I just want to sleep...

[puttheteaon]

Hi, just looking for any advice please!
Dd is almost 8mo, for the first few months she was OK, sometimes even good! She got croup along with her 3yo brother over Xmas and dh was away so I was up all night with both of them, got 40 minutes sleep one night. Out of desperation I let her sleep on my chest then in bed with me and it's gone progressively down hill from there.

Basically she goes down awake, cries for a few minutes then without fail wakes 45 mins later, is very hard to settle and often we spend all night running up to her until I finally feed her at 11. She's bf, a good eater and has taken formula before bed for the past 2 months. Has 2/3 naps in the day and a pretty good bedtime routine, just completely at a loss of what to do with her, is really getting me down as I feel like we're doing everything right but it's so awful!! Xxx

I can't help but you're not alone. DD1 did this and finally slept through 7-7 at 23 months. DD2 12 months and counting, not had more than 2.5 hrs in one go for months. Also naps well and goes down awake. This too shall pass (eventually)

Think we had it easy with ds, he slept thru (ish) around 9 months, I remember thinking he was a bad sleeper.. little did I know

What happens if you feed her when she first wakes rather than waiting till 11?

I've not tried feeding her earlier tbh, she takes a full bottle before bed and eats plenty for dinner so I'm confident she's not hungry. She's been even worse tonight, I've only managed to get her to sleep in her cot for 30 mins just don't know how much worse this can get!! I wouldn't mind as much but my 3yo has woken several times the past few nights and if she's on my chest I have to let one of them cry, dh is going away for a week for work soon and I'm dreading it!! Xxx

Maybe, she's not very good with the sippy cup yet so could need more liquid?? I think the frequency she wakes up means that it's not a noise /disturbance - we have white noise on constantly when she sleeps too. It took me 25 mins to get her to nap this morning and then she slept for 35 I think I tempted fate when I asked if it could get any worse...

It’s really hard but it’s normal for some babies to just not be able to link sleep cycles. It does get better! When mine was about 11 months once she was asleep she would wake a couple of times, look around and go back to sleep (id see on the monitor). She doesn’t sleep through the night but I get an evening now! She doesn’t wake from about 7-2.

You’ll get there mama x

Ugh, my sympathies. My 7 mo was a good sleeper til January, did 9 hours in her cot with 1 night feed but not every night. She got a bad cold and then started cutting her top teeth and her sleep went to pot. She’s now in bed with us and up 3/4 times a night, and I’m praying it improves when the teeth are through. It’s a constant surprise to me how most parents get through the day on bugger all sleep!

Ahhh thank you! Your replies have all made me feel better about it at least!! We tried rocking her to sleep at the wake ups before 11 last night then letting her sleep on us for ten minutes or so before putting her down and (although that's the opposite of what all the books tell you to do) we got 45 mins, 45 mins then 2 hours so at least I had time to pack the nappy bag and get a cup of tea before the night shift!!! xxx

Try another bottle earlier on! My 9 month old DD goes to bed after a 6oz bottle at about 6.30/7pm and will wake anywhere between 9pm and 11pm for another one. She will then sleep through (most times) or can be resettled with a dummy after that if she does wake. Imagine if it’s as simple as giving her another bottle a few hours after her last one... Don’t presume she’s not hungry or thirsty. My DD is also a good eater but most nights won’t settle at that first wake up without another 6oz.

I hope it gets better for you very soon.