8 Month old stopped settling to sleep

[NicholaGriff]

My 8 month old has suddenly stopped settling to sleep at night. Until now, her sleeping has been great. We'd put her down after her bath and bottle and within a few minutes she would drop off to sleep. A few weeks ago we stopped giving her a dummy and this has also stopped her waking in the night for it.

But, the last few nights despite being really tired she has screamed for an hour in her cot before we have relented and taken her for a spin in the car. She goes off within minutes. This is obviously a quick solution but not something I want to be doing on a regular basis.

Any thoughts on why she might be doing this and any suggestions to help her go off in her cot?? Thanks

Oh, I forgot to mention that she has reflux, but this has been under control for 5 months with a thicker formula.

Anyone out there with any tips?

No tips unfortunately but I feel your pain. DD is just about to turn 8 months and for the last week or so has suddenly become rubbish at self settling - taking up to an hour to settle for naps by which time she's totally overtired and so only sleeps for 20 mins. Hoping it's just a development thing.... But God it's stressful! Hoping someone with the answer will come along soon....

mine is a bit younger but same thing happening here!

DS (8 months next week) has also gone a bit wonky on the sleep front. He's started going down ok still initially but then wakes screaming about half an hour later and needs comforting back to sleep. He also woke twice last night, and was up for the day at 5am having been sleeping through for several weeks. Now his naps are all out of kilter for the day. I assume it's developmental and this too shall pass.

Forgot to say it could also be the start of separation anxiety. Try playing lots of peek-a-boo with her and giving her some extra cuddles.

my ds did this at 8 months, suddenly wouldn't settle, i felt like the rug had been pulled from under me!

in the end we relented and gave him his dummy which he still now uses although sometimes even that wouldn't work. and now at 14 months he did the same thing two weeks ago.

it was just a phase though and it did pass so hopefully it passes for you to.

I would and still do sit by his cot with my head down and eyes closed until he is asleep. I give painkillers of i think it is teeth. sometimes even if i am sitting there he will cry, he is a bit of a drama queen, but i just gently place a hand on him and sing if he gets really upset.

i don't pick him up though only because this gets him more worked up. if he knows i'm there but it's not play time he eventually settles to sleep.

i used to think this was creating a bad habit but these funny patches have always passed for us.

Will she sleep on her front? Have you tried rocking her to sleep? She might need a cuddle.

She rolls on her front in her sleep but gets really upset if she wakes up on her front. She also screams being held so rocking her really doesn't work. She's a very independent little girl!!

But, have to say things are a little better, the time being unsettled is getting shorter, but still longer than it was or than I would like. I hope this is just a phase - it'll teach me for thinking i'd got it all sorted!