.  I have brought him in bed with me on the early morning and even at that he still gets up and the same routine.  He goes down at about 9pm and will get up anywhere from 2-4pm.  He gets a dream feed at 11pm ( only 4oz at the best of times).  He eats solids and still drinking 32-36 oz a day so it is not a hunger thing.  Any help.....

Offline tracefo

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #35 on: February 14, 2006, 21:39:38 pm »
Hey, I feel for you.  My daughter is finally sorting herself out.  She usually has one good nap a day again and much fewer night wakings but she's still needing the extra night feed! 
Have you tried an earlier bed time?  What time does you lo wake in the morning?  I found that I just had to gradually put her to be earlier and it seemed to work for me.
Tracey

Offline Psmum

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Re: 6 month old waking through night
« Reply #36 on: April 09, 2006, 20:49:10 pm »
Just a suggestion, but my lo had frequent night wakings, i would give df at 10pm-ish and she would wake anytime from 1am-3am, not crying just babbling and she would eventually go back to sleep at 5am! she wasn't hungry because she would refuse a feed, i was permanently exhausted and couldn't figure out why she was doing this. I spoke to my Health Visitor who suggested that i may be causing the problem myself by dream-feeding, she said that although your baby is asleep you may still be disturbing their sleep, especially if they are in a light sleep when you df, and as my lo is the lightest sleeper ever i thought she may have a point. So i stopped dream-feeding and increased solids during the day and she started sleeping through. It did seem odd as she was fine with a dream feed when she was younger but this problem started at 4 1/2 months.