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Original poster

My 8 month old still doesn't sleep through the night

40 replies

frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:02

I just want someone to tell me that they have also experienced this with their child...

My 8 month old has NEVER slept any longer than 3 hours during the night since birth. No joke. I've done 8 months of sleepless nights and I'm really exhausted now lol!! I've tried everything, well I think I have anyway..

We have a bedtime routine, bath, feed, bed. She acts very sleepy and usually goes down around 7pm without too much of a fuss but then is awake every couple of hours until 6:15am the next morning. She isn't hungry as I offer her a feed but she's not interested, she's still sleepy when she wakes as well.. it's almost like she's in discomfort or something, she fusses and cries and then falls back asleep.. then repeats every 30/45 mins. She sometimes gives me a stretch of 3hrs but that's the most. I make sure her nappy is dry and she is a good temperature too.

Any advice would be great!

OP posts:
Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:03

Ps- please don't say 'get someone to help or take her for the night' that's not an option. I'm a single parent:)

OP posts:
TolkiensFallow · 21/01/2022 22:03

I’ve been there.

I cracked though and did the job frost sleep training.

Indecisivelurcher · 21/01/2022 22:04

Sorry op I think it's normal and age appropriate. Depending on your parenting ethos you could research sleep training methods and aim to put some good habits in place.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

6-9 months old Babies & sleep Children's sleep Families
Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:04

@TolkiensFallow frost sleep?? What is this?Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:06

@Indecisivelurcher I feel I have tried a lot of sleep training methods, none seem to work.. or maybe I don't stick to them long enough out of pure exhaustion .. I am aware it's normal for some babies to not sleep through for a long time, but it would be nice if she gave me a good few solids hours of sleep!! For her sake too, I feel she never gets good sleep.

OP posts:
pawpatrolneedaunion · 21/01/2022 22:08

My DC didn't sleep through until 3. It's very normal for an 8 month old to wake up a lot still. Some children will be sleeping through but others won't for a long time.

At 8 months there is a lot going on in their heads, learning to crawl or walk will cause night wakings for example.

Notwithittoday · 21/01/2022 22:09

Normal. My first didn’t sleep through really until 18 months. My second has started to in hit and Miss fashion at 13 months which seems to have coincided with her dropping to one nap. Hang in there.

mismigraije · 21/01/2022 22:09

My 3 year old didn't sleep through till 3.
My 8 month old currently doing the same as his older sister did. Wakes up every 45 minutes.

I'm with you OP

BebesChamber · 21/01/2022 22:09

What is daytime sleep like? This can often lead to lord of night wakings. Too much sleep during the day? Over/under tired? Have you had a google at how long they should be awake for and a nap routine for their age? There's lots online but I appreciate that every baby is different.

I have an almost 7 month old and lots of fresh air leads to longer chunks of sleep at night, could you try and tire her out a bit more?

You're doing amazingly OP for being on your own! It's so hard not getting more than a 3 hour chunk, really grinds you down slowly over time.

Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:10

I do understand. I probably am guilty of comparing. I have a few friends who had babies around about the same time as myself. They told me their children were sleeping through the night from 3 months!!!! I wanted to cry

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Athomewiththehales89 · 21/01/2022 22:11

My two year old is still up every three hours. Meeting milestones, happy and healthy. It’s way more normal than you’re led to believe unfortunately. It’s found when I just accepted it and expected him not to start sleeping through it was easier mentally, it’s tough

Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:11

@mismigraije What is this whole wakening every 45 mins about?! It's exhausting Sad

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Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:13

@BebesChamber Her naps are usually good. She has 2 or 3 naps a day, between 45 mins and 1 hour. She will sometimes take 1 and a half hours.

OP posts:
Wnkingawalrus · 21/01/2022 22:14

OP I would recommend sleep training. I say that as someone who didn’t sleep train and now has two poor sleepers aged 2 and 6. I really wish I’d tackled it when they were babies.

mismigraije · 21/01/2022 22:14

[quote frodojodo]@mismigraije What is this whole wakening every 45 mins about?! It's exhausting Sad[/quote]
I think it is sleep cycles. He associates getting to sleep with me either breastfeeding or cuddling or touching so every sleep cycle which is around 40-50 mins at this age he wakes up needing me again.

