CIO I don't know what else to do!

[~Jency's*Momma~]

A little history:
The second week of January we started the DF and cut out all other night feeds until 7:30am.
Took 2 nights.  He was then sleeping through the night.  Sometimes he would wake but all we had to do was go in and give him a drink of water or pat him on the bottom for 5 sec. and he was back to sleep.  No biggy.
Well, 1.5 weeks ago he started waking in the middle of the night (always at a different time) and it would take an HOUR to get him back down.  We would do PU/PD but it didn't seem to help.  He would want to look at the ceiling fan and night light.  If we laid him down he would do one of two things, #1: roll onto his back (tummy sleeper) and start crying and holding up his hands to be picked up.  Once up he would lay his head down and be fine until laid back down. #2: we would lay him down and pat his bottom and he would stay there.  As soon as we quit he would either #1: pop his head back up and look for you and if you aren't there start crying or #2: stay as if asleep until we got back to our own room and in bed and then he would be back up.
The past 2 night we decided not to pick him up anymore but just try to resettle him while in bed.  This works as long as you keep patting his bottom until he is asleep.  And only DH can do it.  It seems like if I try he won't settle.  But DH can't do it because he has to get a bunch of sleep to get up at 5:30am and work a 10 hour day doing construction.
Jency was taking a really good DF when we first started it but now it seems like I have to keep arousing him and he still doesn't take much.  I am BF.  He won't take a bottle unless he wants to watch something and not stay still.  Last night he woke for an hour.  Then he woke 45 min later so I fed him.  He seems to actually take a better morning feed if he eats during the early morning (2am-4am). 
He has a pretty solid routine during the day.  I don't know if this has anything to do with it but he wants to take a 1.5-2 hour morning nap and then he won't take a good after noon nap.  He will only stay awake for 2.25 hours except in the evening when DH is home.  Then he will stay awake for 3-4 hours.  He has done this since day one! 

If this doesn't get better in the next few days I am contemplaiting CIO.  I hate to do this but I don't know what else to do!
Why would he sleep through the night and now not? Should I just feed him?  Is he going through a growth spurt? I don't know how to up his calories during the day when BF.  If I feed him he will sleep the rest of the night. 

[alligirl]

Sounds like a growth spurt.  I know you are breastfeeding, but are you also doing solids.  Might be time to introduce a 2nd meal (of solids) if you aren't already doing one.  If you think it's a growth spurt or he's just plain hungry, you've got to figure out a way to add more calories.  WHen he cries at night, what do you do....do you go straight in to him or do you wait a bit?  Sometimes, if I don't go in to Z right away (only when he's just fussing, I always go straight in if he's really crying) he'll settle himself.   WHen  I do go into him, I just lay him back down as many times as it takes (PU/PD) or leave my hand on his back so he knows I'm still there (I don't pat or anything).  When he does this once in a while, as long as I stay consistent with this, these nightwakings only last a night or two. 

As for the short afternoon nap, both my kids did that for a while. Can you try to distract him in the afternoon before his naptime so you can extend his awake time with hopes of extending that nap??

I really hope you decide not to do CIO.  Even if you just sit in his room with him while he cries, he needs to know you are there.

{{{HUGS}}} I know the nightwakings are hard, but all the work is worth it.

[mthyne]

Is it possible that it could be the start of separation anxiety as well?  I don't know, but my 6+ month ds has started waking more frequently, and instead of a quick popping in of the pacifier, there has to be more reassurance before he sleeps.  I was speaking to a girlfriend about it and she said both her girls did this too.  Her Dr. told her that separation can start that early.  Does your LO get upset if you leave him during the day?  Alex pitches a fit unless his sister is with him, then as soon as I walk back in the room he's fine. 
BIG HUGS though!  And I definitely know how you feel! (My dh has a similar work schedule, so it's hard for him to help in the night too).  Good luck, and if possible, join in on that morning nap for a while!
Melissa 

[~Jency's*Momma~]

I do solids three times a day and he takes 3-5oz.  Plus he has some fruit puffs in the afternoon.
He nurses 4 times a day andthen a dreamfeed.  I don't know how to add more calories to his day.

I think a part of it is seperation anxiety.  But he really doesn't have it that bad during the day.
Like a said before the pu/pd didn't seem to work for him because he would want to look around instead of settling down.

Thanks to ya both!

[Katet]

If you think it is even part separation anxiety then DON'T even think CIO, it will make it 100's of times worse... the more you respond with love & support the better separation anxiety is able to be dealt with. CIO just tells Jency his needs aren't important enough for you to go to him & he will fall asleep out of despondency & exhaustion.

If he looks around when PU/PD was being used, was he actually crying when you did it or just 'awake'

[~Jency's*Momma~]

No, he is crying when I go in and then he holds his arms up.  So I pick him up and sometimes he will lay his head down on me and other times he will try to look around while fussing.  Either way as soon as I lay him down he is back to crying and holding up his hands.

[Diegos Mama]

Once you are certain there is not a hunger issue, teething issue, or any type of medical issue (such as ear infection) -- try holding him down firmly, but obviously lovingly and gently whisper the same reassuring words to him.  I often have to hold Emilio in place, I keep telling him I love him and it's night, night, he's okay. Your physical presence, despite the fact that he's crying in protest will protect your bond of trust and in the whispering world is far preferred over CIO.  If he IS having sep. anxiety, CIO will make it worse as you will be confirming their fear ... that you will indeed leave them.

If you're not comfortable with holding him down, or don't feel it's necessary, just try patting him in the crib. 

I still am thinking it might be food or teeth though.  Maybe he simply has a cold coming on.

[~Jency's*Momma~]

Thanks all.  I think it is food.
Last night he woke at 9pm because he had wet through his diaper.  Completely SOAKED everything.
So I changed his diaper and jammies and bedding and gave him his 'just in case' blanky.  Then I settled him back down but he was up in 15 min so I gave him hs dreamfeed early.  I tried giving him some formula and he took 1oz until he realized it wasn't mom.  But he was fully awake so he took a full feeding.  Then he slept until 5:30am and then kept trying to put himself back to sleep but DH had to get up and get ready for work and the door to the bathroom conects with both bedrooms so he had to shut the door and turn on the water and all that kept waking Jency up.  So I ended up going in and resettling him.  All I had to do was pick him up, give him a drink of water, lay him back down, rub his back, then left my hand there for quit a while and he was out.  I think if DH didn't have to get up and make all that racket he would have put himself back to sleep.  I think he wasn't eating enough at the DF.  Should I wake him completely for it now that I know he won't take much if he's asleep but will if he's awake?

[LeslieG]

Adria,

Sounds like you have your hands full. I would be worried about waking him for the DF incase he doesn't settle back to sleep.  When I read this it sounded a bit like my DD but her issues seem to be teeth related. She had a tooth pop through finally on Monday. 

Wish I could offer you advice but I think it sounds like you are doing all that you can.  Hang in there {{{{Hugs}}}}}}

Leslie