5 1/2 month old not settling to sleep...help!!

[caygill132]

My dd will be 6 months on 24th Jan. We started weaning her the week before Xmas but she also had a bit of a cold & was restless at night so I stopped for a week until I had spoken with my hv. She said keep going with the solids as she should be fine at 5 months. So we started again in the New Year & things were fine until this week. She still has a snotty nose, we have raised her mattress at one end and put some Carvol on a bib in her room. Well anyway this is the problem, bedtime routine was always bath at 5.54-6pm then feed until 6.45-7pm when usually she would have fallen to sleep or about to. I then dreamfeed at 10pm and she wakes at about 1-2am for another feed then sleeps until 7am. This last week I have been giving solids at 5.30pm, bath at 6pm then bf until 7pm. She then cries for 20-30mins and will only go to sleep if me or dh cuddle her. The min we put her in her cot she screams and the saga starts again. Eventually she must be so tired she just gives in. Then she wakes about 11.30pm-12.30pm doesn't want to be fed, cries for 15-20mins then feeds & falls asleep. Then wakes again at 3.30-4am same scenario. During the day she has a 30min nap at 9am, 2hrs from 12-2pm and a 15min nap between 4.30-5pm. She has always settled well at these naps aswell, without feeding, but this last week she has screamed at her am nap for 20-30mins then only sleeps for 20mins, her lunch sleep is usually fine to settle but wakes up after 30mins and won't go back unless I cuddle her. She has never slept well outside her cot..our fault for always putting her to sleep there, so on an afternoon if we are out she is fine, otherwise I have to cuddle her to have a nap. could she be having too much sleep during the day, if so how do I get her to not sleep, she just screams if I put her down. Also, she has started being really clingy, when I leave her she cries, then when I come back she laughs and smiles at me. Could it be she doesn't want to be left alone & that's why she cries in bed? Also she used to wake up from her sleep and just chatter to herself, now she screams until I go in to her. Sorry such a long post but it's so getting me down. Last night she woke at 11.20pm and didn't go back to sleep for an hour, then woke at 3.30am for a 30min feed & I am sooo tired this am. She is crying now so duty calls!

[LRWG]

Have you tried pick-up-put-down?

Basically, when she starts to cry you pick her up and cuddle her. As soon as she is calm lay her back in her cot. If she cries again, pick her up..... Basically you repeat this until she falls asleep or is calm in her cot.

It's a Baby Whisperer technique. In her book she says that you have to be really strong and persevere and that you will probably pick her up dozens of times the first night but within a few nights it'll all be sorted.

HTH - good luck!

[caygill132]

I did see this on a tv programme with her on and they had to do it 101 times!!! But desperate times call for desperate measures. We have decided to give her till the weekend trying to leave her as we have been doing then we will try the pick up method when dh is not having to get up to go to work. Who knows what is going on..she is a little monkey, but we love her!

[kbaby]

i HAVE A DS WHO WILL BE 6 MONTHS ON 2ND FEB. I have noticed that he is starting to cry when I leave his side or the room and put it down to being more aware of you and wanting the company. It could be that for you this is also the same at bedtime, she is now more aware that you arent there.

tbh my ds wakes 12ish for food and again at 3-4am and will stay awake after that feed for upto 2hrs! he only naps for 2hrs all day so I cant see how reducing your naps would help.

What weve been doing is putting ds down sleepy in his cot and staying by the side of him patting him etc until he settles. He still cries but is never left alone. Im hoping after a few weeks of this he may get used to being out down in his cot and stop crying.

[mumdyson]

i have the same prob with a 4 mth old at the mo

[2littlemonkeys]

hi i have a 6mth dd and i have had to stop the 4-4-30 sleep as it was 2 late for her and she was going to bed later and later.
why dont you try giving her her tea about 4.30 .
well i will give you my routine works every night, for us that is!
wake up 7.30-8.00
breakfast 8.30 made with 4oz milk
milk feed approx 10.00
nap 1-2 hour (i let her decide)
lunch 12.00-12.30
milk 1-2.00
offer water through out the day
nap 3.00 approx 15mins
4-4.30 tea
play
6.00 bath time
milk approx 6.45 then as soon as milk finished bed not a peap till next morning

[caygill132]

Well been sale shopping today & she has only had about 1hr sleep all day so guess I can put the too much sleep theory to the test tonight. Tbh I was thinking of trying to stop her 4.30 nap for the same reason. It's good to know we're not the only one's awake at ridiculous hours of the night! Last night wasn't so bad only woke once at 12.50 and managed to cuddle her back to sleep by 2.20 then slept until 7.30 when I had to wake her so we wouldn't be late for the sales...typical when I can get a lie in I have plans!