Always been a lousy sleeper but now cant get her to go down at night for ages!!!!

[pevie]

Am so fed up. My 11 mth old been sleeper from hell from outset with it peaking in last month after an illness. We are on double dose of omeprazole for reflux which I suspect makes her windy!!!!! she has always been rocked to sleep but this isnt working too well now as she squirms and writhes about. Doesnt seem in pain prior to bedtime but is up a lot during night farting!!!!! Even when reflux seemed to be at its worst she went down fine at night, we even managed to get her to go down without much rocking for a while!!!!!! I'm finding it difficult to know whether this is becoming a behavioural thing as she gets older or whether she has genuine discomfort at night!!! She is getting more of an appetite and wants to keep eating till quite late. She particularly likes bread so ends up eating quite a lot of this. could this be making her uncomfortable at night do you think? We have got into a bit of a habit of giving her little snacks whilst we and our DD1 have our dinner. she eats her own dinner about 5 and goes to bed about 7.15, 7.30.

bumping this, thoughts please.

DD developed bad sleep habits after waking for genuine reasons (e.g. teething, hunger etc) but then continuing to wake at certain times after genuine reasons had gone IYKWIM. It does seem as though they can easily have behavioural sleep issues.

You could try cutting down her bread intake in the hours before bed, it might be making her bloated and uncomfortable. I wouldn't feed anything after dinner, except for cup of milk just before bed. If she still keeps waking, try sleep training as it may be behavioural.

Recommended the Millpond Sleep Clinic book on a post earlier. Brilliant for solving children's sleep probs but you need to know they are not poorly first. www.mill-pond.co.uk/

Hi Pevie, I have no experience of reflux so cannot comment on the eating.

On the sleep front, I also have 2 crap sleepers. If your dd falls asleep in the buggy, I find that wheeling them to sleep in the buggy helps them to go down in a calm fashion. If you have an infant carrier that slots into a travel system, that could be good as dd is fairly upright, which I presume helps with the reflux.

I did not go out in the buggy but just wheeled them in the house. Our kitchen was big enough and tiled. When they woke, I just wheeled dc back down. When time for my bed, I carried dc back up with me.

Others find an amby baby hammock helps, particularly for reflux. Did not work with my dcs though.

Sorry, no answers, but am having similar poblems (ds 9 months, always terrible sleeper, had reflux, suspect still does a bit, ezcema, windiness, hunger, bad eater of solids..prob behavioural stuff as well - used to being fed to sleep and/or sleeping in bed with us...)
Just thought I'd let you know you;re not alone! SOrry I can't help, but I'll be watching in case someone else has some tips..

naturopath, sorry you having same problems. Are you getting medication for reflux? Could yours have any dairy problems given eczema, etc. Am sure you have considered all of this. We are now trying a product called Colic Calm which is a homeopathic remedy, will let you know if helps. Also going to chiropractor for 4th time next week. We did have Amby Baby Nest which helped a bit for first 4 months. Sleeping on front also helps a bit. She never used to be sore going down but now wriggles about a lot, not sure what thats about which is what is concerning us. We have cut out giving her so much bread at bedtime, helped get her down quicker last night, but got up half hour later.

naturopath, sorry you having same problems. Are you getting medication for reflux? Could yours have any dairy problems given eczema, etc. Am sure you have considered all of this. We are now trying a product called Colic Calm which is a homeopathic remedy, will let you know if helps. Also going to chiropractor for 4th time next week. We did have Amby Baby Nest which helped a bit for first 4 months. Sleeping on front also helps a bit. She never used to be sore going down but now wriggles about a lot, not sure what thats about which is what is concerning us. We have cut out giving her so much bread at bedtime, helped get her down quicker last night, but got up half hour later.

Thanks - he was on reflux meds but off them now. I sometimes think maybe he should be on a low dose again. Already suspected the milk thing when he was a few weeks old - he's always been totally bf (on solids now as well) and I have been dairy and soya free for 8 months now.. as is he..
I do sometimes give him some rusk or banana before bed, but haven't noticed any real difference between food or no food - there's always something that wakes him up, be it hunger, itchiness (seemed to be itchy hands about an hour ago), wind or whatever.

Did have a period of a few weeks where putting him on his front helped, but he hates it again now.

Yes, I would be interested to know if colic calm helps - will def try it if it does.