11mo waking for 1.5 hours in the night - why?

[ChocOrange05]

DS has always been a pretty good sleeper and started sleeping 7-7 at 7 months old, he woke up in the night sometimes and it was usually for a reason, dirty nappy or teething so we would change him or give calpol and he would go back to bed pretty easily. He goes to bed fine at bedtime.

For the past couple of weeks he has been waking up in the night (not every night but the last 2 he has) - he doesn't really cry just whimpers and cries out (but loudly enough so I am awake throughout) for an hour and a half every time. His nappy is fine and he calms when we pick him up but when we put him back down he cries (again not really upset just annoyed almost), he will also calm if we sit next to his cot holding his hand. I don't think its his teeth (?) as he usually screams blue murder regardless of what we do when it is.

I have just started back at work and I work pretty long days 7.30am - 6/7pm and I am finding it difficult to stay awake at work so I really would like to find an answer/solution to this. I know it may not be that easy but has anyone else experienced this? If so how did you overcome it?

Thanks!

[steaknifethroughtheheart]

My DD is similar - wakes for a couple of hours at a time. One night it was 4 hours before I could get her back to sleep.
As with you, it isn't every night so I am hoping it is phase she will grow out of.

I know she can go to sleep without me and I know she can sleep through so I try not to get too worried about it - easier said than done.

This is what has worked for me.

I try to leave going in to her as long as possible, usually only if she is getting upset rather than chatting or calling. I then sit with her, laying her back down if she climbs up to standing. She tends to get to a point where she wants to play, usually starts with her honking my nose or slapping my head.
At that point I know all is lost so I bring her downstairs, give her some warm milk and let her play with her books - nothing too exciting. When she starts to climb up on me I give her a bf and a cuddle and take her up to bed. She usually settles again after this.

The last time I did this I sat with her for a half hour and then she was up for a half hour.

This isn't perfect and I wouldn't want to do it every night but it has worked a couple of times and saves us both crying with frustration and tiredness.

[steaknifethroughtheheart]

DD is 13 months

[ChocOrange05]

When I am not working the day after (Thurs/Fri/Sat nights) I don't mind helping him back to sleep but as I can't control which days he wakes I don't think its very sustainable for me to spend lots of time getting him back to sleep. I am literally a walking zombie at work today which isn't good as people keep asking me brain-taxing questions!!

[steaknifethroughtheheart]

I really have no useful ideas then, just lots of sympathy.

[YouNeverCanTell]

When I saw the subject of this, I thought I'd written it in a sleep deprived state one night ... I have no advice or help, just sympathy. My 11 month old is doing exactly this and I have no idea why. It's not every night but often for two or three nights in a row. Always waking between 1 am and 2 am. Always dropping off to sleep again one and a half, or two, hours later. I've tried bf, reading to him, singing to him, cuddling him, telling him made up stories ... handing him over to my husband while I go and hide in my DS1's bed with him . Again, he doesn't seem particularly upset unless he is put down and left alone in his cot. I really hope that we both find that this is a short-term blip and that we both get more sleep soon. (The handing over to the hubby and retreating to a quieter place trick has saved my sanity. Wouldn't do it every night as not fair on DH but it is fantastic when you are really at the end of your tether.)

Oh, just as a left-field thought: My sister, who is reading a lot about puppies at the moment having just acquired one, says that young dogs do this if they aren't sufficiently stimulated during the day. Make of that what you will!!!

[robino]

DD2 is doing this at the mo at 15 months. I was watching the Apprentice at 2 am this morning with her after I'd given up on trying to get her to sleep. 2 hours every few nights, it's not pretty but I'm hoping that this too shall pass.

[YouNeverCanTell]

It's just nice to know it's not just my lovely boy who's doing this ... he's my third and the others weren't great sleepers but if they woke in the night they were usually miserable and therefore consolable ... DS2 just seems to think it's a perfectly reasonable time to be awake. Oh, and it doesn't seem to make any difference how much daytime sleep he's had. The wakefulness at night can be after a day of good long naps or interrupted shorter naps. Keep repeating: It's a phase, it's a phase.

[steaknifethroughtheheart]

A lady on another thread I am on swears by an orange before bed to get her DS to sleep through. Every time her DS has one, sleeps through, the nights he doesn't he wakes.

I've not tried myself but even if it doesn't work it won't be doing any harm.