Author Topic: Screaming hysterically in the middle of the night, but fine naptime, teething??  (Read 4767 times)

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Offline Libbys Mummy

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I have really been struggling with my DD waking during the night for the past couple of months now, but recently things have got really bad.  Two months ago she started cutting her premolars of which she now has 3.  Things got better for a couple of weeks and then the last week she has started waking in the middle of the night absolutely hysterical.  I can't tell if it is teething or something else.  She wakes up at all times usually once a night and I do wi/wo, which used to work, but the crying is so bad and the screaming so loud that nothing seems to calm her.  When I walk in she stops crying immediately usually and then even sometimes lays herself down before I can, so then I just walk out again and the crying and screaming starts again.  She goes down ok for her naps (which she didn't do before when she was teething) although she sometimes plays or talks to her teddies for a while beforehand.  She has also been going down to bed ok.  I had just one time the other night when I had to go back in after counting to 15 and lay her down and she went off after that.  If I offer her a drink of water when she wakes up, she just throws it at me.  She has also started doing a very weird thing over the last couple of months.  When I put her down for her nap or put her to bed, she talks to her teddies and then throws them all out of her cot before then going to sleep.  I hear the thuds on the floor.  She doesn't cry out afterwards and just goes off to sleep.  Our 2nd child is due in November/December and I am anxious to get things sorted out before then.  The strange thing is that the other night she slept through and then last night she woke up.  It is not always every night, but sometimes just every other night.  She woke at 11.45pm the other night and 4am this morning.  After giving her some painkiller and doing wi/wo she finally settles, but I can't believe that the teething has been going on for this long and why is it not always every night and she goes down ok for her naps? ???   When her teeth came through before I could tell as she didn't want to go down for her nap, bedtime and woke up during the night, but this time is different.

Her schedule looks like this:

7am wake up (usually wake her at this time give or take 10 mins even if she has not slept through so as to keep the routine)
7.30-8am breakfast
12pm lunch
1pm naptime until around 2.30pm or 2.40pm depending on when she finally goes off.
7-7.15pm bedtime

I have tried giving her a longer naptime, but then she didn't want to go to sleep at bedtime.  If naptime is earlier, she just fights it and won't eat her lunch any earlier than 11.50-12pm so 1pm is the earliest I can get her down (she is a slow eater and won't be rushed, probably to do with the fact that she had reflux).




Offline Florencia

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HEr schedule seems pretty fine to me (although you don't mention her age, I assume she's around 13-16 mo?). I was about to suggest a slightly earlier naptime to see if she naps for longer periods but since you mention that she won't have it, then I assume she's not overtired by the time she goes down.

All that you describe seems a lot like molar due-night wakings. Yes, when molars are popping the pain they feel is unbearable and makes them cry hysterically and not be comforted by anything, in fact, most babies that are breastfeed to sleep abandon this habit when they're teething their molars cause their moms start to see that the breast is not a "solve it all" tool.

Yes, it is common that this pain is only presented at night time when the relaxing periods are longer and the body is laying down for longer periods. Apparently that's when the molars take advantage and start moving up. And it is pretty common that this movements take place every 48 hours or so, hence the odd night off you get to have. And yes, once the eye teeth/premolars start moving in it is a LOOONG (even 3+months) process before all the 12 first teeth/molars are out.

The fact that she takes so long to eat a meal might be related to reflux but also to the fact that her gums (and head) hurts by chewing... ds does that a lot, he'll hold on for MINUTES a spoonfull... i have forgotten that but recently he started doing that again, and guess what... i've seen 2 white bumps from his 2 year molars
 ::) oh the fun never ends.

The throwing teddies to the floor... oh my that is SO CUTE. I don't think that's weird at all. In fact it tells me she's a smart little lady that knows her teddies help her wind down but doesn't want them in her bed for sleep.-.. she must love her own personal space. Is she the type that doesn't like being held a lot or kissed and touched a lot?

