Can't deal with this for much longer

[C~Q]

DD2 is 8 months old and for the last 8 weeks or so she has been waking every couple of hours. She doesn't want a feed (bottle) as she hasn't had one at nihgt time for about 4 months. ALll I have to do is pop her dummy back in and she goes back to sleep but then a little while later she is awake again. I can't say with acuracy how many times she wakes up as they all sort of blend into one, but it's at least 6 times a night

I know that it;s probably the dummy which is the problem, she needs it to settle but I can't face the week of hell if we try and take it off her. I have tried leaving her for 5 mins and she works herself up and goes mental! The kids are in another room, so i'm not worried about them waking, it's just me.

I really don't want to let her cry herself to sleep (even if it would work) so i'd like to find some other options first. DH just says shut the door and leave her but i'm not doing that!

Please help, I am so bloody tired I can't think straight

[aussienic]

((hugs)) I do understand where you are coming from.. I went through something similar with my first.. He also had a dummy. The only thing I could suggest is to yes let her cry but sit with her while she is in her cot.. I would sit next to them and just let them cry but I was also there so they didn't feel abandoned.. kwim?

Good luck.. and heres some sleepy vibes for your daughter ~~~~~

[~Raven~]

I have only just come through the other side of this with Caleb *knocks wood*. He was waking up twice a night but settling quickly after I take him back to bed for a cuddle. I offer him breast and sometimes he's interested but most of the time it's not what he wants.

I've read somewhere too that it is an insecure age and they can feel abandoned which is why they can settle quickly again by knowing you're there for them.

I remember having to put the dummy back in Masons mouth a couple of times a night. I got glow in the dark ones and had a couple loose in the cot so he could find them himself. Caleb never took to one so I can't try that trick with him.

[C~Q]

Someone else mentioned glow in the dark dummies so i'll go and find them today. I always leave a couple in her cot but sometimes she's even got one already in her mouth and she's still crying. She hasn't cut any teeth yet, so I suppose it's just a combination of all those things.

[katkins]

I did it the hard way and made my girls go cold turkey and just took the dummy off them. I wrapped the girls to keep them secure and removed the dummy. I started it during the day and just went in to rub their backs etc if they got VERY worked up. They quickly learnt to self soothe and Kat sucked her tongue instead and Jess managed to free her hand and used that instead. So after one hard day, it got easier each time. I too had to get up many times during the night previous to the decision to control cry them to pop the dummy back in (most nights it was around 9 times and boy was I exhausted! Esp once I had Kat running around and was still getting up all night for Jess!). I'm sending you the biggest hugs

[~Jo~]

Could she be hungry/thirsty Rachel?

Jo

[~clover~]

I think try to just calm her with out the dummy. don't pick her up if possible. Do if you need to. Maybe its just reassuranse she needs. Neither of my girls really took to the dummy so I don't know if it will help. Maybe she just needs to know you are still there?

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I just want to say you don't have to let your baby cry at all - this is the gentle section so can't believe people suggest it! I know night wakings are awful, but your baby needs something, that's why she's crying. I would love DS to go to sleep without me holding him, but he won't, and I'm not going to let him cry with me just sitting there.

Could you co-sleep for a bit, if it's just you she wants this may be the best way to sleep, then wean her back to alone by same room, seperate beds?

[aussienic]

woops sorry I didn't realize this was the gentle section.. My apoligies..

[C~Q]

I think cold turkey dummy remmoving is the way to go. I don't think she's hungey or thirsty as she wakes up about 6.30 am and doesn't get fed, happily till around 7.30. I never pick her up in the night, just put the dummy back in and she settles. I never let her cry, if she is whimpering I leave her to see if she is asleep or awake and she is always awake.

We have a double bed next to the cot so I might sleep in there, take away the dummy and cross my fingers, legs and toes that it only takes a night or two. On second thoughts, maybe i'll try the glow in the dark dummies first during the night and try not to use one during the day.

Thanks for your help guys

ETA she has been asleep for just over an hour and has woken up twice already, I think i'm in for a long night

[Nadine216]

Me too have been getting up at night just to put the dummy back in. DD is now seven and a half months. The last two weeks she has been waking up less during the night, so it is getting better.
What advice I have to offer is not so helpfull maybe, but give it a try - it worked for me
I used to put some gliserien on the dummy each time she woke at night. That would get her to sleep in 5 seconds flat and would stetch out the times she wakes! So I started putting on less and less, until last month. ( Now I only use it when she is really rowdy and we are in the shops or somewhere - not anymore at night. ) At night I only pop the dummy in. Now I am starting to just tap her and saying shhhhh hun and only putting the dummy in when she really wants it. (opening her mouth when I lightly touch her lips with it) Sometimes she press her lips together, so I don't force her.
I think she will get settled by herself when the time is right, only hope it sooner than later for you! I know how totally fed up you can get when you need to get up just to put the dummy in.
Hope this helps! Good luck!

[C~Q]

Thanks Nadine, what is Gliserien? Is it like Bonjella? I put that on the dummy sometimes, if she sounds like she is crying in pain.

[~Flossie~]

Hey Rachel

I have not got too many suggestions at all sorry . Maybe it is her teeth? or have you introduced any new food of late that might be giving her an upset tummy?

I hope that you find answers to the night wakings,

[Nadine216]

Rachel,
Gliserien/Borax is sticky clear fluid (more like the consistecy of honey) that is very sweet. You can put in on mouth sores. I think I heard somewhere that it is made of whale blubber (?!)

[visitor2]

Rachel she could be starting to cut teeth and that is what the problem is. We have been having some problems with Eleanor and she has no teeth yet.

I hope getting your DD to go cold turkey works.