Waking nearly every hour

[Alia's mum]

Alia is 15 months next week.  She has slept right through the night since she was a couple of months old but over the last couple of weeks is waking, now to the point of nearly every hour. I have tried PU/PD and everything I can think off.  She is then waking about 5am ready to start the day and I am ready to pull my hair out because I am soo tired. 

Any suggestions???

[Alia's mum]

Sorry, should make it clear that she does wake but normally only a couple of times, but now every hour is really taking it out of me.  I guess you just get used to what life throws at you and to me a couple of times waking seemed pretty normal!!!

[Harrisonsmummy]

Hiya, sorry you are having such a hard time! ear infection, teeth? All been checked? Post your routine so we can all get a clearer picture of what may be hapening.

Justine

[Florencia]

Ditto on Justine's questions, we have to rule out other things before we come up with a sleep training plan... also we need to know her naps behaviour. Has she switched to one nap already? some lo's have it hard when switching and reflect it on their night sleep.

When you say you've tried everything you can think of, can you be more specific? have you tried any of the toddler sleep training methods like wi/wo and gradual withdrawal?

Don't worry, as soon as you post us on your schedule, we'll come up with a plan. It is fixable and probably teething/illness/developmental related, since you mention she was sleeping through before this happened.

[Alia's mum]

Hi, thanks for interest.

I had thought it might be ear infection/teeth but that has been checked so def not to blame.  She is still on 2 naps a day - did post about her waking from naps sobbing and getting quite distressed which i thought may be down to her still being tired.  Did get some good feedback from Marisa'a mum about switching to 1 nap and pushing her bedtime back.

Her routine would be:

Wake at 5/5.30
nap about 9 to 10ish
nap about 1 to 2ish after lunch
Bed at 7pm.

I suppose when I say Ive tried everything I can think off it is a rather limited list, I dont even know what wi/wo is.  I have tried controlled crying, pu/pd, keeping her up later in hope that shed be so tired shed just sleep.  I guess that sounds pretty pathetic really as it doesnt sound like ive tried very much, but i dont know what else to do.



 

[Alia's mum]

Have just realised what wi/wo means!!! Yes I do try to do that, but maybe Im doing it wrong?

[Harrisonsmummy]

I have read your answer on another post, I would say lo sounds ready for one nap. It can be difficult with such an early wake-up as they are desperate to sleep so early, but H was only waking slightly later at 6am and I would push him to 12pm! Brutal but probably effective faster! Just remember that during this transition EARLY bedtimes are the answer! So if lo will nap at 11am and you are lucky enough to get 2 hours, then bedtime needs to be 6pm ish max! (That's why I pushed H to 12pm, which he could take and still sleep!)

If they are really ready, they should adjust quite quickly - good luck.

Justine

[Alia's mum]

Ok, now im really confused!!! Thought I had it worked out and Alia was ready for transition to one nap, BUT yesterday seemed ok.  Couldnt stretch her to 12 but got to 11 and then she had a cat nap in car.  Then put her down for her nap in cot at 2.30 and she slept until 4pm.  Bedtime was 8 which I know probably wasnt far enough apart from nap but she couldnt keep her eyes open.  Well last night was one of the worst nights Ive ever had!! She not only woke early part of night on the hour as she has been doing but then started waking at 15 min intervals!!  I am exhausted!!!  I couldnt figure out what was wrong with her.  I took her temp, her teeth didnt seem to be bothering her so I just dont know whats wrong. 

Have also been trying to get her to go down for nap this morning because she is so grumpy due to tiredness but she wont go down.  Im in despair!! 

Please help x

[Florencia]

Don't know what's wrong with the site... i had already responded to this post! here i go again...

I would suggest that if she's holding on ok till 11 am, then offer the nap at that hour. Hopefully she'll sleep for 2+ hours and then make an early bedtime (like 6 pm). I think that there were too many changes at once (a catnap, a big nap at an odd hour and then a late bedtime) and that might've triggered all the overtiredness and night waking.

It is a tough process and only with a lot of tweaking you'll be able to find what suits Alia best. You have to give things a go at least for a week to see if it's really not working or it is just resistance to change. Only give up if it's too distressing and you feel that it's not working.

It is very important (i know that it is easier said than done) to remain as calmed as you can. Our lo's sense exactly what it's going on and can pick on your stress, making relaxation harder to get. I know it is not possible to remain calmed when you're waking every hour at night, so by all means, try to get as much help as you can get while this training is on process. Remember that you can help and provide all that is on hand to help her sleep but can't MAKE her sleep. That thought saved my sanity during the tough times. That and coming here to vent or report my progress, fears, etc. It is doable, just take a deep breath and try it again and again.

I hope things went better today. Let us know!

[Alia's mum]

Hi florencia,

Yes, I did think sund was a bit crazy for Alia, but somehow had hoped it would work!! Well, I cant believe it. After posting my probs from sund and mond am, Alia went for nap at 12noon - only for 45 mins but I was delighted that she finally went to sleep and that she lasted to later time.  No pm nap and didnt seem too bad, very tired by 5 so had some dinner and then was tucked up by 6pm.  Out like a light, stirred a few times before 11pm where she had a drink and seemed to want a reassurance cuddle.  Then slept to 3am, didnt realise she was being watched by her daddy but happily played sitting up in her cot for about half an hour before going back to sleep.  Then she slept through until 7.20am!!!!

Today she didnt have nap until 3.30pm as I was working and she was with childminder.  Very tired again by 6pm so put her down, but she is quite unsettled still, crying out as if in pain.  I am starting to get paranoid as I was working last night (I work in children's home and had to work sleepover last night until 2pm today) and im wondering why she slept so well last night when  i wasnt home! 

[Alia's mum]

Very restless last night until 11pm then slept until 5!!!  I cant believe it - even though its still an early start its amazing the difference having a decent sleep can make!!!  Went down for nap a 12noon today and still sleeping - hopefully the 2-1 transition was what she needed and maybe that was why she was unsettled at night???

Will keep you posted on progress.  Thanks again for all your help x

[Florencia]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! it sure is a relief see things are moving in the right direction!!! remember to stay consistant cause some setbacks are to be expected. You just keep up the good job and keep us posted, cause many moms might find this success story very helpful!!!!!!

YAY FOR ALIA!!!! (and for mom and dad!)

[Alia's mum]

Alia (Fingers crossed!!) appears to be a lot more settled at the moment.  She has been going down around 5.30 every night and although very unsettled until about 11pm has only been getting me up twice a night now and is sleeping through until 6!!! Hooray!!! So even though its still an early start, Im getting sleep so am much able to cope with everything!

Only having one nap during day which lasts about 1hr, so very pleased!

Hopefully other mums out there who are having problems can get some hope from this??

Thanks again for everyones help xx

[Alia's mum]

 :(Honeymoon period is well and truly over!!!!

We are back to waking about 6 times a night and im really stuck!!

Naps are working perfectly - Alia going down anytime from 11.15 to 12noon depending on just how tired she is and sleeping for about 1hr 20mins and a couple of times has actually slept 2hrs - great

BUT...  Going to bed between 6 and 6.30pm and just isnt settled at all.  Very disturbed until she gets up around 5.30.

Havent changed any other part of her routine apart from  the 2-1 nap and going to bed slightly earlier.

Any ideas??  x

[andibig]

just wondering if shes teething again as this can make them unsettled at night.