Crying in sleep

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Hello All,

My daughter is 5 months old next week and she has started to cry in her sleep and I'm not sure what I should do. She sleeps in her own room, so each time she does it I go into check on her and find that she is asleep. So far, I have left it for 10 minutes or so (I do keep going in to check she is still asleep), with her crying out on and off (no tears), but then I feel I need to comfort her. Trouble is that this wakes her up and I end up having to give her a feed as nothing else will get her back to sleep.

She has always been a good sleeper, most nights she sleeps 7pm ish to 7am ish. I often hear her talking in the night, but she can get herself back off to sleep. The last couple of days though she has not been taking enough food during the day and I don't know if this is what is causing her to cry out in the night and need food to re settle. I know I am probably making things worse by feeding her, but it's really difficult when I am worried she's not getting enough to eat. She used to have between 6oz and 8 oz 4 times a day, but it has been a struggle to get her to take 4 or 5oz this last few days. She clamps her mouth shut and will not take any more. We have always had feeding issues and on the advice of the GP and HV we have strated her on solids (reflux). She seems to like it, but I worry that is partly why she won't take her milk.

A typical day used to look like this:

Wake between 6.30 - 7.00
7.00 -E (8oz)
8.00 - A
8.45 - S (between 40 minutes and 2 hours)

11.00 - E (6-7oz) and A
12.00 - S (time depends on length of last nap, length usually 40 - 60 mins)
1.00 - A and try to get a nap in here if possible so not too tired for next feed, usually only 30 mins or so though.

3.00 - E (7oz plus solids of 2 cubes of veg and maybe some fruit after)
4.00 - A

5ish - S - Go for a walk for cat nap

6ish - E (4oz)
6.45 - Bath
7ish - E (4-6oz)

This was a massive improvement on a few weeks ago, when we had no clue what was going on. Just as I started to get used to it, she seems to be changing the rules again! Yesterday she had 4.5oz for her first 2 feeds, the 4oz at 3pm and wanted lots of solids, then she took 10oz between 6.15 and 7.30 and was asleep by 8. She then cried at 11pm and 3.20am. I gave in and fed her and 11.30 and 4.00 am. Should I have left her to cry as she wasn't awake? Am I causing the problem? How will I break out of it is I have? How can I get her to take more in the day when she refuses? So many questions - I'm sorry!!

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Sorry, I should also note that she has a lovie, but doesn't seem to attached to it at the moment. She also has a dummy, but only occassionally if we are out or desperate and never in her cot. She just can't keep it in her mouth for long enough and I don't want to get into that at night!! Also, I try to give her water before milk when she won't settle to sleep in the night, she takes an oz (max) and then realises it's not milk and gets upset!

Thanks

[torontomamma]

Do you think that maybe she is teething?  My lo, had trouble eating and would cry in her sleep aswell, then a few days later I saw a tooth.

Just a thought???

Best Wishes,
Jaime

[Colin Macs Mom]

I was thinking the same thing.

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Thanks for replying.

She may be, I tried some teething gel tonight so maybe Ill give that a go if she wakes tonight. She has a rash at the moment too, could that be teething? What did you do when your LO cried in her sleep??

Something which points towards teething is that she gets uncomfortable on the bottle, but clamps her mouth shut. She doesn't normally do that. Also, she is often more settled when we lay her down, even if she has been arching her back during feeding. I assume that mean it can't be her reflux causing the problem.

[Colin Macs Mom]

The rash can definitely be teething! And sometimes LOs will refuse the bottle because it's uncomfortable for them to suck while they're teething. 

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Thanks, the rash was a body rash, but now it is only left on her face - it looks a bit puffy as well. Bless her little heart.

Not a great night She cried just after DH came to bed at 11.30 so he went to her and picked her up. I could hear that she was still crying so I went in and she was asleep, but crying in his arms. I tried to put some gel on her gums and she woke and started giving big smiles so we put her down. A few minutes later she cried again, this time awake, but was happy as soon as I got there. This continued with her getting less pleased to see me each time until 12.30 when I thought I would try to give her some water (which she won't normally take), she had 3oz and seemed to be settled. Just as I got back in bed she started again!!! Although she wasn't really showing signs of hunger I knew that some formula would get her off to sleep, so I gave in at 1.15 and gave her 2oz. This did the trick and she was asleep before she got to the end of the bottle. What should I have done? I don't want to get into a vicious circle of feeding her at night again. I said that if she wakes before midnight tonight I will just feed her as I only give in anyway and we both end up shattered in the process. Saying that though should we have even comforted her up when she was crying but asleep?

Anyway, then she woke again ( I assume she was awake) at 5am, but she was just talking loudly, not proper crying. I told myself I wasn't going to go unless she actually cried and the next thing I knew it was 6.44 and the alarm was going off!! I feel terrible incase she did cry and I was so tired I slept through it. I'm sure she didn't as I usually hear every little mummor!

Each time I went to her in the night she was facing the wrong way in her cot, I think she is about to start rolling over (she keeps rolling on to her side) so not sure if that could also be part of the problem. She gets her sleeping wrapped all around her legs which can't be comfortable either. I feel so bad for her, she seems to have a lot going on. I'm glad we can't remember being babies, these things must have been horrible!

Once this is all over, is there any chance of her sleeping through again? I hear so many people saying that their LOs don't sleep through again after teething problems.

[Colin Macs Mom]

Don't worry, things will get better. I promise! 

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

I just wanted to say thank you for the advice.

I think it was something to do with teething as now we have a very sharp white point sticking out of her bottom gum!

Things have got better, so now I hope I will be more relaxed next time someting like this happens.....we'll see!!!

Thanks again!

[torontomamma]

Glad to hear!

I found my lo was much better with the second tooth, maybe they get used to it a bit?

Best Wishes,
Jaime

[Colin Macs Mom]

Ah yes, teething is so fun isn't it