Another 6 month night waker...

[giggles]

I know this is a common thing but I am interested to know of anything that you think might help and would love Draught to pop her head in and give me a run down on controlled comforting (not crying)

My 6 month DD has started to night wake after sleeping through since the 8 week old mark.

I don't have a problem with her waking but seeing as though it is a new development, I am worried that something is off!

She cries until I go to her, is not unhappy, in pain, or hungry so I have come to the conclusion that this is something to do with the new found clinginess she is going through and she just wants her Mum.

The first week or so she would settle back down as soon as I went into her but it is becoming more of a task now. She seems to want to play before going back off to sleep and I really want her to continue knowing that night time is for sleeping, not playing. Once she is ready, she goes back off to sleep as long as I cuddle and rock her whereas before, she would quite happily fall of to nod on her own.

During the day, she still does go off on her own, it's just this night waking time she doesn't.

How would you tackle this?

[draught]

Hi!
Heard my name so will pass on what I can - although with the qualifier that I am not an expert:rolleyes:

This is a familiar sounding story. The controlled comforting that we used at this stage was a routine of patting for 2 minutes (I used to lie her on her side but she would roll onto her tummy and I would pat her on the bum in a rhythmic fashion, usually in time to the music on the Fisher Price Aquarium in her cot). Then leave for 2 minutes. Then go back in and pat for 4 minutes, then leave for 4 minutes. Then keep repeating the pattern in increasing 2 minute increments. What I tried to do was that if I saw that she was falling asleep while I was patting I would drop the patting right back so that she was basically putting herself to sleep. I would also listen carefully to her when I wasn't in the room - there is a difference between a distressed cry and a whingy "I'm almost alseep" cry - if it was the latter I would leave her a minute or so longer as she would often fall off to sleep.

After a couple of nights all it took was a couple of pats on the bum and that was a signal to start snuggling down and getting ready to sleep. I have to confess that it didn't last too long and eventually we did go the controlled crying route, but by then DD2 was much older and I knew that she wasn't hungry, in pain, etc, etc etc - just overtired.

Hope it, or a variation, works for you and you and baby get lots of :sleeping:

[giggles]

Thanks Theresa.......let's hope she reverts to her beautiful sleeping habits and I don't have to try anything.

Really appreciate you stopping by :)

[LockieCJsmum]

Hi, I found an article in March Practical Parenting magazine that explains why babies suddenly start waking between sleep cycles at six months old. The article is called "Teach bub to sleep from 7pm to 7am". It explained why my 6 month old is suddenly waking every couple of hours and needs help getting back to sleep. At least now I know I'm not doing anything wrong and it is quite normal. See if you can get the magazine from Woolworths. Good luck.:thumbsup:

[giggles]

I'm getting in my car right now (just kidding). Will definitely grab the mag to check that article out.

At this stage I just can't listen to her cry for any amount of time so am hesitant to try anything like controlled comforting/crying yet.

Thanks :kiss:

[KatherineIV]

My son started teething at 5 months... and from that point on all hell broke lose ( My lovely 12 hour sleeper wsas gone) and he was waking up every hour and a half during the night... I was walking around like a zombie... for three months... I woke up once morning and just cried and my partner took the day off work just so I could sleep.. I took him in for his eight month old check up with our community nurse and she stated that he shouldn't be hungry etc during the night. She suggested we used the controlled crying technique for three nights... (which I have to tell you worked MIRACLES in our household)

The first time he started crying I would walk in comfort him, pat his bum etc. I'd then walk out... if he started crying again I'd give him two minutes (and as my little man is so active I'd walk in he'd be anywhere except where he was supposed to be... standing up in his cot etc. I'd just move him back into sleeping positon, cover him bac kup and walk out... (no eye contact or speaking).. I'd then give him four minutes.. go back in (again no talking eye contact just move him back into bed properly)... then 6 minutes... then 8 minutes... (although he very rarely went over the six minute mark)

She told me that after three nights (although I was walking in a daze from lack of sleep) Morgan should start sleeping through. She also told me to turn our baby monitor off.(his room is right up the other end of the house) Now if he wakes up at night he settles himself back down... I am up to week four of sleep.. and I LOVE it!!! I feel almost like a human being again.

He was a little unsettled with the cold he had end of last week... but is 100% better now and has gone back to 12 hours a night...

I hope some / if any of this has been helpful...

I have to tell you next time I see my nurse I will be giving her a HUGE hug.. Even my partner says I am less moody etc. He told me I was getting to be a little too much to handle during my sleepless nights.

[Manxie]

Hiya justcooked

Just wanted to let you know that my DD also six months started nightwaking:( BUT she is now back to sleeping through:smiliedance: I think she was mainly waking because she had a bit of a viral thingo and just wanted mum as she wasnt feeling well.

She has however become a little harder to settle at bedtime though. We do a form of comforting which goes like this


If she cries after first going down, go in pick up and check its not pooy nap, wind, hunger etc, I'll often give her another top up of booby mainly for my peace of mind. Then pop her back in the cot.

If she cries again go in saying Shhhhhhh, if this dosent work pat, if still not settled give dummy if she has one, if still not settling pick up. (I must admit I have doen my own variation on this where I have my head in the cot and kiss her forehead!)

Then back down, next time she cries leave it a minute then go in and do above. Bascially keep doing this extending it by a minute at a time for as long as you can stand it :crying: About two minutes top's here.

Remember though as someone else said - keep it boring. No eye contact, speaking etc. Just give the comfort and as soon as they are settled get out.

Hope this helps, if you want any more info give us a holler.

May you be having lovely :sleeping: soon.

[Mumma]

Hi all

We are having the same problem. DS (7 months) has been waking each night b/n 3am and 4am. He is typically sitting up in his cot when we go in (I say we b/c its turned into a two person job). This has been going on for about a week.

He isn't sick, he just seems to wake and isn't able to go back to sleep. I had been changing his nappy (its invariably wet), then feeding him (FF), and then re-wrapping him. Last night we decided to try CC. No luck. So I ended up feeding him and he skolled a 220 bottle.

I think he maybe he is genuinely hungry (although he is ating quite a bit during the day). I just worry if he gets into a habit of being fed during the night we might have trouble breaking it.

Any thoughts? (I have also booked in to see the MACH nurse next week, hopefully they will have a fresh perspective).

Thanks in advance!! :D

[LockieCJsmum]

Hope you found the magazine OK. I just found a site that is written by the same author as the article I mentioned. It is www.saveoursleep.com.au.

My bub is still waking during sleep cycles but just knowing that it's normal and will pass makes it easier. I try to get him back into his next cycle before he wakes up too much, that way it doesn't take long. :fingerscrossed:

[giggles]

I have yet to grab the mag but will check that site out. Thanks so much :hugs:

[stormanet]

Hiya :) I don't know what sort of solids bub is on, but apparently if you give them the tinned variety instead of home cooked then they don't last as well in the tummy overnight. I also load my lil man up with a meal with carbs in it before bed :) Just thought I'd throw in the diet possibility for you :)

K