Baby wakes up a lot at night

[nathan_smom]

Shannon...my LO wouldnt nap today either (He protested but finally only slept for 1 hour)...it is VERY frustrating....but the scary thing is, that he is perfectly CONTENT and HAPPY!! I just don't know! 
Thanks for the advice on sep. anxiety....my LO loves the water bottle too!!  I also sing and dance (when no ones looking ) and now when he hears the music he bobs his head and neck..its so funny!! Oh what do we do with these crazy babies??!!!

Also, I am noticing Nathan is very close to crawling...he goes in circles and backwards and jolted forward a few times...I wonder if thats whats keeping him up, along with maybe new teeth?? We can guess all we want and won't know until after the fact and think...oh yeah, thats what was bothering him/her!!!LOL
As for the dairy, I dont think thats what it is because I have been eating/drinking the same for 8 months now, I dont think it would all of a sudden bother him.
Good luck tonight!!   
-Robin

[shannon S]

Just an quick update.
I decided that my lo has been in pain (tummy ache) especially at night and that's why her "getting to sleep" has been worse. So yesterday I did not give any meat at all and I will continue that for a few days.  Guess what?  She went to sleep a lot faster last night, no flailing around or anything and so she didn't seem to be in pain. It took approx 20 minutes to get her to sleep. I had a hand on her tummy.  Also she woke up only 2x (sitting up). I put her down and she went right back to sleep.  one of the best nights in a while.  Maybe just a coincidence, but I will continue with no meat for a while and see if the sleep improves even more.  I've been doing the bw sleep techniques for just over a week now. So maybe I will start to see some results.  She has always woken up a lot at night, but it seemed to get worse over the last 2 weeks even though I have been doing all the right stuff (she has been falling asleep in her crib every nap and bedtime....with help of course).  So even if she goes back to waking up 2x instead of 5x I would be happy. And if she goes back to taking 20-30 mintues to get to sleep instead of and hour or 2, I will be happy.

Maybe in the right circumstances, (no tummy aches or gas), and if I stick to it....it will get even better.
I feel terrible that I didn't realize she was in pain this week.  (The exact same thing happened when we were away for a week....I had been giving her the same kind of meat).
shannon

[teezee]

it seems that you figured out what the pain is so be very happy about that. you might want to wait a month or two and try re introducing it into her diet. good luck with everything - once you have the meat out of her system with some consistancy you should see great results!

[shannon S]

Should I just not worry about her getting any protein then for a while?  When it comes time to re-introduce, I'll get help on the E boards.

I guess I just never thought it was food because she has always woken up lots at night.  But maybe she was JUST learning to calm herself when I introduced meats.
Anyway, now we have to get this schedule down, maybe her afternoon nap today will be better.
thanks,
shannon

[teezee]

is it all meat or just this meat?? there are other foods you could feed her with protein...egg yolks for ex which my dd especially loves!! you can give them every other day...anyway, you might want to check out the E board now to get some more ideas though.

[nathan_smom]

Shannon...I am so happy your LO slept better without the meat!!!  My LO slept better last night..Teezee maybe you were right, it did take more than a day to get the meat out of his system!  I wonder what it is about the meat that makes them have so much tummy trouble...
Nathan was up 3x last night, but I only had to go in and put my hand on his tummy and he fell right back to sleep...man do I hate that feeling when they wake up and your are like...Uh Oh here we go again...what is my plan this time...but then they jhe ust drifted off to sleep on his own... thank goodness!!!
I heard that avacado has some protein in it....maybe check on that!  ALso, we have tried some hard boiled egg yolk mushed with some formula, but your LO's are a bit older, so I bet they can have it chunky!!
Yay.....the weekend is here...let's see if the LO's will sleep!!!!

[teezee]

just a thought on the avacado - my lo loves it but it makes her gassy so maybe start off slow with it.

next time you try to reintroduce the meat to lo try it earlier in the day so it hopefully won't affect night so much, as it is harder to digest than other foods.

good luck this weekend ladies!!

[shannon S]

Just when I thought things might improve.....
well, I actually was out with a friend last night and dad had lo asleep by 7:00.  I said I guess I have to go out every night.  but woops, spoke too soon. She was awake crying at 11:00 and did not go back to sleep until 2:00. Initially I thought she might have had a bad dream. She was okay if we picked her up.  Then DH and I took turns calming her in the crib, I'm sure we should stick with one person but I just couldn't do it anymore..  Some of the time she'd lie there still but with eyes wide open. Then she would suddenly get fussy and roll over and sometimes a toot would come out. So we decided she had a tummy ache.  Girpe water helped a little but  then she didn't want to lie down at all. Anyway, it was a long process and then she was up at 6:00.

What if we decide our lo is in pain?  Is it okay to hold them longer to soothe them?

So if it is meat causing this, it is definately still in her system. And teezee, I'm really not sure if it is all meat, I didn't think of it until these posts.  She may be okay with the "vegies and meat" since there really isn't much meat in them.    I just hope it's not something else entirely.

On a more positive note:  lo did have two good naps yesterday and could be the reason for DH having an easy time getting her to sleep at night.
Thanks to both of you for your posts!
shannon

[teezee]

i would try sticking to giving gripe water before the afternoon/night feedings and see if that helps with the gas...sorry things aren't going better 

[nathan_smom]

I  have been giving mylicon before bedtime and if he wakes up during the night.....seems to be working. He has been sleeping better, but now instead of waking for a long stretch of time, he seems to be waking a few times in a 2-3 hour period. 
He would be sleeping soundly, then cry out.  I would wait and count to 100 or more if he was just mumbling, but when he started to cry out, I would go in, try to shush/pat or p/u and then he would resettle and fall back to sleep.  I wonder what could be causing him to wake so frequently during that time???  
Oh well, like I said before, you fix one problem only to find another!!!!   I do like this way better though, and hope this too shall pass and he will be able to sleep through......LOL

[shannon S]

Just an update....

My lo does not seem to be in pain when going to sleep at night anymore (since stopping meat) but she still seems to have gas and has been having more poops than usual. Not sure why.

As for my original post....baby wakes up a lot..............still does.
BUT she only woke 3 times last night and 4 the night before and each time went straight back to sleep.  I still went in to find her paci.
And the last two nights, she fell asleep on her own in 45 minutes with me going in and out to lay her down.  Occasionally putting a hand on her tummy to settle.

Hopefully it keeps getting better.

nathans mom, my lo seems to wake mostly during a 2 or 3 hour stretch too.  Usually she wakes once just as I'm going to sleep and then not again until around 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 sometimes.  I wish I knew why!
Maybe we could do a poll......how many times does your baby wake at night!!!!!!!

[nathan_smom]

Hi Shannon
We have been having some successful nights!!! He slept through a few times, and the others he tosses and turns, puts himself back to sleep, or just needs me to go in a pat him for reassurance! ( I know I just kinxed myself!!!!) Still have not tried meat again..I am scared to!
Also, I dont know if this helps, but we just recently tried the overnight diapers.  I know when I used to go in to settle Nathan, he would  try to go back to sleep but looked uncomfortable and seemed to go back a lot easier after I changed him........so we tried a few nights of the overnight diapers my girlfriend gave me.  The 1st night he slept ALL night and I was like...this is the answer to my prayers!!!! BUT the next night he was up again!!......but only for about 40 minutes!!!

nathans mom, my lo seems to wake mostly during a 2 or 3 hour stretch too.  Usually she wakes once just as I'm going to sleep and then not again until around 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 sometimes.  I wish I knew why
Nathan also used to get up when I went to bed...now he just stirs....and he seems to get up around 3 too!!!