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7 month old sleep - desperate

14 replies

jenniuol · 07/09/2013 15:38

Posting in the hope that someone might have a magic cure for us Confused

Ds is seven months. He hardly sleeps now. At all. In the past few weeks we've reached a new low of waking every 45 minutes through the night. Sometimes he's wide awake and bawling but other times he's crying even though his eyes are shut and he seems otherwise asleep.

I'm almost at the end of my rope. I got more sleep when he was 2 weeks old. In fact by the time he was 6 weeks he was sleeping 9pm - 3am, had a quick feed and went straight back down til 6.30. It was great. Things went a bit funny at 12 weeks and by 16 weeks the 4 month sleep regression hit and night times have been hell ever since. He has been waking every 90 mins or so for the past couple of months, now it's every 45 and I just can't cope anymore.

We've got a good little routine going at night bath (which he loves), into grobag, bottle and into cot. This part goes fine but then 45 mins later the wakings start and go on til he's up for the day at 5-5.30. He does have reflux but its well managed with ranitidine and he's been treated for it since he was teeny. We still have the cot raised slighty with Argos catalogues as well just in case Hmm he also has a dummy which is generally what gets him back to sleep through the night but he can't do that himself. Have tried comforters etc but he's not interested.

Dh thinks we should leave him to cry but I'm not comfortable with doing that. I'm meant to be going back to work in 6 weeks and I don't know how I'll cope. We're just so so tired, it's beginning to affect our marriage. Hoping someone has some advice or something else we could try.

OP posts:
LetThereBeCupcakes · 07/09/2013 19:30

No advice but just wanted you to know you're not alone. My DS is also 7 months and does the same thing. He also screams for at least an hour before bed and nap times. DH works away during the week so I have to deal with it alone. He is well rested and I reaaly resent him for it.

Maybe some kind soul will come and help us. In the meantime, have you read "the no cry sleep solution" by Elizabeth Pantley? I've been too exhausted to do anything with it TBH but others have had some success.

brightonbythesea · 07/09/2013 20:15

how does he get to sleep the first time? does he settle himself? how do you get him back to sleep?

LovelyWeatherForDucks · 07/09/2013 20:20

Sounds like my DS was - we ended up using a sleep consultant when he was 7.5 months (Andrea Grace) - he's now nearly 11 months and self settles most of the time for naps and bedtime, and usually sleeps through (touch wood!). We were way too sleep deprived to think of a solution ourselves!

stargirl1701 · 07/09/2013 20:26

DD was exactly the same. It is a living hell. The paediatrician maxed the Ranitidine dose which seemed to work although it needed upped every month or so from 7 months until now. Has the dosing been moved from 3x daily to twice? They metabolise it differently after 6 months? How's weaning onto solids going? We found it worse initially but once we got to 3 meals a day we saw improvement.

The only thing that consistently worked until we got the meds sorted was co- sleeping. We did get permission from the paediatrician to have 2 nights a week on Calpol. DD was given the correct dose for her weight every 4 hours. 4 hours is far better than 40 minutes.

DoItTooJulia · 07/09/2013 20:35

Oh, masses of sympathy.

I had the same problem, see here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/a1829933-Anyone-know-why-my-baby-doesnt-want-like-need-sleep

No magic answers, but LOADS of suggestions!

My ds does now sleep through the night and it is heavenly. I don't want to rub it in, but rather to tell you that it is possible to go from where you are to sleeping through!

Good luck, I really hope you get some sleep.

jenniuol · 07/09/2013 21:26

Thank you everyone for taking time to read and comment. It is good to know I'm not alone in this.

Cupcakes, I've not read the no cry sleep solution although I've been tempted. Seen it mentioned on here many times. I've been loaned a couple of books over the past few months but never really got anywhere with them either.

Brighton, he falls asleep during his last bottle. He doesn't settle himself no. The only times he really falls asleep without milk or dummy is in the car. When he wakes in the night I don't rush in, I wait a few moments in the vain hope he may go back to sleep. When I do go in I keep the room dark, no talking etc. I try not to lift him, just pop his dummy back in, pay his back occasionally. Sometimes he does go straight back over. Other times it can take maybe 30 mins.

Stargirl - yes he now gets ranitidine twice a day. Funny you mention weaning actually. It's not going well at all. Started at 26 weeks ish and I can't get him interested in much of anything. Have tried finger foods and puree. About the only thing he likes is yogurt but I think that makes his reflux worse so I tend not to give it much. We're nowhere near 3 meals a day, if I can get him to take a taste of something it's a bonus Confused

OP posts:
jenniuol · 07/09/2013 21:27

So tempted by a sleep consultant lovely! Was it expensive?

Shall have a read at that thread Doitjulia, thankyou Smile

OP posts:
jenniuol · 07/09/2013 21:29

Apologies DoItTooJulia

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DoItTooJulia · 07/09/2013 21:46

Ha, no worries!

Just hope you get some shut eye!

bigkidsdidit · 07/09/2013 21:49

I say this on every sleep thread nowadays Grin but my DS was the same. I too went to Andrea grace and DS now sleeps a blissful 12 hours, after we taught him how to self settle. If you can afford it, I recommend.

brightonbythesea · 08/09/2013 08:59

He sounds like he's waking for help at every sleep cycle which is awful for you. You might have some success if you try and teach him to start settling himself to sleep. If they are fed/rocked to sleep for bed then they are going to expect the same each time they wake(each cycle).

If you put him down awake, you could try shush/pat or the Pick Up Put Down technique. It's really hard work and does take a while, but it's less each time and is worth it in the end.

jenniuol · 08/09/2013 09:50

Yes I think you're right. I've seen self settling mentioned a lot. It had never bothered me the feeding/dummy to sleep, but now that you've said that's what he expects every time makes a lot of sense. Have googled shh/pat and pick up put down, think I'll try the shh/pat first and see how it goes. Here's hoping Smile

OP posts:
LovelyWeatherForDucks · 08/09/2013 11:10

It was £250 - worth it!! None of it is rocket science but it really helped us.

brightonbythesea · 08/09/2013 13:03

good luck, shush pat is what helped my dd learn to self/settle. firm patting and loud shushing! it is annoying when they wake after 20 minutes and you do it all over again but a week or so of hard graft and you will make progress. Dont give into a feed unless it is a feeding time Smile

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