Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

10 month old DREADFULL sleeper

18 replies

NAR4 · 03/01/2014 22:02

D's has always had a bedtime routine (tea, bath, walk,a story, breastfeed, bed). He goes to bed still awake and settles himself very quickly. The problem is he doesn't stay asleep very long. He wakes screaming and won't resettle until he is picked up and rocked or breastfed. He does this roughly every 20 mins-1.5 hrs, throughout the night, sometimes taking hrs to resettle. We put him to bed at 6.30, which is because he won't take a beaker or bottle and I go to work in the evening (so feed him last thing before I leave). He often won't go back to sleep at all after 4am, even though I have never taken him downstairs before 6am. During the day he often has a 30 min sleep around 9 (but only in the car or during a breastfeed, which he wakes from as soon as the car stops/I move), and sometimes again for about 30 mins when I am on the school run.

I have tried cc but he will cry hysterically for hrs and gets in such a state he vomits, if he isn't picked up. This makes him even worse for the rest of the night, with him immediately screaming as soon as we move to put him down. He is dc5 so I don't have time to rest during the day and am seriously struggling to function most days.

We are happy to co sleep and do so with dc4, but he doesn't sleep any better even suckling all night. He wakes, sits up and starts screaming and crying, seemingly for no reason. I don't think he is ill or in pain and he sleeps no better if he has had Calpol.

Desperate for more sleep (I average a total of about 4hrs in every 24). Any ideas or suggestions gratefully recieved.

OP posts:
MadameJ · 04/01/2014 10:08

No advice but this is exactly what my 6 month old dd is doing at the moment so I can sympathise no help really

NAR4 · 04/01/2014 14:41

Thanks Madame its nice to hear I'm not alone.

I don't know how my Ds manages with such little sleep. I wish I could.

OP posts:
Aimeelou28 · 04/01/2014 14:48

Sorry I can't help either but my 10mo dd is exactly like this too except she feeds to sleep and can't self settle at all! Hope someone comes back with some advice!

heather1 · 04/01/2014 14:51

Have you tried your Hv? Or asked for a referral to a sleep clinic. It sounds grim and I hope you get it sorted.

MadameJ · 04/01/2014 18:14

Oh yes mine feeds to sleep too when she wants to or I rock her for bloody hours on end. I am clinging to this just being a stage albeit a long one!!

MadameJ · 05/01/2014 08:24

Well last night was particularly crappy, had to resettle dd2 14 times and dd1 woke twice. I even woke up on dd2's bedroom floor at one point, this sleep thing is killing me :-(

TheCrumpetQueen · 05/01/2014 08:38

Mine does this too :( doesn't wake as often though but it's fecking knackering.

Could he have reflux? Teething? Maybe ask Gp about it.

I think mine has got into a habit of waking as he's not even awake when he's crying. I've stopped picking him up and just stroke his head and put his dummy back in - but he is older.

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 05/01/2014 09:42

Have you considered pick up put down? It's a baby whisperer method if you're not familiar with it. It sounds like he's just conditioned to need soothing to get back to sleep which is pretty common under 1. If you want to break the cycle, there are many techniques, some gentler than others.

loveisagirlnameddaisy · 05/01/2014 09:44

Forgot to add that he's possibly overtired as well which often results in frequent wakings, esp before midnight. Hopefully once his nighttime sleep improves, so will his naps.

NAR4 · 05/01/2014 20:21

I have tried my HV who basically said I can either leave him to cry or put up with it, so no help really. Have a Dr appointment about it next Friday.

Will have a look online for info on how to do the pick up put down. Thank you love.

OP posts:
darjeelingdarling · 05/01/2014 20:47

you poor thing - will he sleep in a more upright position on / next to you?

hopefully the Dr will check ears etc. You don't think there's any sort of obstructional breathing or anything?

big hugs

darjeelingdarling · 05/01/2014 20:49

could it be silent reflux?

Frigintinsella · 05/01/2014 20:57

I can sympathise, I have this with my 13 mo except he cant seem to self settle at all plus he stands up as soon as he wakes Confused its rubbish!
Will hang around to see if anyone has any good advice!

Frigintinsella · 05/01/2014 21:00

My Dr said that they dont deal with it and the hv can help, the hv said either controlled crying or deal with it!
Oh so helpful!

NAR4 · 05/01/2014 21:09

Tried dh sleeping proped sat up with Ds lying on his chest as ds1 had silent reflux and could only sleep/stop crying when in this position, but it didn't help. Dr has checked his ears lots because they are often mucky inside, but he says they're fine.

He behaves like he is having nightmares but I'm fairly sure he's too young. He wakes up screaming and doesn't seem aware he is already with me, when I am lying with him or holding him.

OP posts:
darjeelingdarling · 06/01/2014 08:43

Oh goodness how long has this been going on for?

NAR4 · 06/01/2014 12:07

He has always been like this but for months I put it down to his age.

In case this is help to someone, I came across some research saying it needs to be dark for sleep hormones to be released. I have now covered the window above his bedroom door, which let in a lot of light from the hall. Last night he went from an 11pm feed right though until 3am. Don't know if this could be a result of blocking out the light, time will tell. He did stay awake until 5am then though.

OP posts:
NAR4 · 06/01/2014 12:07

He has always been like this but for months I put it down to his age.

In case this is help to someone, I came across some research saying it needs to be dark for sleep hormones to be released. I have now covered the window above his bedroom door, which let in a lot of light from the hall. Last night he went from an 11pm feed right though until 3am. Don't know if this could be a result of blocking out the light, time will tell. He did stay awake until 5am then though.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread