6.5 month old waking at 3am...

[Ellieo]

Sorry this is long and let me preface this message by saying that Ds has had a very bad cold and croup and has a tooth comign through, so I know I have to expect a few nighttime shenanigans. But... for the last few nights (since his cold has got better and his tooth has broken through the gum) he's been waking at around 3am every night and just whinging/moaning for 1-2 hours. We've tried comforting him, leaving him to cry, giving him calpol, giving him water - nothing seems to stop the "crying" (it's not really crying, more moaning) until he falls asleep exhausted. He's right as rain when he wakes up at 7am - we come in to find him gurling happily in his cot. Any ideas? Could he be hungry? He was weaned off the breast at night about 2 weeks ago, so has nothing between his last 7oz bottle at 7pm and 7am, but he has three good meals a day, plus 3 7oz bottles. He has managed one night of sleeping through 7 till 7. What am I doing wrong????

seriously doubt he's hungry if he eats well during day
and if you start giving him milk at 3am, soon his apppetite will adjust and he will wake hungry
his sleep patterns have changed, maybe because of something that happened when he was ill
give him water and maybe a quick cuddle, keeping it dark and quiet, and then leave him to it
from what you say it sounds as if it's sleepy whingeing rather than urgent and he clearly needs the extra sleep
it won't last forever

my dd was waking up at 4.30am every morning, we resorted to the baby whisperers wake to sleep, set our alarm clock an hour earlier dh got up gently rubbed dd tummy so she stirred and then went back to bed, she did wake at 4.45am but went back to sleep, this is the first night and the book recommends doing it for 3 nights, must say I've noticed she has fed better today but that doesn't necessarily mean its connected but you never know

Ellieo. Do you know my DS (9 months) has started doing the same thing! and it was driving my crazy wondering why on earth he is doing it!! So am watching this thread with great interest.

That's interesting Betternow. I may give it a couple more nights, then try that out. Last night was a bit better. DS woke at 1am but went straight back down again, then woke at 2.30 for 45 minutes (an hour shorter than the night before, so maybe we're getting somewhere...!) Tonight will tell, I suppose. BP - I agree, I won't feed him as it will just make another rod for my back further down the line. I keep repeating "it won't last forever" to myself like a mantra

Glad that I'm not the only one who has sleepless nights! TH is nearly 8 mths old & I hve yet to date had one full night. He weighs 16pds & the Health Visitors keep on about his weight so I keep feeding him upon waking at about 1/2pm. The last week he has been waking at 1ish, 4ish, 6ish and has been fed at the 1oclock waking. For the last two nights I have been leaving him to cry for 5 mins then comforting him but now getting out of the cot. When he calms I leave him and he normally starts crying so I return again this time after 10 mins and so on. Last night it took two hours buthe finally gave in without a feed and never left his cot. Has anyone else tried this and if so did it work. Any other ideas from a very tired lady.