But I don't know what to do Blush

tokyo1 · 21/01/2022 22:14

I'm sorry it's difficult. We went through this too, and it only got a bit better at around 16mo and much better at 18mo. He rarely slept for longer than 3 hour stretches, usually only two. Less on some days. Then randomly just started sleeping through. It did coincide with nursery though. I never thought the day would come. I hope it will be a lot sooner for you! It's soul destroying. I really believe sleep is developmental so I didn't try any serious sleep training in all honesty. Just buckled down on survival mode. It was extremely hard going though. Mine takes a dummy, would that help? Or a comforter? You've most likely already tried this.

Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:15

I do completely understand a lot of babies naturally wake through the night, and I'm totally okay with it, exhausted but ok. However, It concerns that she wakes crying, it's like she's in discomfort or something is bothering her

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pawpatrolneedaunion · 21/01/2022 22:15

Bear in mind a lot of people lie, or they consider 'sleeping through' from midnight until 4am.

Or they cosleep. My DC would sleep through if they were in our bed.

Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:17

@pawpatrolneedaunion I've actually tried co sleeping, to be honest she usually ends up in my bed anyway.. But that doesn't make her sleep longer either!

OP posts:
Indecisivelurcher · 21/01/2022 22:17

45 mins or 1.5hrs is normal, one sleep cycle is 45mins so your baby can't link them up yet without help.

If you think sleep training hasn't worked then sorry but possibly you have either done it too young or not stuck at it long enough. Any changes to routine or method you should stick to for 2 weeks. You've got to be really consistent.

If you don't want to really go for it then you're aim might be to reduce input in getting your little one back to sleep at much as you can, to gradually help them to learn to settle themselves.

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 21/01/2022 22:18

I’d get your DC checked out by a paediatrician/GP to rule out any health conditions, if you think she’s really feeling discomfort. Then, sleep train and stick with it! There are some helpful Facebook groups for sleep training that can talk you through different methods and age-appropriate schedules. The one recommended to me by a lot of people was a moderated group called «Respectful Sleep Training».

I sleep trained my two older DC at 7 months and my DC3 at 4 months. Obviously there are occasional set-backs (teething, colds, regressions…) but for the most part we’re all happier and healthier when we’re getting better sleep. I can typically rely on my three kids under 5 all being asleep from 8pm-5:30am. Would I like that period to be longer… of course. But I’ll take it! Awake every 45 minutes or max three hours is no way to live. You must be losing your mind. I really hope you find something that works for you.

mamboitaliano7 · 21/01/2022 22:19

Have a look at Lyndsey Hookway on Instagram - a sleep coach who has helped me accept and make peace with my little ones regular night time wake ups. I'm still knackered from the constant 2-3 hour wake ups but knowing that it's completely normal and there are so many other people in the same boat really does help.

SamanthaVimes · 21/01/2022 22:20

8-10 months is a notoriously shit time for sleep. There’s so much going on in their little heads and bodies that disrupts it. My own DD slept significantly worse at 8 months than she did at 3 months.
It will pass though (sorry I know that doesn’t help right now). Just do what you have to do to survive in the meantime and go with whatever gets you the most sleep.

Original poster
frodojodo · 21/01/2022 22:22

Another thing, when she wakes up crying she turns on to her tummy and can't get back to her back. Or she will crawl up the cot and get into an uncomfortable position, so I can't even let her cry it out for long!Confused

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Lou98 · 21/01/2022 22:26

Where does she sleep? Is she in with you or in her own room?

If she's in with you, you might find it helps moving her to her own room. My little boy slept much better after moving him although he was still up once/twice.

If she's in her own room, would she maybe get on better if she was back in your room? Or if you could sleep in her room for a bit? It could be that she's waking crying because she can't see/hear you.

It could also be her waking out of habit and not being able to get herself back to sleep.
Have you had a look at the Ferber method of sleep training?

The key with sleep training though, whatever method you choose, is to keep at it (even though it is shattering)

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