Change in Sleep Pattern

[Emmah]

Our daughter, Florence, is now 13 months and for the last 3 months has had interrupted sleep during the night. From 3 months to 10 months she slept soundly all night but recently has begun to wake at 2 hourly intervals.

Its not teeth, she's just restless. Cot bumpers help a bit but she wakes when she reaches the side of the cot whether they're cushioned or not.

Any suggestions from anyone ? I know she'll grow out of it but I need a good night's sleep soon !!

Help! My 7 month old little boy, has started waking up at 5am (6am latest). My husband and I are both at work and are SOOO tired!! Really getting to the end of our respective tethers! We have a black out blind and have taped up the edges to cut out all light, but we have to leave the door open otherwise he'll get too hot and I guess some light gets through there. We feed him up in the evenings, so that he won't get hungry too early. To make matters worse, now he can stand up (but not get himself down again) we are having to go in to lie him down again. Does anyone have any further tips or can anyone offer any solace (eg my baby did this and stopped of his.her own accord)? All advice gratefully received...

Have a look at Gina Ford's Q&As on this site because I remember that she covered this topic (I had the same problem). My problem is not 100% resolved but much better.

Good luck

Linus, it seems a fairly common problem and they do get out of the habit. Our son started getting up at 5.30 and I just used to go in tell him it was too early, lie him down again and walk out. OK, so he then proceeded to scream the house down, but I perserved and he came to realise that when I came in bleary eyed and put his musical mobile back on there was no way he was coming out. When it was a more acceptable time to get up (6.30!) I'd make a real fuss of saying good morning, how are you, lovely day and drawing the curtains back. He now sleeps pretty much until 6.30 most days which is OK because that's when we are up anyway to get ready for work. At the weekends when the alarm doesn't go off he can sleep in until 7 am and occasionally, blissfully, until 7.30!

It will most definitely get better.

Linus -
It won't fully solve your problem - but if you put him in a baby sleeping bag ( blooming marv sell them - or if you're going to the contient soon they're cheaper in France and available in any hypermarket!)he won't be able to stand up - I use one to stop Alicia rolling over.
May be this will also help with the sleep
Do read the GF page - I've followed lots of her advice - and it works!
Good luck
Julie

I am going through the same thing with our almost 2 yr old. He is up at 5.30am and very rarely go's back to sleep. It is a killer as it means you have to go to bed so much earlier to compensate and the mornings feel endlessly long as a result. I was wondering today whether I should put him to bed later, he normally go's at 7.30pm and maybe we'd get an extra hour that way? Has anyone tried this to any great effect? I have tried the going in and resolutley putting him back down and talking firmly etc but he just gets straight back up again and shouts! Argghh!

Jessi and Linus

What amount of sleep do your kids get during the daytime ?
Again read Gina Ford - it really works !

My dd is 2 and just recently she has been falling asleep quite a bit later (9-9:30pm), she does try but she is too wide-awake at her normal bedtime. Even when I know she is absolutely exhausted it is taking longer for her to drop off, she lies there sucking her thumb for ages!!

What age should I stop her daytime nap (she has just over an hour)?

She wakes up around 7:30am and is usually asleep at night by around 8:30pm. I'm OK with the later bedtime as we both work and dh doesn't get home until late, so all round it works that she sleeps later in the morning and has a later bedtime - but it's getting later and later!

Thanks Sue, she goes to Nursery full time and naps straight after lunch for just over an hour (about noon). I try so hard at the weekend to keep her routine but it is hard if you are out and about, plus I think because she naps with lots of other children during the week they go down easier. I usually end up driving round the A52 (the most boring road, not as much to interest her) to get her off!! I'm not sure she always needs this nap..........I'll ask her keyworker tonight.

Are you going straight to L.E when you get back? We're having bad rain/wind storms at the moment which seem set to stay for a while - make the most of the sunshine you are undoubtedly getting!!! In fact, bring some back.

Thanks for everyone's messages - we've read Gina Ford, are buying a sleeping bag and have decided to stop feeding/picking him up in the night. At the moment he cries for ages, but I think it's getting better!
Thanks everyone!

Keep at it !
Good luck

I hardly dare say it, but we seem to have sorted out Harry's sleeping routine. He now sleeps from 8pm to 6am, which is great for us. I sometimes hear him wake up at about 4am (the time he used to wake up crying), but he just rolls over and goes back to sleep. This success is definitely a result of mumsnet help. 1) Although we didn't buy a sleeping bag (couldn't find one), we tucked his blanket under the mattress, so that it didn't fall off him, and it seemed to do the trick. 2) We didn't go into him more than once in the night (one visit for reassurance and then we let him cry himself back to sleep - difficult and tiring, but worth it) 3) Finally, we didn't go in to him in the morning until we were ready. I think Gina Ford is right and consistency really is the key. Once we decided on a plan and stuck to it, it only took us about 2 weeks to get him into a better routine. The great thing is that Harry seems happier after a proper night's sleep too. Good luck to anyone else who has the same problem and thanks for everyone's advice.