Reason for nightwakings at 10 months?

[fujbeck]

We did PU/PD with my DS a little over a month ago, and it has improved his sleep a lot. However, he is still waking up a few times a night. I am wondering if anyone can give me any input as to what the reason my be and how I can fix this.

Here is his routine:

7:00 - Wake Up/Bottle (8 oz)
8:15 - Breakfast
9:30 - Nap (45 min - 1.25 hours)
10:50 – Snack, formula in a sippy cup (5 oz)
1:00 pm - Lunch
1:45 - Nap (1 - 1.75 hours)
3:30 – Bottle (7 oz)
5:00 – Dinner
7:00 - Bottle (8 oz)
7:15 – Bath/Pjs/Stories
7:45 - Asleep

The times of his nightwakings are inconsistent, although he often wakes up once in the early evening (1-2 hours after being put down)--this does not correlate with how his daytime sleep went that day, and at least once in the early morning (around 4-5 am).

[teezee]

have you tried a 7pm bedtime? lo may be a little overtired with the stretch from the pm nap to bedtime. and/or try keeping lo up 15 min longer in the am and pm before the naps?? lo may also not be tired enough at these times and this may help making the stretch to bedtime.  i know my lo is almost 10 months and we are going through nap and A time transitions here also.

[Katet]

If my 10mo is anything to go by... Separation anxiety.
are you at home or working/ have there been any changes in activities recently?

Right now my 10m is waking at "odd" times & if I go & sit with him for a few mins he goes right back off to sleep... my ds#1 did EXACTLY the same thing & with time it sorted out.

[fujbeck]

You know what, I think you both are right. I think he is usually overtired before bed and also I think he has separation anxiety. Sometimes when he wakes and cries, all it takes is DH or me going into his room (not saying/doing anything else) and he will calm down and go back to sleep. He has been more clingy during the day too. The only changes I can think of are that we recently started a Gymboree class and also we go over to my parents' place more often b/c my Dad is seriously ill. I am a SAHM.

I'm going to try stretching out his A times so he's not so overtired.

Kate, do you think I just need to wait it out then with the separation anxiety?

[Katet]

I'd say he is probably picking up on some of  your "tension" due to your dad's illness so that would be a factor.

Re sep anx, well I tend to believe (based on reading on "attachment theory") that it does self resolve & that "responding" consistently to his needs, ie he crys he needs you (it isn't "manipulation like my parents say the crys are) & it is a real "need" on his behalf to know he is "important". So the more you respond, day or night to his little crys whinges the more likely it is to get better, cos he learns you will come if you call... it tends to come on & off until about 2yo. We had weeks here & there with ds#1 after the initial one bout at 9-10months

It does (for some reason)often tend to hit boys worse than girls... I guess the saying "mummy's boy" comes from that & ALWAYS worse if they are tired/sick etc

[teezee]

i just wanted to echo kate and mention that dd gets HORRIBLE sep anxiety when she's teething but isn't affected at all by it if she's feeling well. could your lo be teething??

and.. if you are going to stretch out A times be sure that you are committed to sleep training to lengthen naps. with any luck, it will all iron itself out, but if not you need to be committed to try to lengthen lo's naps so he will start sleeping better at night.