What's happened to my good sleeper??? Help!

DD used to be a great sleeper. She would generaly self settle during the day (as soon as I saw her tired signs, she would get wrapped and by the time I had gotten into her room, she was snoozing in my arms), and stay asleep for about an hour.

At night, she would have her last 'real' feed at about 7ish and then go to bed. I would get her up for a dream feed before I go to bed at around 9-10ish but she would only drink about 100mls. Goes straight back into her cot and would sleep till 5-6 (never woke up during the night, even if she lost the dummy) where she would get another big feed, and then go back down for another 2 hours or so. It was great! :dance:

Now....not so great.

For an example, last night she got a nice coolish bath (cause it was soooo hot), then a feed, then bed around 7. She woke up at 8 screaming (has NEVER done this before). We couldn't settle her so gave her a bottle of which she olny drank 60mls and fell asleep. The rest of the night went like this:

1:30 - awake and was feed (I know from attempts from previous nights that trying to resettle her will only mean I will continue to re-settle for the next 2 hours until she doesn't settle - and gets a feed anyway :doh:).
2:00 back in bed asleep
4:00 - awake and re-settled (dummy and re-wrapping)
5:15 - awake and re-settled (dummy and re-wrapping)
5:45 - awake and re-settled (dummy)
6:00 - awake and wouldn't settle so got a feed.

What has happened to my happy sleeper? I'm so tired becuase once she has woken me up I find it very difficult to get back to sleep as I'm waiting to hear her cry. I'm soo tired that I don't want to play with her or even really want to hold her because I did so much of it during the night :cry:. All she seems to get is tired and cranky mummy :(.

Any words of wisdom? Failsafe techniques? Suggestions? Hell, I'll even take magic charms at this point....

First thing I would say - 12 weeks growth spurt.

Hopefully it passes quickly!!

I didn't think there was a growth spurt at this age? Only at 4 moths.

Hope your right Mel. Getting very tired of only having 4 hours of sleep a night. Can't last much longer

Nope - there is one at 12 weeks too :)

I think we are going through a similar thing here too.

That's no good. Miss M giving you hell too?

Not really tooo much hell ;)

Nothin us mums can't handle huh?

(Although... with a demanding toddler - I have my fair share of bad days!!! lol)

Brock went through a growth spurt at that age & is going through another one now. He gets a little unsettled when he goes through one but nothing like that. I up his bottle by 50mls throughout the day while he's going through it & drop it back afterwards.

I also sleep him in a sleeping bag with a dummy & he almost always sleeps through. I've found that the cherry type dummys stay better in his mouth overnight than the orthodontic ones do.

Mel - I can handle it...just dn't want to. I like my sleep too much LOL

Satya - Unfortunately if I feed DD a little more she usually spews for the next 2-3 hours being so full. What I've been doing is feeding on demand so she gets a little more that way. Normally she will want a feed every 4 hours, sometimes she goes 4.5 - 5 hours (not too often at 5 tho), but now she is eating every 3.5 hours, sometimes 3. Also with the dream feed, she's getting much more than usual, but it's still not helping the current night time ritual. She's had 1 extra feed today so see how tonight goes. Wish me luck.

DD is also very picky with her dummies and HATES the cherry ones.

lol... I like my sleep too.... amazingly its been missing for the last few years.. no idea why.... lol

Thank god this will all be a distant memory for you hon.... if it is a growth spurt it usually only goes for a few days....

fingers crossed!!!!

poor thing, it does get better....:rolleyes:

Well it's not getting any better :wall:. She is still very cranky during the day and it's a major struggle to get her down (day OR night now!!!). I'm in tears because I'm so sleep deprived and I'm starting to get afraid that I will do something rash. I'm just getting so frustrated.

Last night went like this...

7:00 Got woken up by the dogs so got a bath and a feed (was v. unsettled)
8:30ish finally got her down for the night with much crying and screaming in between
I usually give a dream feed at 9/9:30 but because she had only just gone down, I didn't.
12:00 awake and was feed (I had only gone to bed at 10)
12:30 asleep (but I stayed up for the next 2 hours in tears cause I was soo tired :crying:)
4:00 awake and re-settled
4:30 awake and re-settled
5:30 awake and wouldn't re-settle so got a feed
7:00 asleep
7:40 awake

Can anyone help? Please?:pray: I don't know what I'm doing wrong and it's been going on too long for it to be a growth spurt (I think) - coming up to 2 weeks.

hugs hun. It is tough. I am awake every 2-3 hours most nights with my DS. I BF him most times as he won't usually resettle without a feed. I have tried water and patting but he is hungry so I feed him. IF I don't feed he won't settle or I am up again very soon.
It is dreadful when you are up very frequently, I do have nights like that and it feels like you are losing the plot.

If you don't think it is a growth spurt it could be the fact her brain is moving a million miles an hour while she is learning to do things and she can't 'switch off'. DS is exactly like this. HE is interested in everything.

1. You have to know you have not done anything wrong to cause this. It is not your fault in any way and sometimes bubs do this and nothing will help. I think it is normal for them to become more wakeful at this time.
2. You need to rest when you can during the day, easier said than done but take bubs to bed with you if you feel comfortable with that. I don't co sleep but we do often have an afternoon nap together.
3. It will get better. It may be that teeth are starting to move although some experts say it doesn't hurt but I don't agree with that. Maybe try some bonjela and see if that helps. DS had a tooth at 4 months.
4. Can you offer her an extra feed during the night? You don't neccessarily want her to associate her waking with a feed but she is now waking for a reason. She may be hungry or may just want comfort.

Sorry there is no definate answers but hang in there it will improve. You need to not stress as well as sometimes that will make the problem worse. Easier said than done when you are sleep deprived.

HUGS now go back to bed and make your partner (if you have one) wait on you all day. Or if you have a relative nearby ask them to help so you can rest