8 mo pulling self up and can't get back down at night

[Tumbleweed]

I'm sure that this is posted somewhere else on this board, but can't find it so thought I'd post myself...

HELP! My 8 month old has just (this week ) started to pull herself up and crawl. Since this milestone, she wakes 1-2 times a night SCREAMING, either sitting up or standing up in the crib. She is in such a daze, I'm not sure she is even fully awake.,  It seems she can't get herself  back into a sleeping position and needs help laying herself back down. It is a true catch 22-if we leave her too long to settle herself, she gets so wound up she won't settle easily & I can only calm her down with a bottle BUT if we go in right away, we lay her down & she goes back to sleep, we are at risk of becoming a prop. We have been practicing helping her get down during the day...it doesn't seem to transition to nighttime yet!

I've answered the Nightwaking questions below, any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

Love
Erin

How old is your child? 8 months
What’s his/her daily routine? 4-4.5 hour EASY
What’s nap routine? 2 times a day How long are naps?1-1.5 hour & 1.5-2 hour
What's bedtime routine?  6pm Bath, Bottle, Book Bed usually by 7pm...goes down easily most nights
Do you bottle or breastfed?? Bottle
How much? or how long?  6-7 oz every 4-4.5 hours Total24-27 oz. Solids 3X a day usually
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed)
How many wakes per night? 2 on average usually bw1-2 and 4-5
What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? Screaming, almost panicky.If we go in right away-minutes, if we let her go 30-45min.
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry? She's screaming/whining/fussing
What have you tried to settle?? Lay her down, I've even resorted to a bottle to calm her back down-don't want to do this often, scared of her getting used to it
What do you do for A time and how long is it? Walks, play, read, morning A-2.5 hours, afternoon A 3-3.5 hours & final A 3 hours
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? As mentioned, mobility increased this week & possibly teeth as well
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months)
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? A soother at bedtime, she puts it in & out herself & it is usually in when we go in during these night wakings.
Do they have a lovie? Yes, a bear

[M and N's Mom]

I'm no expert, but I would think that if you are helping her learn during the day, you will probably have a few rough nights and then things should go back to normal.  I don't think helping her lay back down will make you a prop as that's a skill she doesn't have yet.

[Carter'sMama]

Hi there!

I dealt with the same thing with my guy when he learned to crawl and then when he learned to walk.  We ended up going in for up to 2 weeks to lay him down but we never became a prop.  Most of the time he wasn't even really awake when we went in and as soon as I touched him he would go limp so I would lay him down.  It was as if once the novelty of suddenly being able to crawl/walk wore off, the night wakings stopped.

It's great that your lo will go right back to sleep if you lay her down ... that indicates to me that she truly just needs your help! 

Even now at 18 months Carter will cry in the night every once in a while and when we go in he is standing up!  Funny thing is he immmediately goes limp and seems to be completely asleep when I touch him!

HTH

[Tumbleweed]

Thanks for your replies .
M & N's Mom.I really appreciate your comment about prop vs skill development, I hadn't seen it that way, but it makes sense.I think this is a fairly common issue but I just didn't want it to get any worse than it already is!

Cathy..its great to hear from someone who has lived through this! I really needed to see "the light at the end of the tunnel "to get me through the night! Congrats on your pregnancy, I see you are in teh Possibe nausea phase...hoe its not to bad!

Again, thanks so much

Erin