Starting to have some sleep issues with 8.5 month old.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Ever since we have been to the sleep clinic, DD has been in her cot. Very successfully i might add. BUT... the past 1-2 weeks, she is taking 1-2 hours to get to sleep! Usually no longer than 30 mins. We play baby rainforest sounds and light sorta classical music in the room to try and help her and she has a dummy and a small soft toy on there with her. She just babbles, squeals, dances, bangs on the side of her cot.. she doesnt cry often. She is having 2 day sleeps at the moment, 2 x 1 hour naps (sometimes 2 hours). These are at 9:30am and 2pm and then bed at 6:30pm. But as it is.. there was no way she was gonna go down today at 9:30 as she woke up an hour later than usual. So i put her down about 10:15 this morning, but she still no signs of going to sleep. I went in there before and layed her bak down and tucked her in, coz im worried shes gonna get cold and shes already got a cough and abit of a snuffly nose, but not enough to disturb her sleep and she has only had it the past 2 days.

So.... im not sure what to make of this. I have NO IDEA what to do (its very hard for me to admit that). SHould i drop her day sleep to just one? but isnt she too young? OMG, what am i doing wrong??

[rufalina]

My DS dropped to 1 day sleep around 10mo. But not every day. Some days it is two, but generally one only.

I go by the rule, of 1/2 hr in the cot, and see how he goes. If he is not asleep in that time, I get him up and back to play, and know that it will be a one sleep day. He is in a dark room, with a soft toy and a book for that time, and I do put him in a sleeping bag so if he drifts off to sleep he is warm, and I can come and add a blanket later.

I personally thought it was too early to drop the sleep, but at day care he wont have two, as there is too much to do, and so at home, we play it by ear. I moved his bedtime up to 7pm from 8pm to cover for the lack of day sleep, but he generally sleeps a solid 12 hrs at night, so I am cool with that.

Good luck hun. Sleep is such a hard thing.... It does my head in all the time... xo

[ezymay]

My DD dropped a sleep at around your DDs age. Its hard so big hugs!!! At this age they are going through major develpmental changes and it really disrupts their sleep.

If Em is showing signs of needing an extra sleep in the arvo I'll put her down and like Ruf will give her half an hour and get her up and just deal with the whinging!!!

If she is sleeping well at night she might not need the extra sleep during the day.

[Visitor8]

I'd let her go hun, follow her lead Put her down as usual but if she's happy playing until she goes to sleep let her go

[[M]umma[M]ia]

thanks so much girls.

She is STILL awake in there so im gonna go get her up in a tick.

Its sad really, i love the day sleep coz i get time to do things.

Im abit confused at when to put her down now.... any ideas??

ezymay - yeah she sleeps atleast 12 hours straight every night. Mayb 1-2 wake ups 2 days a week.

[ezymay]

This is how our day goes...

Emily wakes up anywhere between 6 and 730 am She has a bottle and if its still early I bring her into bed with me and we sleep for a little while longer, but more often than not we get up and start our day. We go out nearly every morning so she goes to bed when we get home which is normally around 11.30-12 she then will sleep 1 1/2 to 2 hours if I'm lucky its longer!!! Bed time is around 7 and she is super ready for bed by then.

[rufalina]

When DS has one sleep he can go down anywhere from 12 - 1pm, and will generally give me 2-3 hrs at that time. It is hard without that 9.30 morning sleep... I miss that one. It was my shower, and breakfast and cleaning time.

[[M]umma[M]ia]

thank you so much girls! tried to give u rep point Ruf but it wouldnt let me.

Today has been all over the place. She didnt go to sleep earlier, not even a wink. I got her up and she had a play while i got her some lunch. Im going to give her a bottle in about 30 mins or so and see if she will go down then. I will look into just one sleep tomorrow and play it by ear. I have got nothing done today *sigh*.

[PinkPalace]

Hols - this age they are starting to get very active and so are their brains - so when they are in bed they are thinking of sitting and crawling. Especially if they havent been too active during the day. Teamed up with teething it can be difficult. BUt just know that bubs will go through these stages at various times.

Just be consistent and dont change things.

DD however dropped 1 day sleep about 9 months. She would go down about 11-12 and that was it
perhaps try this?

[[M]umma[M]ia]

im losing it... i dont know what to do.

I put her down at 1:30pm.. all good asleep within 10 mins. But woke up 20 mins later screaming. So i went in and calmed her down. Once again she has been in there for an hour babbling and squealing to herself. 20 mins in 12 hours is not enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what do i do???????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????

the only thing i have been doing productivley is crying.

[rufalina]

um.... A nice warm bottle and a good rock in your lap? Sometimes I need to remind DS that cot time is time for sleep, and help him turn off his mind... I even resort to wrapping sometimes...
Pop her in the pram and take her out for a big long walk? - sometime I find that just chilling in the pram can be a good rest for DS...
Will she sleep if you lie down with her? again, reminding her that it is nap time, and good for you too...
Take her for a drive?
Get her up and play for 30 mins then try bed again?
Is it teeth? some teething gel and cold chew?

My DS has days like that and it drives me crazy too. And I am afraid I dont have a lot of good suggestions... Just more for you. Hang in there.... I am sure it wont be like this every day.

[ezymay]

Big hugs maybe just for today don't worry about the sleep. Start again tomorrow. Em has had days like that and it is so frustrating!!! I feel your pain. Maybe go for a walk or a drive to get out of the house and it changes her surroundings for a little while. I find Em gets bored if we are home all day and isn't as sleepy just cranky!!!

ETA snap Ruf on the walk and drive!!!

[jamakin]

firstly its so hard when they dont sleep and you dont get any down time.
it sounds like you have been very busy today with your little girl, so just forget about everything else that needs doing!

Hols - this age they are starting to get very active and so are their brains - so when they are in bed they are thinking of sitting and crawling. Especially if they havent been too active during the day. Teamed up with teething it can be difficult. BUt just know that bubs will go through these stages at various times.

i think pinkpalace is right, they have such active little brains at this age.
she does sound like she could be a tad overtired now, so maybe a walk in the pram could be good?
in the morning do you wait for tired signs or just put her down at 9:30? could you try putting her to bed later at say 10 when she might be a bit more tired?
could she be hungry? or thirsty? is she still sleeping ok at night?
my ds still has 2 sleeps 1-2 hrs each ( and he needs them he is so active!!) generally he is up around 7 back to bed by 10, another nap at 2/2.30 then in bed by 7ish.
i think if she is happy in her cot than there is no problem her being in there, at least she is kinda resting iykwim? but like the others said its prob best just to follow her lead..
i hope that tomorrow is better for you, and today was just a bad day. x

[mellys bubby belly]

I’m hearing you on this one!! My 8 month old DD has been doing the same thing – she shows all the tired signs, rubbing eyes, getting grizzly etc, so I pop her in her cot, tell her it’s time for a sleep and leave....and then she plays for anywhere between ? hour to over an hour – just merrily rolling around, cooing, chattering (with the occasional half-hearted grizzle in between) etc. Then she CRACKS IT!!! She’s so overtired by that time and it’s driving me crazy!!! Then when she finally does go to sleep, I’m lucky to get 40mins, so she’s obviously just sleeping thru that first sleep cycle then not re-settling. Luckily we’re off to our local sleep cottage this Friday so if they have any good suggestions, I’ll let you know!! Good luck in the meantime, and take heart that you’re not alone!!!

[jamakin]

Hi Hollye, just wanted to see how everything is going? is your little girl sleeping any better?