Support for Mum's of LO's 16-19months with sleep issues

[daisymelan]

All our night wakings last night were before we went to bed~!   And of course one before dp left for work, but dp took care of that one.  I hope we have another night like that or better.  Took dp going in 3 times tonight to get him down.  Cross your fingers ladies.   

[aidenmc]

I can always tell when it will be a bad night because of how early the nw's start. The earlier they start the more he has and the more likely it is he will wake early. Not sure how many times he woke last night ( about 4 I think). His last one was at 4:15. Dh got him back down but then he was up for the day at 4:50. I had a funny feeling because he had a harder time settling. Today it could really see the tooth that is coming in. It is not throughbut very swollen and sore looking. I am just waiting for them all to be in because then I am sure he will be a much better sleeper. Can you believe that Dr. Weissbluth says that teething does not cause nw?

Here is a strange question. I know that DS's tummy gets bothered by teething and right now he is in a pattern of pooping first thing when he wakes, often around 5. I think that he is bothered by gas until he has his poop and I also think that that early morning poop sometimes causes him to wake early than he would otherwise. Does anyone know a way to shift his routine so that this happens later inthe morning?

[LeesMom]

Becky,
My daughter is only 15 mos. (hope it's okay that I'm posting here!), but we have had this problem also with her stomach bothering her and early morning poops    What I ended up doing was giving her a little extra apple juice or a small spoonful of prunes at breakfast and/or lunch. This worked for her, because it kind of "cleared" her out before nighttime. I never did this at dinnertime though... I think that might cause things to happen in the middle of night    --- not fun. Hope this helps.

[LŠuren]

Well I am going to join you all, although I could have done a month ago 

Calum was fighting going to sleep and having numerous night wakings - but I know it isn't teething becasue this is different.

So for we have tried a version of gradual removal and I saw positive result nearly straightaway - we still have night walings but for the first time in a month, last night he woke but SETTLED HIMSELF - woo hoo!!!!!!

[binxyboo]

We are back on track so to speak!!!!

Hope I didn't jinx us by saying that though

[TDR'smom]

but for the first time in a month, last night he woke but SETTLED HIMSELF - woo hoo!!!!!!

Lauren,  That is great news. 

Michelle, so happy for you that Riley is getting back on track!!  THINK POSITIVE!!!   

[*Natasha*]

So i put DD down for bed tonight as DH was out (he usually does it ) she carried on for 30secs then asleep within 10mins. When DH has been putting her down over the last few weeks she carries on for 5mins and to begin with it was taking us 30mins to get her to settle.

[JoC]

In the same vein of not jinxing myself too, we put ds down a half hour later last night (7.25) and he slept through til 6!!
We had been putting him down at this time and it worked for about 2 months, then it all went crazy over christmas, with later times and travelling back from relatives later and teeth and MMR and chest infection etc, so going to keep up this 7.30 time (not sure why we lapsed back to 7..could have been cos he started to wake at 5 and he was so tired he was not lasting til 7.30.
So lets see if this variation on the theme works!

Good going lauren and Binxyboo, lets hope they all keep it up!

Jo

[PeepersMom]

Just like I predicted last week when ds was sleeping so well - the insomniac is back!  he is only sleeping 10-10.5 hours at night and not even 2 in the day.  Yesterday his nap was 1h15 min and he woke screaming.  PJ is used to at least an hour more at night.  Naps have always been a struggle, but nights never were.  That is until we went on vacation 6 weeks ago. 

Meg

[LŠuren]

sounds like he is overtired Meg, have you tried extending his nap. I always know if Calum wakes screaming he is still tired.

[PeepersMom]

Lauren, thanks, I know he is overtired.  He seems he is in a weird cycle where one week he'll take 15 hours of sleep a day the next week barely 12.  What is up with that>

Naps have always been a struggle for us and since he has been 4 months old I have tried every single babywhisperer method I know to extend (and others) and nothing really seems to work consistently.  The only thing I can do to keep me sane is keep to the plan/schedule.  The trick that works most often for us is to extend his awake time, but then again, last week I was putting him down after only 4 hours and he would sleep 2.5.  This week that means he'll only sleep 45 min.  So I am back to my old standby of 5.5 hours of awake time til nap until things shake out. If he takes a short nap I will put him down earlier at bedtime. 

We have had a really active lifestyle over the past 2 months = not just the holidays and vacation, but we have had activities for him almost every afternoon or we have been going out to dinner (albeit early dinner, still home by 6 pm to start bedtime routine) along w/his developmental stuff.  So I know that has something to do with it, but he is getting so much better with more independence that we are just tempted to take advantage of it.  I mean for the first 16 months of his life we basically did nothing socially (the adults, that is) b/c he was such a beast in restaurants, etc.  Now that he is doing better we are having fun w/it.  I wonder if we are now paying the price.

OTOH, I also wonder if he is just reorganizing his sleep and with all these road blocks we keep coming across - vacation, holidays - he is struggling to figure it out.  We are doing the same activities we used to do w/him.  Story times, library play groups, small play groups, but he just seems to be so much more excited.  Like he is really 'getting' playing all the sudden.  He plays with other kids a lot more now.

I don't know, as you can tell I am a little bit frustrated b/c of lack of sleep on both our accounts. 

THanks for the support ladies.  I am off to do some  more looking around for help.

Meg

[*Natasha*]

***HUGS MEG***
DH put DD down tonight for bedtime no problems fingers crossed we have that sorted out now

[PeepersMom]

well who the heck knows. natasha I hope you had a nice night.

PJ was asleeep by 640- fell asleep with in a minute of walking in the room.  And woke at 7:45 this morning!! now he just past the 1.5 hour point in his nap.  I just really am confused.  Today is wonderful, I am so thrilled he is making up sleep.  BUT  WTH???  How can he be so inconsistent?  It is hard for me to deal with b/c 50% of the time I have a really bad sleeper, overtired hyper boy and 50% of the time he is well rested, nice, lovely.  What in the world?  And I really do protect his sleep.  I truly do.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

It is FREEZING here.

Meg

[LŠuren]

I was playing with DS today and saw 3 molars coming in  so his sleep problems are possibly due to them. Although he has had NONE of the usual teething symptoms he gets with these.

[JoC]

AAgh..We were up 3-4 this morning (teeth??) Then awake at 5, wi/wo til 6 then up. I was so tired at work today, going to go to bed at 9 this evening. 

Jo