8 month old sleep getting worse - help!

[flairyfairy]

I’ve posted on a hear a few times asking for advice re my baby boy’s day time sleeps and have had great advice, so now I’m back about nighttime . He has always been pretty good at night - until recently - waking once for a feed and occasionally going through.

In the last few weeks this as gone completely haywire though, he is waking every couple of hours through the night, and tonight he has been awake every hour since going down at 7pm.

His bedtime routine is bottle, dummy, cuddle to sleep, into cot. In the night, other than when he wakes for a feed, he can be settled in a couple of minutes with the dummy and a head stroke. He really doesn’t want to be awake and sometimes is crying out almost in his sleep - as though he’s dreaming.

Does anyone have any idea how we can regain that lovely settled sleep he used to have? We’re exhausted!

Teething?

He might be in pain.

Otherwise is he in his own room? My dd slept much better once she was in her own room, does he wake up if he drops the dummy?

Here, not here. Sleep deprivation!

It might be teeth, but he has been fine all day. Maybe it gets worth at night. When he wakes again I’ll try some gel - good idea, thank you.

He is in his own room and always drops the dummy when he sleeps, but usually he sleeps through it. Interestingly, he’s not wanted his dummy as much today during naps, which may indicate sore gums I guess.

It'll pass!! www.google.co.uk/amp/s/sarahockwell-smith.com/2017/07/24/the-rollercoaster-of-real-baby-sleep/amp/

Gulp. I’m not sure whether to be reassured there is nothing unusually wrong, or slightly terrified!

8 month sleep regression. All normal x

A name change mamajama2?

flairyfairy, do you think baby would go to sleep in the cot, with your reassurance and dummy? Going to sleep in your arms but then going through sleep cycles in the cot is likely to be the main reason for these wakes.

Hi Fate, I have tried but he never has. Because he's always fallen asleep so easily in my arms and I've never had a problem transferring him into his cot and keeping him asleep (until recently) I've never really pushed the issue.

TBH I love my evening cuddles (I'm back at work so it's the only bit of the day we get together) and figured he'd grow out of wanting them soon enough - all of my friends' babies the same age have -
but I did wonder whether part of it is that he's waking up and doesn't know how to self soothe, in which case getting him to settle on his own would help?

My daughter is now 11 months and between 8 and 11 months, we have had (what feels like) barely any breaks between regressions, separation anxiety, illness and teething! Like yours, she also would feed once at night most nights, sleeping through every now and then up until 8 months. However, from 8 months onwards we would get a normal 7-10 days then the next problem would start setting it all back to hourly wake ups. Incredibly frustrating for her and us.

On the upside, I didn't need to do much once she was better/tooth was out/regression had passed to get her sleeping again - she would just do it of her own accord when she was ready. Her nights are once again getting consistent now so there is light at the end of the tunnel for you