Advice needed - how do I stop panicking over my DD

[Limy]

Hi

I am beginning to worry about how much I panic when there is anything slightly wrong with my 10mo DD. She has been waking every morning around 4am and it has been taking at least one and a half hours for us to get her back to sleep. I am hoping that this is just a growth spurt and that it will pass shortly, there is nothing wrong with her (temp etc all normal). I work part time and she is looked after by my sister on Thursdays and Fridays, today I made the mistake of ringing my sister to see how she was after yet another bad night she told me that she had been really clingy and cried more than usual. Instead of thinking she is probably just grumpy because she will be tired I panicked and went in tears to my boss asking for the afternoon off so I could be with her. Now I am with her and I have calmed down I feel like a right idiot. Why do I panic so much? Does anybody have any ideas on how I can stop myself panicking so much, I don't want to be like this. Also any ideas what could be waking her up suddenly, its been 4 nights now and we are shattered.

Thanks for reading.

Motherhood certainly sharpens your danger reflexes... lots of perfectly good reasons for being protective of your children. :) However, for practical purposes, I think you have to go past your first instinctive reaction which is clearly 'thinking the worst' and then give yourself a little time to rationalise it calmly before leaping to action. If you're tired, your judgement will be impaired on top.

Waking at 4am can be all kinds of things. I think we all go through periods of light and heavy sleep and if something disturbs during the light period e.g. noise, light, cold or, in the case of a baby, teething, then we're awake.

10 months is typical time for the onset of separation anxiety. She wakes, you're not immediately there and your sister is no substitute. Try not to panic, tell yourself it is a phase, although noone can say how long it might persist.

We all wake during the night and mostly aren't even aware or self settle quickly but babies need to learn this skill. Yoiur dd may be waking just a bit too much - out of cold/heat, kicking off covers and so on - and finding you not there needs reassurance. Try to establish a calm routine for going to her and help her settle back - no prolonged contact, quiet voice, patting, minimal unterference, no lights on. She has been doing well to sleep through and I'm afraid 4 night isn't that long to be any mroe than a blip yet! It will however make her overtired and grumpy next day so try to rationalise it if there are no other obviosu issues.