6 month sleep deterioration

[MammaOfAlice]

I'm one exhausted Mamma in desperate need of sleep!

Alice has always been a great sleeper up until now. She was fed/rocked to sleep at 7:30pm and would wake between 2-3am for a bottle, then right back to sleep until 8am. For the last week or so she has been waking every 30 mins! She no longer goes back with her dummy and a ssssh. I can feel her desperate grabbing at my hands for me to stay with her - it breaks my heart! She takes a long time to settle back. When she eventually goes back, she then wakes shortly after and the process starts over again. It's exhausting.

She cut her first tooth a couple of days ago, so I thought she'd go right back to settling again afterwards but nope!

We tried co sleeping for a couple of nights which settled her but my partner and I did not rest at all (I have back issues).

I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that sleep is coming?! Anyone have a similar experience?

She cut her first tooth a couple of days ago

That is probably your reason, given she previously kept well.

Teeth are usually cut in pairs. You may well see the second tooth through in the next week or so.

Slept well, not kept well

We had the same problem with Molly. Slept fab until 4 months then started waking. I used to feed her then put her straight back to bed. She'd eventually fall back to sleep. This lasted till 6 months then she went back to sleeping through. I put it down to a phase she was going through. Teeth may account for it too maybe? Good luck!

Just a little update! We had the second tooth over a week ago and still no sleep.

I really am at my wits end. I just do t get how she can go from sleeping so well to storing constantly through the night

Could you bring her cot into your room, next to your bed?

Sounds like she needs a bit of extra reassurance at night at the moment. You may be able to give that reassurance just by being there or holding her hand as she goes to sleep.

I would also avoid rocking to sleep. Try to get her to go to sleep in the cot, with you there and a dummy.

It already is. It's pushed right up to my bed. I spend most of my night leaning in trying to comfort her

How does she go to sleep at bedtime and naptime?

It already is. It's pushed right up to my bed. I spend most of my night leaning in trying to comfort her

She takes 3 x 15 minute naps a day, either in my arms or in the pushchair. At bedtime she is given a bottle and cuddles to sleep. She goes up at 7pm and starts waking around 1am

Do you use a sleeping bag for her? Mine both slept in those till they were 1 and Molly takes naps in hers too

Yes, I use a sleep bag at night but not for naps.

She takes 3 x 15 minute naps a day

That is not enough sleep, by a long way. Baby is over tired.

A 15 minute nap is not long enough to be restorative, baby could do with significantly longer naps than that. While short naps (as in 30-45 minutes) are not unusual at this age (and baby might have 4 or 5 of these short naps), 15 minutes is extremely short.

Why is she not staying asleep for her naps?

I agree. If mine only had 15 mins she'd be beside herself by lunchtime and so would I! Molly has an hour or more in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon and I'd still say she's tired by bedtime at 7pm

Just to say I often have to let her have a bit of a moan before she goes off