6 month old DS' sleep has gone to shit

[Gennz]

Help. It's probably not as bad as some but I am shattered.

Up til last week he was going down at 7, dreamfeed at 10pm and then might wake between 3.30 - 4.30 for a feed. Occasionally (very occasionally) he would sleep through til 6am. He's generally been quite easy to re-settle when he wakes at night, been in a cot in his own room since 8 weeks. (Always been very happy in his own cot.)

For the last couple of nights, he's been waking just about every 2 hours during the night. Last night he woke at 1am, didn't go back to sleep until 2.45, and then woke again at 5.25, futile resettling until up at 6.30am.

He's warm enough - room is 21 degree, merino sleeping bag etc, clean nappy, he's not hungry though I BF-ed at 2.30 and at 5.25 to try to get him back to sleep - he fed a bit but wasn't that bothered.

Any ideas? I'm back at work in a new job 3 days a week so really need to functio - I was managing on the one night waking but I am a zombie on 4 hours of broken sleep. Should I drop the dreamfeed maybe?

I've got two guesses for the cause

One would be teething. Sleep often goes to pot when teeth are cut and at 6 months he is the right kind of age for the start of teething.

My other suggestion is that his calorific needs has increased so he needs the calories of night feeds. 6 months is a tricky time because calorific need increased but initially first tastes weaning actually contain few few calories. So while some Mums thing weaning will solve the problem, it is often the case that filling up on low calorific solids reduces the amount of nutrition baby gets because milk reduces.

I'd try offering more milk feeds during the daytime.

Thanks Fate. When I offer night feeds he's take them but isn't much bothered & then doesn't feed well at 6.30am - 7am - I really need him to o a work day as if he doesn't I'm overflowing by the time I get to next feed him at 3!

I had thought of teething but there's no sign of any yet, and no rosy cheeks or anything. DH took over all night wakings last night (I told him to wake me if he couldn't re-settle & I'd fed him - DS that is not DH!! haha) so I slept from 11 - 6am - feel amazing!!!!!

have you given the increased milk a go Gennz? How are you today?

My 7mo DD is wrecking me at the moment. She wake more now than when she was a newborn. It is probably just a phase as I seem to remember DS doing the same around 8-10 months and then he was fine after that.

Nothing I do is working though. She doesn't eat very much solid or milk. I give her calpol when I'm pretty sure it's her teeth and that doesn't work. I've tried blackout blinds, night light, everything. I think it is just a phase. A horrible, horrible phase!

Poor you daj! I hope it's a phase! And I hope it passes quickly!! I don't know where I could increase his intake! He BFs first thing in the morning - 6.30/7ish, then has solids for breakfast, then 150ml bottle at 10.30/11, then solids for lunch, then BF at 2.30/3, then BF at 5pm, solids for dinner, 200ml bottle at 6.30ish, dreamfeed BF at 10pm and sometimes a nightfeed as well. The baby is an eating machine!!!!

That's how I felt to be honest because people kept saying "oh she's hungry" but I wasn't convinced. She eats a fairly normal amount I would say. How was last night for you guys gennz ?

I worked out what was wrong with mine. She developed a really bad cold over the last 48 hours and went 24 hours of it on 4oz of milk because her throat was so sore and nose so blocked. I finally had the idea of feeding her off a syringe this morning and managed to get 4oz in to her. And she's gone back to sleep now. I wouldn't be surprised if she sleeps a bit more normally (for her) when she's a bit better! I think she's on the mend