8 month old’s dreadful sleeping habits

[LilyPilley]

My 8 month old has never been a good sleeper and very rarely sleeps for more than a couple of hours at a time. Lately however she seems to be waking every hour and doesn?t want to resettle in her cot. I am back to co-sleeping which I don?t mind so much, but it doesn?t seem to improve the length of sleep. I am not prepared to do controlled crying, even though I think it may help the situation. I just don?t have the heart. She has recently started pulling herself up on the side of the cot and doesn?t quite know how to get back down again. My husband put her back down approximately 25 times on Friday night but she eventually got so upset I just had to calm her and put her in bed with me. Putting her to sleep at bedtimes are not an issue, usually she?s asleep in 5-10 minutes with a little patting on the bum. It?s when she wakes that is the issue. She does seem to sleep a little longer when she?s a more cosy so I put two rolled up blankets on either side of her and try to tuck her in a little.

A lot of mums at this stage are wondering why their baby wont sleep through ? I?m happy if mine could go for longer than an hour! Any suggestions?

There's a big developmental leap at around the 8-9 month mark, and that can cause big sleep disturbances. I know my dd was exactly the same at this age. It didn't help that it coincided with my return to work, but hourly waking was the pattern for a while.

It was an absolute killer and you have my sympathy, but I think at this stage try and sit it out a bit longer. It might be that she's about to start crawling (if she hasn't) or even walking (dd was walking at 9 months) so her brain is trying to figure out a lot while she sleeps, which can cause her to wake more often.

I wouldn't try CC on such a young child, generally they reckon 18 months and upwards is the right age for CC if its' what you want to try.

Definitely keep consistent... find something that works, be it co sleeping, feeding to sleep, singing, patting on the back, tapdancing or whatever and ride out the storm.

Sorry if that isn't terribly optimistic, but fingers crossed it won't last too long. I think dd settled back in to a better routine after about 6 weeks, but they were the longest 6 weeks of my life!

Thank you for your response Fairy. I have read that developmental milestones can cause sleep disturbances and she has just started crawling this weekend so it is most likely made the situation worse.

I'm unable to settle her in her cot which means I'm back to co-sleeping. I don't mind that too much but it doesn't improve her sleep much. It's just easier to pat her bum and prop a bottle in her mouth when she's right next to me. Controlled crying just won't work for me -firstly, I'm too much of a softy and seeing her in distress just breaks my heart. Secondly, she is just as stubborn as I am and will not go down without a fight. Also, if I leave her in her cot she now sits and pulls herself up on the side of the cot and I don't think she knows how to get down again. She did once manage to find her dummy but once in the mouth, made her collapse and almost concussed herself on the side of the cot.

I'm sure persistence on my part would pay off bth I just don't have the strength. I work fulltime and I'm exhausted. It means having to get to bed by 9:30 to cope - this leaves very little time for me or for my husband. I?m just hoping it will get better, it has to right?

It does get better, it really does. My dd was a terrible sleeper, not one single full nights sleep for her first year. she's still quite a waker now at 2.2, but when she was 8-9 months old I was a total zombie.

I did quite a bit of co sleeping too... mostly because I was so tired it was easier for me to do the patting/stroking/shhhing/feeding thing horizontally, I could close my eyes and almost pretend I was getting some sleep.

If you're able to get an early night I think it's a really good idea while she goes through this rocky patch. I don't get home from work until about 11pm so early nights on work days weren't an option, but they definitely helped on my days off. Most babies that go through this stage seem to sleep fine during the early part of the evening... from bedtime to about midnight was fine for dd, but she'd wake almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. It was like she was psychic!

I had this problem with my second child, my first co slept with me, but second just wouldn't sleep ANYWHERE!
I honestly believe babies need to be taught how to send themselves to sleep and although I had 2or3 nights of crying it out (on both sides) he is so much happier.
He's 8-9 months old now and is waking again and can also stand up but doesn't seem to rigour more than 1 or2 mins and then goes back to sleep, he sleeps from 7-7!
The book that REALLY helped me (and I don't offen follow experts) was called save our sleep, I've passed it on a few times and it's helped a lot of my friends aswell, it isnt just about leaving them to cry it tells you how to teach them to fall asleep with you in the room!
I hope you get her settled soon and can start enjoying your own sleep again

Rigour?? Cry for!