HELP! 9 month old getting worse not better.

[AlCrowley]

DD has always been a terrible sleeper. I joked before she was born that I was due a non-sleeping baby this time after DS who slept through from 8 weeks and it really has come true.

After months of struggle, we'd finally gotten to the point where she was finally having 1 nap in the day then having a BF at 7pm and going to bed and waking at 1.30-ish for a feed then sleeping till 5.30-ish for a feed and being wide awake from then until her nap. We weaned at 5 months on the advice of the HV because she wasn't napping during the day at all! She now eats really well.

Again on the HV's advice, 4 days ago, I added a FF at bedtime along with her BF. She's never taken a bottle - just screams if you put one in her mouth - so we've been giving "bedtime milk" from a tippy cup. She maybe takes an ounce or two before she cries for boob at which point I BF her to sleep as normal. But since then, her sleep has gotten even worse. We now have the 7pm feed, an 11pm feed, then the 1am feed and an extra 3am feed before the 5.30 wake up. The only bonus is that her nap has extended to more like 90 mins most days.

So I'm giving up on the HV and asking MN - what do I do now? Do I ditch the FF or should I give it a few more days to see if she settles? Is there anything else i can do to encourage her to sleep through - or at least go back to just 2 wakes? DH, DS and I are all desperate for a full nights sleep now

Any advice would be appreciated

Last night was OK. She went to bed at 7pm but woke around 11pm. I shushed and patted and she went back to sleep till 5.20am. Fed her and she slept again till 6.30! So not a brilliant night because of the wake up but the morning went a lot more smoothly.

Feeling a bit of a fraud with this sleep thread now

She seemed happy in the Grobag which is good. Her room has a fitted black out blind, in fact, we all do. Wouldn't usually have one in our room but we left it up from when we swapped rooms with DS just before DD was born figuring it would help while she slept in our room too.

She has teddies and her cot side toy thing in her cot. I do find her playing with the teddies sometimes (not sure she's worked out the cotside toy yet) Maybe as she gets bigger she'll be able to amuse herself for a bit longer.

Sounds like you're making progress - hurrah! We actually swapped from gro-bag to sheets and blankets in an attempt to pin him down. It did coincide with the improvement in sleep but to be honest I think it was the consenting to take formula that was the key.

Ear still seeping so back to the Dr tomorrow.

Another Pratchett fan here, tho' it's been a long time since I ready Good Omens. Actually, it has been shamefully long since I've read a book at all - for myself that is - when I was pg I think.

Saw the HV today. DD has jumped above the 2nd [ercentile line now so we must be doing something right and cutting out her night feeds can't be doing her any harm :)

Discussed trying to give her formula at night and decided to give plain cows milk a go instead. She started off drinking enthusiastically but was soon fussing for boob instead. I've gone back to the sippy cup. We tried a bottle for a few nights but she was just as unimpressed so I figured as the cup would be better teeth/speach wise, we might as well stick with it.

I'm trying to read 'I Shall Wear Midnight' at the moment which is the latest Tiffany Aching one. It's generally so long between readings that I've forgotten what happned last though!

You're not a fraud, I check in to read your thread everyday, I'm genuinely interested to know how things are.

I moved both of mine onto cows milk slightly early too. You sound like you're doing everything right. Great about her weight too.

Don't offer, don't refuse is supposed to be a good way to wean if you're thinking about it. Having a mummy cuddle with you though and a quick feed must be very comforting for her when tired.

I only meant a fraud in the sense that she's actually sleeping quite well these days - mostly thanks to the advice and support I've had one here :)

HV said cows milk was OK as it wasn't going to be her main drink. I'm quite happy BF for now but I'd like her to have a second option for just in case I can't feed her or need to be away from her for any reason. I'm planning to stop BF when she turns 1 too and she's so stubborn (wonder where she gets that from ) I figured it was best to start early trying to get her to take other milk from a cup.

I know it's silly but I'm quite looking forward to a drink at Christmas.

So I give her the other milk from a cup or bottle, sat on my lap with my bobbs all tucked away until she fusses so much that she won't take the cup/bottle anymore. Then I give her boob. My hope is that she'll gradually take more and more cup and less and less boob and we can wean slowly. Doesn't seem to be working so far though. Ah well, we've got almost 3 months left to convince her. Maybe when we reach 11 months, I'll try getting DH to give the cup?

Thank you for checking in :)

It's amazing how far you've come since this thread started Your dastardly plan to be able to drink by Christmas sounds good. Mwwaa ha ha ha

Sorry, feeling slightly silly tonight

She woke at 4.20am last night and it only took less than a minute of patting for her to go back to sleep!! She stayed that way till 6.20!!

She woke up just after I'd put her to bed tonight too and went back off with just a bit of patting. She's really got the idea of that now.

Naps have been a bit disturbed today. She got woken by the postman ringing the doorbell after an hour this morning and was obviously still tired and then this afternoon, she had to nap in the buggy as we were out with my sister. I hope it doesn't affect tonight too much. I'm feeling so much better for the sleep that I'm considering going to my old earobics class and maybe even inviting some friends round for take out!!

