6 month old not staying asleep

9 replies

Mumof1DS · 19/08/2018 03:56

I have a 6 month old who will occasionally have a good night e.g. 4, 5, 6 hours instead row, but more often than not, is awake every hour to two hours at least. Sometimes I barely pit him down in his cot and he's awake again. I am trying to settle him on his nursing pillow to make sure he is properly asleep, but I keep falling asleep in the nursing chair with him on me, which I don't want. I feed/settle in the dark or with a night light because I don't want him to be wide awake, so I can't have a light blazing.
He's getting so overtired during the day, even with trying to get him down for a nap every 2-3 hours, as he fights it to the end.
Any ideas anyone? I'm at my wit's end. He went to sleep at 7.30 as he had a late nap (unavoidable, driving home - fell asleep while being spoken to, couldn't keep him occupied with toys between the front seat and back seat!), But since, his longest stretch has been 1.30 hours tonight. He's now wide awake and not settling.
I think he's teething as there is a lot of dribble and grinding gums, but this has been going on a long time, so it can't be teeth can it?

OP posts:

Maxtry · 19/08/2018 04:36

Im with you. Definately teething 6 month old here.laay night slept for 7 hour block. Tonight barely any. So tired.amreally worried about falling asleep...hence browsing mumsnet!! Hope you asleep now xx

Zillcat · 19/08/2018 04:44

*waves!

Same here! Definitely teeth. We are on day 6 of no sleep, which is annoying as it was only last weekend we had one of our first full nights.
One twin is sleeping through it the majority of the time, the other has been up every hour and DP has just taken him downstairs so I can finally get some sleep.!

Original poster

Mumof1DS · 19/08/2018 04:50

So not just me then. DH sleeps like the dead. The four horsemen of the apocalypse could ride through our bedroom and he wouldn't notice.
He's getting woken at 6 to do his bit so I can sleep before church

OP posts:

Zillcat · 19/08/2018 04:59

Oh so can mine. It got to 4am and after rocking myself crazy in their room took offending baby and lay on our bed and let him poke him awake.

Although I now have the bedroom to myself I am now wide awake....and imagine DP is asleep on the sofa with DS asleep in the pram after being awake for so long.

peachgreen · 19/08/2018 13:17

Does he self-settle for bed?

Original poster

Mumof1DS · 19/08/2018 18:06

No, not yet.

OP posts:

arbrighton · 19/08/2018 20:44

Don't worry about self-settling, it's developmental and 6mo is very young for it.

Sadly baby sleep can be like that- the expectation that they 'should' sleep through is not particularly helpful or realistic.

Do what you can for everyone to sleep as much as they can. Bedsharing can help, if BF (and my DH was kicked out to spare room to allow space for that for a lot of nights between 6 and 11mo). Do what you can for teething whether that's paracetamol, teething gel, chewy thingies.

It will get better. And probably worse again, and better again.

I could have written that post, and some nights, at 14 mo, still could, but others, he goes down quickly, or for DH, sleeps a 4 hour block, quick feed, 2-3 hour blocks the rest of the night.

peachgreen · 19/08/2018 21:50

Between 4 and 6 months they develop object permanence - anything they need to settle at bedtime, they'll need when they wake up during the night. So if he's used to falling asleep on you, when he wakes up in his cot rather than on you he's going to be very confused!

6 months isn't too early for self-settling - some babies self-settles from birth! (not mine I should add!) - but I agree it's not something that can be forced. But you can make his sleep cues less elaborate.

You could try reducing the amount of time you cuddle him, or even try cuddling with him lying next to you instead of on you, moving further away each night until eventually you just have a hand on him, then putting him in his cot with your hand on him etc etc. But that's only if you're ready to do that - it is sleep training and some people aren't comfortable with that (there was no crying when I did something similar with DD so I didn't feel bad about it).

mummaoftwoboys · 19/08/2018 22:20

We have been having the exact same problems, so I know you must be exhausted! We have been trying the method peachgreen suggested, it has made a big difference so far (touch wood). I've also stopped feeding him straight before bed and have changed to feed, bath, book, bed so he's not falling asleep feeding. As pp mentioned he hasn't been getting upset falling asleep, it's a very gradual process, but he already seems more settled.

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