I'd suggest you to keep at the wi/wo and offer stronger and more frequent dosages of meds while this rough teething process takes place. Ask your ped about it, cause Motrin can be hard on the stomach and being a refluxer it might cause heartbur after using it too often. You can try Tylenol but it lasts only 6 hours as oposed to the motrin. Some moms around here (including me) have had great results combining the meds with homeopathic remedies. And remember to rub oraljel everytime she goes down and every time she wakes in the night.

Hope this helps and that this phase ends soon for you!
Mom to Manolo, spirited monkey and Jose Miguel, an angel cupcake

Offline Harrisonsmummy

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the only other thing I can think of is that she is overtired. Although routine looks ok - if she is having regular night wakings, chances are she is overtired, and this will exacerbate the problem. If you let her sleep in will she still go down for a nap? Normally I would suggest, early nap and early bedtime for a few days, but if she resists naps anyway, it may be best to let her catch up sleep in the mornings? (Never had that option personally LOL!)

justine

Offline Samuel's Mom

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This might sound off base, but my little guy who is now 25 months often would wake up between 12-3am every night or every other night.  We thought it was always hunger and did the feeding thing until 18 mos when I finally lost it with lack of sleep and working full time and cut him off that.  He still woke up, often hysterical.  Then, his language developed and he started saying things like "Sam fall", "want tractor', "no broccoli" - like really off things that could only be from dreams.  Sometimes, just me coming in the room calms him down - other times he just needs a hug and then he settles right back down.  He has been slowly getting better - I still hear him wake up and say things, but he isn't as hysterical and can often settle himself back down. 

So, I do know teething really bugged my little one too, but I also definitely think he is a dreamer.  Maybe yours is too?
Nicole
Nicole
Mom to Samuel born July 27, 2004
 and to Julianna born Dec 26, 2006



Offline Libbys Mummy

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Well I was up 3 times last night so I am shattered.  I gave her some Mediced at 11pm and then she slept until 4am.  When she cried out it was just grizzling or moaning on and off for a few minutes so I just left her and kept counting.  She never cried out or screamed so I reckon the meds were still working a little, but the pain had just started to surface again.  It seems to be teething as she is rubbing her face a lot today and I can see a bump on the left side.  From what you explained Florencia, it all points to teething.  I just assumed that she would be feeling the pain every day.  Hopefully it is about to cut anytime soon.  My DD is 19 months old, but didn't cut her first tooth until 2 weeks before her 1st birthday so she is a late developer. 

I think you are definitely right about the teddy throwing.  She doesn't really like to be held or kissed a lot.  She is a very independant little lady.  She has always been like that.  I think it has to do with the fact that I never rocked her to sleep or slept with her to help her to sleep.  I have always kept to the sleep training methods relevant to her age.  At night when she wakes up if I give her any meds, once she has taken them she wants to get off my lap and back into bed, even if that means that she starts crying as soon as I leave the room.  I think she likes the security of knowing I am there when she is in pain.  During the day though she'll enjoy a cuddle if she is suffering for a few minutes.

I am sure she is also overtired as you mentioned Justine.  I know I am ;) ...  She is still going down ok for her naps, but today I had to go back in again once like yesterday, so the pain is obviously really starting to bother her now.  Of course by the time she falls asleep for her nap it is already 1.30pm so I'll wake her at around 2.45pm and then put her to bed a little earlier tonight and see if that helps.

It is funny you should mention about the dreaming Nicole, because the other night when I went in to give her some meds, she was saying "down, down" all the time and waving at me, which I have to say even at 3am I found really cute and had to stop myself from smiling.  She has only really started trying to talk in the last couple of months.  Before that she could say Mum or Da Da, but every day now she is trying to say a new word and of course I can't always understand what she is trying to say which is very frustrating for her.  So I think the speech development could be a part of it. 

Well thank you all for your support and fingers crossed this tooth comes through and I get a few nights of peace to recover before the next one.