Why are you feeling silly? It's nice to be a bit daft sometimes :)

Bar her teething horrendously or getting a cold I think you've cracked it. It's great

I'm sure she'll be ok tonight as usually she sleeps well now, so there is no long term sleep deprivation backed up now iyswim?

She has a cold at the moment - her first one ever - and we're still doing OK.

In fact, last night, I didn't get out of bed until 6.30am! She had 2 little cries in the night but both times, by the time I'd managed to get up, she'd stopped! So she went from 7.30 till 6.30 without me. I think we're pretty much there!

Do I have to stop the thread now?

Fingers crossed that it all continues to go well, Blatherskite.

We are still in the grips of the ear infection, but for the first time in over a week DS2 didn't need painkillers during the night, so even when we did have to settle him, it was quicker because he wasn't so wound up.

Now on amoxycillin so hope that does the trick.

Hope he feels better soon BC. It's awful when they're poorly and there's not a lot you can do to help isn't it

Naps today ahve been a nightmare. She didn't fall asleep this morning so slept on and off while we were out and now doesn't seem interested in an afternoon nap even though she seems tired. DS has swimming lessons this afternoon so we have to be out between 3 and 4.30 and I'd like her to fall asleep soon so she can get a proper rest. What's the betting she passes out 20 minutes before we have to leave?

I think 9 months is a tricky point - people talk a lot about the 9 month regression. My Lo is 19 months and I found this article useful. It's about sleep regressions. Keep us the good work! :)

Highly likely

Cold's always throw them off a little. Maybe try some karvol for nap times to help her breath better?

Hope this afternoon is going ok.

Glad to hear Blue that your DS now has some antibiotocs fingers crossed for you x

We ran out of Karvol so she's got some Olbas Oil instead.

She had her afternoon nap in her carseat while we ran some errands and took DS swimming. She even slept through most of his lesson!

I've been making sure I unlatch her when she starts sleepy sucking rather then feeding so she falls asleep without relying on the boob. She was definitely sleepy but awake when I put her down tonight. She did wake up soon after but she only cried for a minute or so then put herself back to sleep. Really feel like we've made headway on the self settling which must be helping.

Right then. Off to bed to make the most of whatever sleep we get tonight :)

Thanks for the link bippy. I will make sure I read it.

7pm till 6am last night. She was horribly snotty whens he woke up too.

Had an hours nap so far today too!!

I daren't write that we've cracked it otherwise I'll jinx it but I'm so pleased that we're getting this sleep now. Everyone is so much happier. DS hasn't cried at nursery drop off at all this week and DH is happier too :)

Apart from a little moment at 9pm (solved by a cuddle), DS2 slept from 8pm to 3am, and then till 7am. Ear still looks horrid but he must be feeling better . Now we have to work on the self-settling as well, and we too may reach the dizzy heights of 11 hours sleep.

That is so great Blathers!

I'm sure Blue that once yours is better things will improve.

She took some getting to sleep tonight though. She's developed a nasty cough to go with the snotty nose. Gave her a nice warm steamy bath, put some Olbas Oil in her room and propped the mattress up. Hoping for a good night.

DH has the day off tomorrow. We were going to go to Mead Open Farm but it looks like it might be too wet

Since I bought some all in one waterproofs for the DCs nothing stops me getting them out It's necessary for my sanity and theirs

Hope the weather isn't too bad tomorrow and you can go.

Just checked the weather forecast. Heavy Rain

We wanted to go and see the Maize Maze but it won't be open in the rain. Digger world won't be much fun if it's wet either.

Looks like we'll be taking Daddy to soft play

Awww that's a shame Soft play it is!

It's not going well today

She woke at 4am and cried for a while before falling back to sleep. Then she woke at 5am and was screaming, so I fed her but there was no way she was going back to sleep. She'd doze in my arms but if I put her down she screamed. She's doing the same now at nap time. Has spent over half an hour feeding (she never feeds for that long anymore - the last part was sleepy) and then screams as soon as I take the boob away. I'm not being used as a dummy so I've tried rocking her to sleep but she won't have it. I've put her in her cot to see if that helps but she's really screaming

Typing this to help me resist running to her for a few minutes to see if she settles. She's tired, rubbing eyes and sleeping while feeding but just wants boob

Cold may have morphed into an ear infection? What's her temperature today?

Maybe see GP imo ((hugs))

If she is feeling very unwell, perhaps co-sleeping for nap time maybe the way forward, you probably need a nap as much as she does. A one off won't un do all your hardwork I'm sure. It's just a shame as you may not get to soft play if she's feeling clingy, tired and unhappy. Bless her. Have you tried calpol or calprofen?

Take her to the GP if you think it is something serious. Whatever your instincts tell you x

She's fine when she's awake. Doesn't even seem that poorly. She just doesn't want to sleep anywhere but on me with boob in her mouth

Will check her temperature though