5 month old sleep problem!

[HopefulK]

Hi there have searched other threads so apologies if this has already been asked a zillion times before but here goes...

DD who has just turned 5 months, has gone from being a perfect night sleeper to being extremely difficult to get to bed, and once she's there she now wakes up every 1-2 hours (or less!!)

We have always done the same routine ie solids, bath, bottle, story & bed and generally she goes down without a peep at between 6-7pm, then waking again at 4am for a feed, then straight back down til around 6.30am. Daytime naps are generally 40 mins duration, I can sometimes re-settle so she can get 1.5 hours at a stretch but if not I just get her up, play etc and try again later. She usually has 1-2 in the am and another 1-2 in the pm.

Any thoughts?

[SugarSkull]

How long has it been going on for?

[HopefulK]

Only a few nights but due to sleep deprivation it feels like much longer! Hoping it's just a growth spurt or something and won't last forever?

[Purple Lily]

She could definitley be going through a growth spurt...such a lovely time hey :)Have you noticed any teething signs? Have you tried any new solids that she might be getting a belly ache from?

[CakeyLoaf]

I just wanted to offer my sympathies. I had a perfect sleeper until around 5months and between then and now (12months) it's been ****. Sheis improving though. At various stages I found different things helped. My dd was ff and I found that increasing the flow on the teat and increasing the amount helped. Also increasing food or decreasing depending on whether something may be irritating her gut. Also panadol when she would cry, in pain through the night. Other than that co-sleeping helped us a lot. When they're right their beside you it doesn't take as much energy to physically get out of bed to settle them. Sometimes I think they self settle by just sensing someone's there.

**another thing I've realised lately is that just relaxing and not worrying about how little sleep I'll get has helped me chill out about it. And that's saying something as I'm a total worrier**

[Purple Lily]

Ahh yes co sleeping saved our lives! Do you use a dummy or would you want to? In the end that was a lifesaver for us as well ( Totally your choice ofcourse theres ppl for and against them :) )

[CakeyLoaf]

Oh yeah! Dummy really worked for us too (we started early).

I really hope you get some sleep tonight OP. It's a tough gig when you're stressed out and over tired.

[SugarSkull]

It could just be a growth spurt, teething, or even a wonder week. DS has been a good sleeper since he was 5 months old but there were a few nights he'd turn into a terror. Just keep at the same pattern you have going on.

[HopefulK]

Thanks all, helps to know I'm not alone! We may have identified the culprit, my husband is today complaining about a sore throat and to be honest I'm not feeling great either! So I'm wondering if she's on the cusp of a cold or something. :-/

[bluebutterfly74]

Possibly a growth spurt, try maybe putting her to bed at night a bit later and then once settled gradually bring back. Increase wake time during the day my dd has just turned 5 months. And possibly a cold that hasn't presented signs yet. Good luck

[onedayatatime]

Well I could have written the post myself. DD just turned 5 months also and has gone from sleeping all night to waking every 1 - 2 hours. She's b/fed so I just get up and lob out a boob and put her back when she's done and asleep again.
I stopped counting up my hours of sleep and stopped thinking too much about it so I'm not getting upset with the disturbances.
My dd did end up coming down with the common cold after this disturbed sleep pattern began about 3 weeks ago. She's still fighting it off and I'm hoping that is the cause of the sleep issues.
My first dd wasn't unwell as a baby at all, but at 5 months she started sleeping terribly after being a great night sleeper. I didn't start her on solids til 6 months and I think maybe she just needed extra b/feeds at night to keep her going. Her sleep improved after solids began.
So maybe that is another factor for my current 5 month old.
Has yours started solids yet or are you also waiting for 6 months?

[heartjb]

Omg my DD is like that too. Was such a great sleeper from 10.30pm to about 8.30am and now not until past midnight and wakes at 4am for a feed. I hate getting up to make a bottle because its freezing cold in the morning otherwise I wouldnt mind too much! :(

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