8 month old stopped sleeping

[elliej83]

Have an 8 month old who has never been particularly great at sleeping through but has always gone off to sleep okay. Starting this week he's been waking up at midnight and won't go back to sleep. He absolutely sobs his heart out. He doesn't want food, nappy change, all he wants is a cuddle. We've been up from midnight until maybe 5am with him so I've resorted to calpol at that point and he seems to go off but I'm not sure if he is in any pain?
Put him to bed as normal just now and we've had the same crying for 20 mins. I don't know what to do? I can't keep giving him calpol. Should I be letting him cry to it? I did try that in the middle of the night but he's getting so worked up I feel terrible!

Following as I have an 8 month old who has started to cry when put to bed, he used to go off fine and now he's up in the night being unsettled wanting a cuddle, I don't want to keep giving him calpol either! He's got not teeth yet. We bring him in with us and he is usually ok and can re settle him through the night. Hoping it's just a phase!

My little one has two teeth on the bottom. Don't think it's teeth related though. I feel like it's related to knowing when we aren't there

Prime separation anxiety time/growth spurt/development leap.

www.netmums.com/baby/separation-anxiety-at-night

I've pretty much worked out it's separation but what are we meant to do? I'm not sure if picking him up or letting him sleep in our room is just making it worse in the long run?

There is no long run. Do what gets you though now.

And stop trying he calpol unless there are indications he's in pain!

Agree with titty. Don't worry about the long run with sleep issues just do weekday gets you through the night now: co-sleeping, moving the cot near the bed so you can lie down with a hand on baby, walking them up and down. You will not be seeing up bad habits, you'll be getting some sleep (mine is 10 years old now, I wish someone had told me this).

Whatever not weekday!

I've pretty much worked out it's separation but what are we meant to do?

Separation anxiety is feeling insecure when left alone. The way to solve it is to help the child feel more secure enough and less anxious.

So the focus wants to be on helping baby understand that reassurance is always available when needed, so they don't need to worry or be anxious that they might be alone.

I'd do this by being there for baby, but would compromise for independant sleep by doing my settling and comforting in the cot. So firm hand on baby's chest, holding hands, patting, stroking etc.

I'd do hands-on settling until baby was quiet and calm, then remove my hands when calm, but stay next to cot until asleep. Over time assume less hands-on settling will be needed. Then as baby feels more and more secure and confident in the cot, start creating physical distance as baby settles, by standing further and further away as they fall asleep.

Surely if he sleeps after calpol its pain related? You say you are with him for the 5 hours between midnight and 5am so if it was separation based why wouldn't he sleep then rather than after pain relief?

Agree with blue- if he sleeps after Calpol v likely to be pain related. Teeth can take a while to come down through the gum, you wouldn't necessarily know about it til they're here. You can usually tell from the cry if it sounds like he's in pain.

After being awake and crying for 5 hours in the middle of the night, I would not be confident that the Calpol given was the trigger for sleeping. I'd suggest it was more likely to be exhaustion.

The test is giving the max dose of Calpol (four doses- so 7am, 11am, 3pm dose and 7pm) for one day or two days only. There are then pain killers in baby's system all night. If it's pain related, baby shouldn't be waking at all. Or should be easier to go back to sleep since will already be pain managed.

If no difference is seen for these 1 or 2 days, then pain isn't the reason and it would be appropriate to stop needlessly medicating.

Fate makes sense