6 month old was sleeping through, now very much isn't

[breastfeedingdrivingmecrazy]

My 6 month old has slept through the night from about 12 weeks. Suddenly in the past couple of weeks she has started waking up in the night (not needing food, just distressed) and then waking up at 5am and not going back to sleep.

My thoughts on why...

1. She only has 3x 30 minute naps per day. As much as I try I can't get any more out of her. This started pretty much at the same time she started the early waking
2. The weather - I can't make her room dark when I need the window open due to the temperature
3. She rolls a lot, so can roll onto her front in her sleepyhead

Any other thoughts? Anyone experienced this? Ideas and help on how to extend naps much appreciated

Hi, the 5.30 waking is an absolute sod. Really tough to manage. I sympathise, I only got through it in the end by rearranging my day and my sleep pattern temporarily.

However, I know it's probably not the done thing, but I would like to comment on your last point. If she rolls on to her front, is she not old enough to be left on her front? Can she come out of the sleepyhead and find her own position?

Also 3 short naps sounds like a habit of short sleep-wake up is established. If you could take a week to 'retrain' to a longer morning nap I think it would help?

Probably my only helpful advice (maybe) is that if you commit to change your routine, give up a week to it, cancel plans and so on. I know it's annoying, but worth it in the end.

I guess if she's rolling on to her front the sleepy head might no longer be safe.

Aside from that, my theory has always been that nothing you can do will fix it and it'll go back to normal soon enough so don't worry, it's all normal.

Useless help, I know!

@pratchet how would you go about retraining naps? She goes down perfectly fine, just wakes up 30 minutes later. I might try 'wake to sleep' but other than that I'm lost.

Thanks for the sleepyhead comments. Really good point that it probably isn't safe any more.

This may not be want you want to hear, but it is perfectly common for them to have massive sleep regressions and sometimes it can take months to get back to where they were. It often accompanies developmental leaps like rolling or health issues like teething, colds etc. An alternative reason for waking at the moment may just be the heat and being dehydrated.
The other thing to check out is if she is feeding enough during the day or is she waking up because she is hungry?

How does she settle for naps? If you cuddle her or similar you could go in at 25 minutes and pick her up to get over the hurdle.

My guess would be that she’s got a developmental leap, either sitting up or crawling and that is effecting things or she could be teething - 6 months is a common time for that.

I think by 7 months they’re usually ready for the 2-3-4 routine (2 naps!)

It's a long time ago so others will have better advice but I would firstly change the sleepyhead thing and allow sleeping on the front. I don't actually know what current official guidance is, but I would do that.

Then I would do a thing when she wakes of going in but not picking up. Like, keeping the room dark [ish] and staying hush, but quietly moving about and putting muslins away whatever, so she doesn't get upset at you not being there, but at the same time she's not up and doing. And leaving her down for longer and longer each time.

Something that worked well for me was this popping in and out. I used to do it at bed time. It takes away (seems to) the fear that when you're gone you aren't coming back! So it would be feed and cot but then just popping back with, I don't know, folded clothes, then out, then back, but you dont pick up with baby. It's like the equivalent of creakingbin a rocking chair in the corner with knitting!

Babies go through phases, some short lived, others not so short lived! It could be that she’s an early riser. Some kids just don’t need as much sleep as you expect them to. Developmental leaps always disrupted my twos sleep patterns. She may have teeth coming also, both mines first teeth were at six months. You can while away many an hour trying to figure out ‘what is wrong with the baby now?!?!’ She’ll settle back to where she was or you’ll get used to early starts! Sorry!

Agree that it’s probably a phase. Sleep isn’t linear, it can go up and down due to so many things- teething, learning new skills, developmental leaps, regressions etc. Any sign of teeth? Has she recently learned to sit up or anything? Have you started weaning her?

Also, regarding the sleepyhead. This may not be popular but my DS slept in it untill 10 months ish and at about 6 months started sleeping on his front in it. It worried me for a few nights but then after I watched him I could see he had plenty of room to turn, never got stuck and in actual fact that’s when he stopped his frequent waking and started sleeping far better than he ever had. We kept it this way untill he started to crawl
Out the sleepyhead and we took it away. He was totally fine. It’s completely breathable- just make sure he baby isn’t too in this current weather as it can be warmer in the sleepyhead

Can you get a fan so you can close the window more? The light in the morning is a bugger for waking my DS.

Agree with others, take the sleepyhead away.

She's probably overtired from those tiny naps in the daytime. I think you need an overhaul as others have said.

I have a 6 month old who has never slept through but has had a lot more wakings the last week or so and won’t settle without me.

I think it’s common at this age. She had her first teeth come through at about 5 months and shortly before they cane through we had a couple of nights of just waking up and crying.

Everyone I speak to seems to be having the same issues with their 6 month olds.

My DD also went through a 6 month regression.

Think it was tied to a wonder week - maybe leap 5, "relationships".

It was difficult. I also think she could have been dropping a nap at the time.

30 mins for a nap sounds like she may not be making it through a whole sleep cycle. What time does she wake, what is her awake time between naps, and when are they?

(I'm no expert, but we can all have a go at cracking it!)

How about trying to leave her after she wakes from her nap- see if she goes back to sleep. We leave nature sounds on and eventually after a bit of wittering and tossing and turning after he wakes up - he will sleep for another hour.

Sometimes he doesn't though.

Also- try two naps? Make first one a little later?

My baby wakes at 5/5.30 for a feed and goes back to sleep. Could you try feeding her and putting back in cot?

Thanks so much for all the advice. It sounds like the naps need to be worked on. Yesterday I forced four naps and she slept until 6am, small victories! Today she has napped a lot so I'm guessing another tooth is coming through or she is just really tired.

We don't have many plans next week so it's going to be my official 'get naps fixed' week.

And thanks for those who said it was a phase. Sometimes I find it difficult to imagine that things will change, but they always do!