Sleep crawling?!?

[Librarylu]

I posted a couple of days ago asking for advice to help settle my 8.5 mo. He used to sleep through, but recently has been waking 2/3 times in the night and is difficult to settle. I've put it down to teeth/hot weather etc.

Last night he went to sleep at 7.30, after soon crying and fidgeting. He woke at 1am, and when I went in he was on his tummy facing the opposite end of the cot, quite upset. So I moved him back and started settling him again, which worked quickly. Now I hung around a bit to see how he faired. He often shakes his head back and forth, and rolls from back to side in his sleep before he is comfy. This time he rolls onto his tummy, but face down. So he pushes up to free his face. Then flops down. Then does it again. Then starts tummy shuffling about his cot. All the time with his eyes closed and silently. Eventually he wakes up all in a tizz as if to say, how the hell did I get here?

What can I do to stop this? He's not fully crawling yet, but commando tummy shuffles pretty well, getting better everyday. I'm at a lose to know what to do. The waking and settling is killing me. Anyone else have a sleep crawler?

I'd be tempted to stick him in bed with you. At least this way you'll both get some sleep.

He's not keen in co-sleeping in my bed, never has. DH is not keen on this at all either. I guess he'll grow out of it. What happens when they can stand and walk?!?!

"What happens when they can stand and walk?!?" do you mean when they are in bed with you or in a cot?

My 8,5m old DD is doing this too. She's only just started sleeping through too so it's a bloody nightmare. My body and mind just got used to not being quite so sleep deprived. I seem to recall from DD1 that once their minds catch up with their bodies (IYSWIM) they can cope with new development and sleep fine. It's like they learn something new and just have to keep practising. Bless! Last night we had back to tummy to sitting over and over again. DD1 wasn't too bad with physical things but was awful for sleep talking when her vocal came in. Even now she will say d is for daddy etc in her sleep if she's been at pre-school that day.

This was posted on MN a few days ago on a thread to do with non-sleeping 8-9month olds. I found it an insightful read.

My dd has found the 'frog' position in her sleep. On her front, arms up near her head, bump in air. She too also manages to move around and then wakes thinking 'how the fuck did I get here' then proceeds to cry and want mummy . She is nearly 10 months.

We have had, what I would say, is the worst 6 weeks with regards to sleep since she's been born. She's never 'slept through' but it's been manageable, ie wakes for feed, bf her back to sleep, sleep for another 3-4 hours. Recently, we've had wakings every 30-45 min some nights, screaming in the night (teething pain), not going back to sleep, playtime at 3am and the last week only settling on me- something she's always managed to do on her own (self settle). When checking her mouth on Monday I found she'd cut 3 teeth in one weekend poor duck, no wonder she couldn't sleep!

We resorted to cosleeping last week and it's worked for us as a family.

I really think at this age, whatever routine they had just goes out of the window until the regression is up. I think and pray and hope dd is just coming out of it now. It's been tough though and I've made it easier by not trying to solve anything ifyswim- ride it out, it is what it is, give calpol when necessary for teething pain, try and get them to nap during the day, lots of activity/playtime to keep them active and tired later on and lots and lots of cuddles

*bum not bump!

Oh and the reason I suggested teething is because your DS might be putting his mouth in to the matress to sooth it and that's how he is crawling/moving as he's on his front.

Godisadj you've just described exactly my son!!! I'm not alone!!! Yes, he's teething too. Right, I'm going to ride it out as you say. I really want him to settle himself, but at the moment it's just not happening. He's so active during the day, he's dropped his afternoon nap and now has an hour in the morning and the same at lunch. It's all a bit erratic. He chews everything, dribbles etc. and still no teeth! I think I'll resign myself to a period of disrupted sleep. It's so hard to adjust and get my head around after months of soundless sleeping through the night! I feel more exhausted now than when he was a newborn and I was feeding every three hours! Godisadj, do keep me posted how your LO is doing. It's nice to have some support!

