Is this a sleep regression? Will it ever end?

[eyebagsandgladrags]

DD is 9 months old and the love of my life, but she is not an easy baby. I think some would call her "spirited" She's happy and alert, but everything is a battle - especially sleep. We went on holiday about 3 or 4 weeks ago and things went from bad to worse. She's also just started nursery and is having a hard time settling. Basically, she's had a lot going on!

She's now waking hourly from bedtime (6.30/7) until about 11pm, then she'll be up at about 1.30/2am and refuse to go back down until 4ish.Co-sleeping only works insofar as I can shush and pat her with my eyes closed and I can half-sleep through some of her grizzling. She won't be fed to sleep anymore and my partner can't settle her. I never wanted to co-sleep (and never needed to until recently) and I want to stop breastfeeding, but I guess this is where we're at for now. I've just gone back to work and I'm on my last legs. On top of everything, she's had a horrible, endless cold so she's completely miserable for most of the day and its obviously having an impact on her sleep.

Is this a sleep regression? Is it worth getting professional help in? We're skint but I'm desperate. Or do I just wait it out? I'm so tired and frustrated that I can barely function. This is worse than the newborn stage and no one is bringing us frozen lasagne or offering to do the shopping.

[eyebagsandgladrags]

Sorry - to clarify - her sleep got bad before starting nursery and before the cold, so they aren't necessarily the cause, but I'm sure neither have helped!

[onetimeonlyy]

I'm in the exact same boat with my nearly 9 month old. I have no advice only sympathy. We've just come.off the worst night ever, I slept for 2 hours.

Do you think it could be teething?

Hope someone comes along with amazing advice - it's so horrible isn't it

[onetimeonlyy]

Meant to say, I breastfeed but I've tried to give some formula in the hope he stays asleep longer... It's not working at all. But others do say it works... Worth trying?

[Sexnotgender]

I’m here to see if there are any magic answers!

[Mybobowler]

Ahh my people! Well, at least we aren't alone. Is there something in the air?

I've also started a bottle of bedtime formula - made no difference whatsoever. Last night was marginally better but naps have gone out the window entirely. Fingers crossed someone has some words of wisdom.

[onetimeonlyy]

My DS is waking every 20 mins sometimes... I wondered if he was hungry and my supply has gone down hence trying formula. He had 3 bottles in the night plus breastfeeding He is consuming a huge amount of food. 3 big meals a day plus milk..... Wonder if it's a huge growth spurt?

How much do your little ones eat?

[taytosandwich]

The holiday is almost definitely the cause and everything else is conflating the issue. This will pass before too long. Just stick to a regular routine, make sure they're taking enough calories during the day and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise. Sometimes they can get like this when they aren't getting enough sleep and it ends up in a never ending cycle so try an earlier bedtime, try for lots of naps, depriving them of sleep so they sleep at night isn't the answer at this stage.

[eyebagsandgladrags]

Even though I know that this too shall pass, it feels as though this is just our life now! Poor little thing is exhausted. We had a really brilliant routine and she was amazing at self-settling for her naps. As far as we can we're just trying to stick to that. She is absolutely refusing to nap in her cot now
so we're back to pram walks and the carrier - I thought those days were behind us! At least she's getting lots of fresh air.

@onetimeonlyy - I do think she could have some teeth coming. She's so drooly and has been chewing her fingers, but I've felt her gums and there's nothing imminent. Hope your little one settles soon, but in the meantime, you have all my sympathy too - we'll get through it!

[meganmc0301]

Girls following this at the minute- I've a four month old boy who was an absolutely fantastic sleeper up until around 1 week ago, it's been the week from hell!! Constantly fighting naps during the day so he is squealing with exhaustion and then wakening every hour during the night crying!!! To top it off he has a stinking cold also and he is teething. Send help my way 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

[Maltay]

I could have written this 2months ago, happy to say now out the other side. In the end I can to the conclusion that the 'dream feeding' and breast feeding to sleep we're actually disturbing her and seemed to stop her falling into a deep sleep. i was back at work and at my wit's end, she was tired all day. That's when I came to the conclusion it was time for the cot, a very difficult couple of weeks ensued but now we have a proper bed time routine and it works 90% of the time x