Won't resettle...

[Tanners Mom]

Hi Ladies!
SO....my LO is doing something new in the past 2 nights that I'm trying to figure out. Any help is appreciated!!

Tanner is 6 months and 2 weeks old. He falls asleep independently for all naps and bedtime. I nurse him at night to a drowsy state and then put him down and he falls asleep well.

Typically, he'll wake once in the night for a feed - he'll wake and kinda moan for a bit and then let out a little cry and I'll go nurse him. Again - he just gets real drowsy at the breast and I put him down and he falls asleep again.

Here's what's been happening. He's waking up crying in the middle of the night. I nurse him but he's not nursing back down to a drowsy state. He's staying awake and pulling off. So I put him back in bed and as soon as I set him down he cries. But he stops when I wrap his arms (still swaddle his arms). He'll let out one or two more cries when I leave the room. THEN...15 minutes later he starts to cry and cry and cry. Nothing I do will soothe him. So...I nurse him again and then he gets drowsy and I put him down.

I can't figure out what is going on. Maybe:

1) he's teething? I think he is - he's had a drool rash on his chin. I gave him hylands teething tabs before I nursed him the 2nd time the first night and then before the 1st time the second night. Didn't seem to help the second night at least.
2) he's still hungry? he is eating again when I nurse him but I'm not sure he's just eating b/c it's there, kwim. maybe he's just nursing for comfort?
3) he's not tired? I don't think he's getting too much sleep during the day (I'll post my routine below).
4) it's just a phase???

Yesterday's Routine:

7:30 wake
7:45 BF
8:45 solids
9:30 - 11:15 nap
11:45 BF
12:45 solids
1:30 - 4 nap
4:15 BF
5pm solids
6pm bath
6:30 BF
7pm asleep
3:15am BF

Our routine can vary by 30 minutes or so - and of course - all depends on his naps!

Anyway...I would appreciate any of your thoughts! Being up for 1.5 hours in the night is NO fun - and Tanner is losing sleep this way too!

Thanks!
~Jaci

[Colin Macs Mom]

maybe he's just nursing for comfort?

Yep. You want him to go down as awake as possible and not be nursing until drowsy. By now he's got a nurse-to-sleep association which obviously will interfere with independent sleep.

[momofclaire]

What a beautiful sch you have there!  I think part of the problem may be too much sleep.  I would suggest leaving naps as they are and putting him to bed a half hour later, 7:30.  You want to aim for a 12 hour day and 12 hour night.  Most babies 6 months take 2, 2 hour naps and a 45 min cat nap so you really aren't far from that.  Does he seem ready for bed at 7:00 or could you wait a bit. 

There is also a huge growth spurt at 6 months which could be causing some of the problem.  Has he started to crawl or roll over recently, that also tends to effect sleep.
Hope that helps.
Myia

[Tanners Mom]

Hi Ladies!
Thanks for your replies! And thanks for the compliment on my LO!

OK...I see what you are saying about the nurse to sleep association. At bedtime, I pull him off when his suck slows/weakens - so when I put him down he's still awake (looking at me). But in the middle of the night I'm so drowsy myself I usually don't pull him off till he stops sucking for a period of time. SO....what to do now? He just cries and cries in the middle of the night and I'm unable to soothe him. So far, pu/pd hasn't ever worked for us - he gets REALLY riled and more upset. I know he can fall asleep by himself at bedtime b/c the other night he was really crying after I put him down so I went in and re-wrapped him and sat by him and he fell asleep in about 15-20 minutes. But that didn't work in the middle of the night these last two nights.

He's known how to roll for awhile but in the last few days he's been rolling ALL over the house! But since his arms are swaddled, wouldn't that help? Or does it effect their brain which effects sleep?

He normally wakes between 6 - 7am. I let him sleep till 7:30 the other morning b/c of him being awake for 1.5 hours during the night before. This morning he woke at 7am. So I'll shoot for 7pm. He recently dropped the catnap - was skipping/fighting it. His longer A-times have made for longer naps.

I really appreciate your replies and helping me figure this out!
~Jaci

[Colin Macs Mom]

Hmmm... have you recently started solids?

[Tanners Mom]

Tanner has been on solids for about one month now. Loves 'em!

BUT...I should tell you - I just got off the phone with the advice nurse at his ped's office. I thought he might be constipated and she agreed that it sounds like he is SLIGHTLY that way - but not bad. She said to take him off the apples, bananas and rice cereal for a bit. Do you think that he has a tummy ache? I gave him solids at 5pm - one cube pears with 1/2 ounce ebm mixed with enough rice cereal to make the right consistency. I'll be switching that to oatmeal tonight (he's already had it and loves it!).

He's really been gnawing on his tongue the last couple of days. He did that the last time he was teething. Should I try giving him Tylenol when he first wakes in the night? Maybe those teething tabs aren't enough to cut the pain.

BTW - he woke crying from his first nap already - only one hour. Is usually 1.5+.

These LO's sure keep us on our toes!!

Thanks Myia and Jessica!
~Jaci

[Colin Macs Mom]

Ah yes, good ol' teething! Have you tried Motrin instead of Tylenol? That seems to work much better for Colin and last longer too. You might give it before bed instead of when he wakes to better stay on top of the pain.

Switching to oatmeal is a good idea - the rice cereal is harder to digest and often causes tummy upset and gas. I'd also suggest doing the solids earlier in the day, like lunchtime. That way if he is getting any tummy upset or gas, he's got some time to work it out before night sleep.

[Tanners Mom]

I haven't tried Motrin - I certainly will! 

Thanks Jessica!

[Tanners Mom]

OK...I'm back again b/c Tanner did it again last night. This time he was up for 2 hours in the middle of the night. He nursed good and back down to drowsy (something he hasn't done in the previous two). He wasn't asleep when I put him down (this is normal) but he was rubbing his eyes so I know he was tired. He made a moan 2 minutes after I put him down. Groaned and let out a small cry about 10 minutes after I put him down. And then 30 minutes after I put him down he started to cry hard - all of a sudden. I went to him and he was on his tummy at the end of his crib unwrapped from his swaddle. Could it be his new mobility (rolling all over) that is causing this? The last two nights he wasn't on his tummy but was in a different spot and unwrapped. What would I do about that?

BTW - I didn't get Motrin yet but used Tylenol before bed and again when he woke to nurse (7 hours later). Should've kicked in before I put him down so I think we can rule out teething pain (unless the Tylenol doesn't work on him).

I'm at a loss b/c he's never had a hard time going back down in the middle of the night before.... 

[Colin Macs Mom]

The mobility thing can definitely affect sleep. Unfortunately it's all a part of the milestones, but the best way to keep it at a minimum is to make sure he gets all the time he wants to practice during the day. If he wants to literally do nothing else, go with it 

[Tanners Mom]

Hi Jessica!
So it's just a phase and will pass? OH...I hope!

He does love to lie on the floor and roll around - he rarely fusses when he's getting floor time. I'll make sure he gets a little extra! Thanks for the advice!

[momofclaire]

I totally agree with Jessica about the mobility thing.  Hang in there, it passes.   

[Colin Macs Mom]

Yep, it's a normal phase and will pass 

[Tanners Mom]

Hi Ladies!
It's definitely the new mobility - and he's doing great! Getting lots of floor time! He has fallen to sleep by himself for the past three nights!! 

Here's hoping it will last!
Thanks again!
~Jaci

[Colin Macs Mom]

Fantastic!!!!