Oh library it's nice to hear when people are going through the same thing!!!! You have that feeling of thank fucking god, it's not just me!.

I love my dd to bits but I honestly questioned 3 or 4 weeks ago if someone had swapped my once contented, smiley and happy child for a winey, clingy, miserable little brat. That sounds harsh but honestly I felt like I was going to crack with how she was. Nothing I did was right for about a week (put her down, cried, picked her up, cried, put her next to me, cried, nursed her, took some then cried, repeat x 1000 in 24 hour period!)

The last 3 weeks have been easier because I basically said right, it's a phase, she'll grow out of it, she isn't out to purposely "piss me off", she's a baby and she needs lots of love. I also resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to get sleep either and to be more selfish with housework etc and catch up on my sleep during the day or go to bed early. So my expectations are low. If I get sleep its a bonus.

If you can, do anything you can to get him to take his naps. I ended up going to bed with dd just so she'd nap (and i would too). I also fed her to sleep too as it made more sense that battling it out with her for hour for her not then sleep I could noticeably tell the difference between night time sleeps with or without 'good' naps during the day. If she didn't nap, she'd turn in a different child at night!

Teething - I have never been one to give calpol at every murmur but i have given calpol quite a bit in the last few weeks. She's quite clearly in pain (you just know their cries don't you?) and just having that bit of pain relief before bed, has made things more manageable. I've found ibruprofen has been more effective with teething pain than calpol and dentinox is good too.

Use distraction - going out has been easier than stopping in. Walks, park, shopping, visiting family in a different house - all new stimulation which tires them out!

The last 2 days my baby is back - she's been ace and really happy- its like she knows I'm here for her and that she has appreciated what we've done for her (that sounds daft I know) We won't let her cry it out (have never done cio or cc) and she trusts both me and DP to be there for her. She's started saying mama now and has become even more cuddly than before which is lovely, especially with DP. She last night even went to sleep without me in the house (fell asleep on DP & he transferred her to cot) - that's huge and the first time ever!!! Here's hoping this lovely bit lasts forever

Oh, gidisadj you are rather wonderful. You give me hope and patience. I've got him to bed with lots of love, yes, and lots of flipping him back over, and he is sound asleep. I have had a large glass of wine, a bar of chocolate and watched tv. Now, bed for me.

I shall follow your lead. Please feel rather smug that you have helped me out no end, and have made a borderline-crazy mother feel much better. xxxxxxx

Oh, and do keep in touch with how she's doing

Why thank you! Not sure what I've done other than call my child a brat and than back tracked by cuddling her lots!!!

I hope he has a better night tonight.

Enjoy your

11 month old DS has started to do this. He crawls and cries, crawls and hits his head on the side of the cot and tosses and turns.

Having him in bed with us doesn't make any difference as he tries to crawl over us!

No advice I am afraid. I did wake him
Once when he was doing it and he screamed for ages.

I keep repeating 'this too shall pass!'

We're the crawling club!!! Well, we did have a better night, he slept through until 5!!! Amazing. When I went in to get him he was the other way round on his tummy, who knows if he slept like that. He also has a bash on his head this morning, he must have done it on the bars.

Well another day calls!

The crawling club! Love it.

Dd had several bruises on her head recently and I only knew about one of them so the head hitting bars of the cot kind of makes sense.

We're away this weekend and she's had a fun packed day with swimming this morning, then car journey for 2 hours so good nap time and then a BBQ with several cousins, sand, balls, water, copious amounts of food and toys. I think we've worn her out, zonked out in the travel cot at 6.40pm, no fight at all!

Lets pray for a good night so that she doesn't wake the whole household up!

Hurrah!! Hopefully all that exercise will knacker her out! My boy had another good night, awake just once and settled himself. Up at 5 but that's his normal get up time alas! Yes, he has bumps too. We have a bumper at one end but that's it. I wondered about getting more so it goes all the way round, but that seems a bit much, he'd be all enclosed and unable to see through the bars. Any thoughts? It's pissing with rain in London, hope you have better weather for your hols!