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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

10 month old & sleepless nights!!!

12 replies

hufflepuf · 02/09/2016 17:13

Hi

I'm struggling with DDs sleep. She slept pretty well until she was four months and then she started waking multiple times a night. I put it down to the four month regression but she's now 10 months and it's not really much better. I can deal with the sleep deprivation but I'm going back to work in three weeks.

Routine is tea at half 5, then around half 6 it's bath, story (when not overtired), bottle and lullaby. When she's asleep I put her down and she sleeps around five hours straight. Wakes for a feed around midnight and then I put her back down.
If I'm lucky I might get two or three hours and she wakes again so I pick her up and give more milk. After that she seems unsettled. If I try and put her down again she cries immediately and if I keep her in bed with me she constantly tosses and turns, whinges, sometimes cries etc. She seems to be uncomfortable or in pain at times as she stretches out and tenses her body when crying.

She was very colicky as a newborn but now suffers from a lot of constipation. Doesn't seem to be teething causing the problem. Also tried changing her nappy but that didn't make a difference either.

Took her to the doctor last week and wasn't really taken seriously because her check didn't indicate any problems and was just told to do controlled crying which I said I wasn't going to do.

The thing is because she has a good stretch when she first goes to bed I know she can sleep on her own and when she's briefly woken in the night I have seen her self settle. Can anyone offer me any thoughts on what the problem could be and what I can do? I'd also be interested to hear about similar experiences.

Thanks in advance

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Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016 · 02/09/2016 17:18

Do u have a dh /dp? My ds at 9 months was a boob fiend all night - sent dh in one night with formula - not really interested went back to sleep. Second night dh went in with water - not interested at all went back to sleep. Third night slept through! He just wanted me and boob for comfort but could manage very well without!Maybe your dd has an upset tummy as she isn't really hungry but has the bottle coz she is offered it!

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hufflepuf · 02/09/2016 19:14

Thanks for your reply. She is FF now but that might be a good idea getting my husband to go in. Also I didn't think of her tummy being upset because of too much milk. A lot of the time I wonder if she really needs it but give it her as it helps her to go back to sleep for a short time

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sophiaslullaby · 02/09/2016 19:33

My DH & I have just done the exact same - DS is 10months and I'm still BF so when he wakes at night if I go to him I can only settle him if I feed. I want to drop the night feeds now so DH has gone in for the last 2 nights instead of me, given him water (DS has really taken it) and then soothed/settle - whatever. 1st night - 2nd night - 3rd night he slept through! Tonight is the 4th night so I'm hoping but not holding my breath. If he does wake before morning I'm sending DH into him though.

DS will still cry a bit but not in the way he would if doing CC, it's more a whinge because he wants a feed but as Daddy is there he's still being comforted.
I'd strongly advise it if you can do it.

And you get to stay it bed all night - BLISS!!

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hufflepuf · 02/09/2016 20:34

Sophia I think I'll try that. Maybe tomorrow as DH is off work on Sunday. And staying in bed ALL NIGHT??? I can't even remember what that feels like!

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sophiaslullaby · 03/09/2016 08:15

You'll probably still wake up and lie awake until all is quiet but the aim is to get LO used to someone else attending to their needs and not just you and food.
My DS woke last night at 4am because of a bad cough, can't do anything about it so feel really sorry for him. Still DH saw to him, fell asleep within 1/2hr until 6am when I got up.
I'm back to work now so there's no reason why DH and I shouldn't share the night shifts - DH taking it worse than me though, he's shattered and tells me about it! Ugh, I have to bite my tongue!!

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hufflepuf · 03/09/2016 22:19

Haha, DH and I suggested him doing a night feed or two every week when I'm back at work and he thought a simple 3am feed was all he needed to worry about! Tried giving a bit of water last night but she wouldn't settle. She's up for the second time since putting her down at 7 although she is teething

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dinodiva · 04/09/2016 08:50

Oh this sounds so familiar! I was still BF at night at 10 months and it was this sort of pattern that encouraged me to night wean. I started off with watered down formula and now she only gets water.
Last week we also did some sleep training - I really rate Kim West 'good night sleep tight' and madam has slept though more in the last week than she has done in her life. We did leave it pretty late as I go back to work tomorrow!

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hufflepuf · 04/09/2016 18:45

Dino how much did you reduce the formula by and how often? Have you found its made a difference for you as well?

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dinodiva · 04/09/2016 19:17

I just reduced by a scoop every couple of days.
It's definitely helped. I was BF several times a night previously. I think the sleep training has helped too. Previously we cuddled her to sleep and now she goes down awake. It can take a while to encourage her to go off as it's still early days, but once she's asleep she stays that way for a lot longer!

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hufflepuf · 06/09/2016 07:01

Just started reducing scoops last night so fingers crossed it'll make a difference!

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minijoeyjojo · 06/09/2016 07:39

I've just seen this and thought I could offer my experience. My DD (also 10 months) never slept through until recently. She had a sleeping pattern like yours, a long stretch then waking for feeds every couple of hours. I was exhausted.

We were finally able to move her into her own room and shortly after we went cold turkey on the night feeds. I probably should have offered water, but I didn't just lots of cuddles. It was a really hard first night, took so much will power to see it through. But the second night was fairly easy, third night a breeze and by the fourth night she slept through entirely. She has done ever since (bar teething and colds).

She did happily go to sleep awake though which probably helped. Maybe you could try putting her down sleepy but awake?

I think you really do need to commit to it entirely as she will cry, as they do when anything happens that they don't want. it's bloody hard to do but it was also the best thing I've done. Having sleep makes a huge difference to both of our lives!!

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hufflepuf · 09/09/2016 23:05

Thanks mini. I started reducing the amount of scoops in her nighttime formula but this has taken a backseat as she has a sensitive gag reflex and has been throwing up lots of her food. I've tried the sleepy but awake thing but she screams the house down. I think my commitment may be an issue as I get to a point where I'm exhausted so just go for the easiest option. I know I have to do it now as the clock is ticking til I'm back at work!