What the heck is going on with my 9 month old

[AmIDoingThisRight]

Every night for about 2 weeks now, my 9 month old DS has been waking 3 or 4 times and refusing to go back to sleep. Last night was an all time low, waking every 2 hours and not going back to sleep until I attempted to feed him (breastfed but on solids). He wasn't even that hungry - just had a few sips and then went back to bed.

Am rapidly approaching the end of my tether - have totally lost my sense of humour about the whole thing and am ratty with everybody due to lack of sleep.

He refused to have an afternoon nap this afternoon, waking from his morning one at about 12 and refusing to sleep all day. Have just put him to bed completely exhausted (him and me).

Coupled with this, he's starting to refuse his bedtime milk - he has a minute or two of feeding and then decides that enough is enough. Which then means that he wakes up later in the night.

What on earth could this mean - he used to sleep and eat so well and I have no idea what's gone so wrong lately.

He had a few new teeth through recently but no more seem to be on their way.

Please, please say that this is a common stage and that they all go through it at about this time.

Yes, its very normal at this age. It could be to do with the start of some separation anxiety. He's finally realising his place in the world as a separate entity from you and its scary. Here's what I would do:

1. Check he's not cold - grobag or fleecy oversuit
2. Bring his bedtime bottle earlier so you only offer and ounce or 2 just before bed OR offer him a bowl of milky porridge or some such before bedtime
3. Does he have a dummy? Of so put it on a clip and clip it to his jarmies so he can always find it.
4. Give him a cloth or small toy as a comforter in his cot.
5. Assuming he'd dropped his night feed don't feed in the night, offer water from a beaker but no bottle.
6. Comfort and resettle him each time he wakes but don't turn lights on, just lots of cuddles and shushing and reasssurance that you're close. I did, on occassion with ds1 resort to sleeping in his room as the constant treking across the landing ws killing me.

Thats all I can think of for now, hope that helps a bit. It does pass although I know thats small comfort now. Try and focus on the fact he's not doing this to annoy you, quite the opposite, he needs you to help him through this stage.

Thank you Pheebe - that makes sense. He started crawling recently (though it looks more like doggy paddling!) and he's much more mobile now.

He has a grobag and seems nice and snug, and he has his favourite teddy in bed with him all the time. Has never used a dummy so not sure he'd be into that.

Hopefully this stage will not last long and can get back to normal. He hasn't a temperature, it must be the separation anxiety thing and too much going on in the day perhaps.

You're welcome
Makes sure you keep up with his daytime naps as well. We always found that the dss slept/sleep better if they're well rested in the day so they're not over tired.

My ds went through this too. I put it down to crawling and also separation anxiety. It did pass though but did last til about 11 months I'm afraid. He sleeps great now (15 months) unless ill.