Weill self-settle but won't STAY asleep

[JordieC]

I'm just venting right now - last night was soooo bad. DD was up at least 6 times. I recorded it! I started recording her sleep patterns this week because they've gone down-hill.

Last night was the worst. She was in bed from 6pm till 7.30am which is a long time but she woke 6 times. Twice I/we were able to settle her in about 10 mins without feeding but the others times I fed her off one side and changed her three times.

She self settles beautifully - hardly any crying. She had 3 sleeps yesterday during the day adding up to 3 hr and 20 mins so she isn't overtired. So why isn't she staying asleep? Is she hungry, is it just a phase?

I have had many people tell me to start formula or farax to see if that will get her through but I am very reluctant to do this. I feel now after being tired and getting advice from lots of different people that I don't know who to trust and really I should be trusting my own instincts but they're out of whack when I'm tired!! Vicious circle.

any help? ideas?

[Spring Angel]

OMG that is almost exactly what it was like in this house last night and I've noticed that your DD is 3 days older than my DS. He has always been pretty good at sleeping at night (days are our problem) but last night I was up and down from 1.00am until 6.00am. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Each time he woke he would start singing to himself, he wasn't interested in feeding (except at about 3.30am) and just wanted to hang out.

Sorry, I don't know what is going on here either but considering they are both doing the same thing perhaps it is just a stage. Boy I hope it's just a stage *yawn*

ETA: I would steer clear of solids at this stage, you don't want to add an upset tummy to the mix.

HTH
Spring

[spring_ag]

Jordie,

Hope you will be able to have some rest today. There is a wonder week at around 19 weeks but I think your DD has passed that age already? Sorry but I dont have any solution to give you but just want to send you a **hug**.
DS usually sleeps well during the night but a couple of weeks ago he woke up every 1-2 hour or so. Apparently he was cutting tooth. I didnt know before cause I didnt expect a 3.5month old to have a tooth but now he has 2 already (finger crossed we wont have to go through that for every tooth).
I am not saying that this is also the case for your DD but seeing that our babies are just 1 day apart, just want to say that this might be a possibility, if she also has other symptoms like dribbling a lot, chewing her fingers, etc.
Hope things get better for you soon (and you too Spring)! Having a baby sometimes feels like a guessing game doesnt it ...

[Artechim]

Same here. He used to sleep reasonably well at night, either sleep though or up once maybe twice. Since the start of the year he has been up a minimum of three times a night, sometimes more. He feeds and usually goes straight back to sleep although lately he has started waking when I put him back in the cot. I think that it is because I put him into bed with me when he wakes up early in the morning and he wants to be in there all the time. He is winning too, because after I have been up three times already and it is only 2am I give in and put him in our bed. I know it is perpetuating the problem but I can't stay awake to feed and then settle him.

I have also wondered if some solids at night would help him as he seems very hungry when he wakes. We are moving next week so I will start him on some solids when we are settled in our new house.

Good luck, doesn't seem to be a phase for us but hope that it passes soon for everyone else.

[~Trish~]

Hi Jordie, these babies are confusing and exhausting aren't they?! Unfortunately I don't have any magic answers for you. My DS started doing the same thing overnight last week, but it only lasted 3 or 4 nights and then he stopped again *phew*! I think it may have been a growth spurt. Growth spurts can happen at any time, not just when the books say! Hopefully it will pass for you very soon

[Dragonbub]

Hey Ladies,
My GF is going through the same thing with her 5.5 month old. I read somewhere that around 6 months they develop "night" sleep cycles. They get day sleep cycles at around 6 weeks, which is one of the reasons that a normally sleepy baby starts only having 20 minute sleeps.

Apparently the same thing happens at around 6 months where a normally sleepy baby sleeps through the night, they start waking up after a sleep cycle or too.

I don't have much advice, other than the same rules I applied to get Caden to sleep during the day - dont pick them up but settle them in the cot. Put them straight back in to bed even if they are wide awake (clear night time messages). The hardest thing - persevering with the crying. Even if you are going in and out of their room every 4 minutes or so to settle them, it is better than feeding them off to sleep or some other method - cos that way they learn to settle themselves to sleep rather than needing you to do it for them.

There are some great services that offer support over the phone - Ngala here in WA or Tresellian. They will have some tips on what is appropriate.

Good luck!