8 Month Sleep Hell

[holdthephone]

Seriously. Please help! My 8 month old son is sleeping the worst he has ever slept and my husband and I are beyond exhaustion. Last night he woke up 17 times I think. He has never slept for more than 4 hours since he was born.

At the moment he is going to sleep at about 6.45/ 7pm,but then waking approximately every 45/60 mins (sometimes every 20 mins) until I give up at about 2am and bring him into bed with me (I don't particularly want to co sleep). He then lasts until about 4am and then wakes up at 5am and 6am until I give up and go and make myself a vat of coffee.

He does have quite decent naps in the day,although these have also reduced in length lately. I would say he has about 3 naps a day at approx 8.30am, 11am and 3pm. He has just fallen into this pattern himself.

I think I am just overwhelmed with where to start sorting this out. What method should we try? Or is it all just a phase brought on my the light evenings or teething or a regression?

We do have a routine of bath/ story/ bottle etc and make his room as dark and cool as possible. He is not good at self settling at all (obviously!).

I would be so grateful for any advice. I really don't know where to start.

There is s sleep regression around 8, 9 or 10 months and it could be teething as well.

Our 11.5 month old DD has always been a crap sleeper but 9 and 10 months were particularly bad, and when she got her first 2 teeth she woke up every 45 minutes all sodding night for about a week. We ended up cosleeping in order to prevent death by tiredness but things did go back to normal and she went back in her cot once her teeth were through.

Oh op, I am afraid I have no help, as I could have written that exact post myself. my ds is 8 nearly 9 months and has also always been a bad sleeper. He wakes every 45 mins if on his own so we also Co sleep. I know his problem is that he can't self settle so can't settle himself back to sleep in the night. I tried cc but it wasn't for us and gradual retreat has got him from falling asleep in my arms to falling asleep in the cot with me touching him but no better than that!!!
just wanted to say you are not alone!!

Thank you roofio and cavort! It is good to know it's not just us- I hope you get it sorted soon too!

He only woke up 8 times last night so I am feeling quite refreshed today hopefully it will all come together soon.

I think I will try the gradual withdrawal method as if I can at least get him to not feed to sleep that would be huge progress.

yes and don't forget that, even when bedtime/sleep are bad I have to remind myself that me not spending an hour rocking him back and forth and him actually falling asleep in his cot is huge progress!! so surely it can keep getting better!!!

I love what has become a good nights sleep, if I get more than 2 hours straight I consider it a good night haha!!!

Yeah thats a good point, I should focus on the (small) progress steps.

Some nights it just seems too much and hard to cope with! Then my resolve weakens and he ends up in bed with me. I suppose it will all come together eventually. Or at least enough to get a 5 hour stretch of sleep