6.5mth old sleep problems

[Terri21]

Can anyone tell me why my 6.5mth old has all of a sudden stopped sleeping through? I have been told that its teeth dont worry but she is waking up every hour and im going crazy.. i tried giving her a formula bottle at night, but that didnt make any difference. any ideas greatly appriciated!

[Jeanie]

Hi

i went through a similar thing when my daughter was 7 months old. I rung the Aust Breast Feeding association for advice and they told me it was normal. They suggested that you shouldnt really expect a growing, active (crawling) baby to sleep through without a feed. Fair enough I thought so I returned to feeding on demand. I found the night waking increased!!! I read about this thing called dream feeding, where just before you go to bed take the sleeping baby and feed them without waking them, it seemed to hold off her hunger longer. But the situation didnt improve and had 10 months I thought she could start sleeping through the night without feeds. So we started a gentle letting her go to sleep herself program, wasnt too successful as she was in our bedroom and would wake during the night see us in bed and want attention. Moved her to her own room and havent looked back she is now 15 months and I think i have had to get up to her twice in the middle of the night in about 5months.

Hope this helps


Jeanie :)

[Eleni's Mum]

For my dd I think her waking had a lot to do with her new found mobility. I've started wrapping her almost every sleep and nap. She sleeps so much better now and when she does wake up up give her a few minutes and geberally she settles herself because she has nothing else to do.

There is a great book called the happiest child on the block and has several settling techniques the wrapping style I use is in there. I also found mulim squares are big enough for her. She's alomst 7 months.

Good luck :)

[Angel]

There is LOTS of wonderful information that will help you at http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp particularly the links to 8 Infant Sleep Facts Every Parent Should Know and FAQs.

I'm SURE they'll help.

But I also thoroughly recommend Elizabeth Pantley's book The No Cry Sleep Solution for babies through to around two years old. It is very methodical, sensible and even humorous at times. It is also designed so that it is very easy to pick up, find a tip, and put down again so that it suits the most sleep-deprived parents!

[cait]

Hi Terri,

I had a similar experience with my son at around the same time. I am also working 3 days and found getting up 5 times a night was sending me crazy! I tried Elizabeth Pantley's book and although I liked the book, I personally didn't have the patience to see it through. :o

I ended up doing controlled crying. Initially I was really against it because a CHN told me babies sometimes vomit through crying so much but you still had to leave them.....this went against every motherly instinct I had. I ended up talking to my Mum and MIL who helped me. The first night was torture with one hour of crying before he slept (no vomiting though!) but after that the most he has ever cried is about 10 minutes. He is also much better at settling himself during his day naps too. My bub is a reall snuggle-bunny and loves to be breast-fed to sleep and held a lot so I thought he wouldn't react well at all to CC but he did...it was my DP who found it the most difficult! I was just glad to finally have more than 2 hours sleep in a row :D

Controlled crying isn't for everyone but if you can get help from your partner or family it can work well...completely up to you though.

Hope this helps.

[Angel]

Specifics from Dr Sears:

WHY BABY WAKES UP
My three-month-old is constantly waking up during the night, and I often can't figure out what she wants. I usually just try to hold her and give her a bottle. What should I do?

While babies do sleep more lightly and for shorter periods than adults, your baby needs her rest as much as you do. She won't wake frequently unless there's a reason. Consider these possibilities:

Nighttime separation anxiety. Your baby may want to sleep closer to you. Try different sleeping arrangements until you find one that gets everyone a good night's sleep. Your baby may sleep best snuggled safely next to you in your bed, or in a bassinet or crib right next to your bed.

Even if she used to sleep just fine in the next room, you may find that some experimentation is in order. Babies' nighttime needs often change as they reach a new stage of development. A sleeping arrangement that worked in the past may not be appropriate now. If you are not comfortable with your baby sleeping in your room or in your bed, gradually move her sleep space further from you as she gets older and she sleeps for longer periods in deeper states of sleep.

Gastroesophageal reflux. GER is the most common hidden medical cause of nightwaking. When a baby with GER lies flat, her stomach acids regurgitate up into the esophagus, causing pain similar to what adults call heartburn. These are some symptoms of a baby with GER:

frequent spitting up during the day
awakening with painful outbursts of crying that signify more than simple restlessness
frequent "colicky" bouts of abdominal pain during the day and night
throaty noises that occur when baby regurgitates food back up into his throat
colicky pain right after feedings
GER can be successfully treated with medication, so discuss the possibility with your pediatrician.

Formula allergies. If your baby is particularly fussy after her feedings, she may be allergic to her formula or, if you are breastfeeding, allergic to food in her mother's diet (dairy is a common culprit). Other signs include a red, sandpaper-like rash on her cheeks or a red, raised rash around her anus. If you suspect food allergies are at the root of your baby's sleepless night, try changing formulas or, with the advice of a doctor or nutritionist, eliminating common "fuss foods" from your diet.

Airborne allergies. An allergy to something in your baby's sleeping environment can cause a stuffy nose and a buildup of fluid behind the eardrums, making it difficult for her to sleep. If your baby consistently wakes with a stuffy nose, dust-proof her sleep environment as much as possible. Stuffed animals and fuzzy toys are common dust collectors and should either be cleaned regularly or removed.

Crying is communication. Well-meaning friends and relatives may advise you to let your baby "cry it out." Don't! Keep looking for possible causes for your child's nightwaking. Eventually, you'll find the right arrangement, diet, sleeping position, and environment that will get everyone the best night's sleep.