Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

8 Month old never slept through

13 replies

RebeccaJoy · 04/04/2019 10:27

Hi,

This is my first post. I'm at breaking point and in need for some advice. I feel like I've tried everything but nothing has worked.

My lb is 8 month old and never slept through. He is one hungry baby has bee from day one. He's been in a nighttime routine from birth. Now he's 8 month his routine is wake around 7-7:30am breakfast which is weetbix, fruit and toast a 9oz bottle around 9ish down for his nap about 10am sleeps for around an hour. Wakes big plays or go out to the park or shopping. Lunch around 11:30-12 which is pancakes yogurt and fruit, another bottle around 1pm the down for his afternoon nap which is usually 2 hours he's then gets up plays again. Then 5:30 tea (homemade food ie spag bol, stew or lasagna. Half a banana and a yogurt) bath times 6:30ish supper which is usually a farleys or weetbix then a bottle at 7pm. He's crys for about an hour un til he finally falls asleep. He wakes again at 10-11pm for another bottle, then only sleeps for around 30 mins the he's up and awake spitting his dummy out, wanting mummy cuddles this continues till around 2am which I give him another 9oz bottle he wakes again at 4ish another 9oz bottle and again at 6am for another bottle then he's awake for the day.

My partner works 5 nights a week sometimes 6 so I have only one or two nights of help a week. My mum or dad are not involved in my life so I'm literally on my own apart from my partners mum and dad who both work 40+ hours per week so I never ask them to have him over night as its unfair on them. I've spoken to my health visitor on numerous occasions and she has stated he doesn't need the night feeds. I tried this over a few weeks and he would not settle at all through out the night.

Hes a big lad for 8 month his in 18-24 month clothes and 2 foot 4.

Please can someone help, thank you from one very tried and emotional Mama x

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
RebeccaJoy · 04/04/2019 10:38

Forgot to mention he has a bath after his tea with Johnsons sleep bubble bath, bath wags and I massage him with the nighttime cream xx

OP posts:
GMtoBe · 04/04/2019 10:59

I can't help with the bottle feeding side of things but please know it's completely normal for a baby to still be waking through the night at that age and you haven't done anything wrong. I firmly believe that how well babies sleep is mostly luck of the draw.

SparklySneakers · 04/04/2019 11:22

It's hard. My two daughters didn't sleep through until age 4 when they started school. Ds is 4 and only sleeps through if he's in my bed. All breastfed and fed through the night until they were 2.5yrs.
Hang in there. It gets better eventually.

Wallsbangers · 04/04/2019 11:54

I think sleeping through is a bit of a myth tbh. Just another stick to beat us with! Sounds like you're having a really tough time though.

Is he active yet? Mine went through a terrible phase at 7-8 months before he started crawling.

I'd be tempted to start reducing his feeds over night, it'll be awful to start with and you'll need to fill him up during the day - so a more filling lunch, snacks in the morning and afternoon, plenty of water during the day too. Is the waking (and giving a bottle) habit now rather than need?

HeyCarrieAnneWhatsYourGame · 04/04/2019 12:04

My 4yo never slept through until she went to school. My 2yo did sleep theough until she was about 2 but moving from a cot to a bed means she sometimes gets up and comes for a cuddle in with us now. Like others have said, I think this is just another stick to beat us with- kids aren’t meant to sleep through. Go easy on yourself.

Oly4 · 04/04/2019 12:07

This is completely normal. There is nothing wrong with your baby. My third child has only just started sleeping through aged 18 months. Both of the others didn’t regularly sleep through until age 2.
It’s really hard, I feel for you as I’ve been there but you just have to go to bed really early yourself and get through these early months.
8 months is very young

RebeccaJoy · 04/04/2019 20:33

Thanks all, feel a little better. Been in tears All day feeling like I've gone wrong with somewhere with him. He's my first so it's all new.

He's been crawling around 6 weeks and started pulling himself up about 5 weeks then began started taking a few steps about two weeks ago.

Regarding the feeds I tried to reduced them down and I spend two weeks of him screaming the house down till I gave in and fed him, he so greedy!

It is another stick to beat us with!!! So may mum's comment "ohhhh really mines been sleeping through since three days old!" feel like I should reply with "ohhhh really, well you don't look like they have!" 😂😂 terrible I know but I'm at my wits end!

He's had his tongue tie cut today so I'm in for another horrific night but it's a mamas duty!

Thanks again ladies, been good to get it off my chest, I don't have my mum to turn to with things like this xx

OP posts:
happygoluckyhippo · 04/04/2019 20:37

That's really tough and it's hard to see the wood for the trees when you're right in the middle of it.
Just to give our experience, our wee guy (now 11mo) has never been a good sleeper either. He has never yet slept through "properly". We tried just about everything to get him to sleep better, but no change at all. The sleep advisor person from the HV team said she had nothing else to suggest either. Up until a couple of months ago, maybe less, he was waking and crying on average 6 times a night with us needing to soothe him back to sleep.
Now, on good nights he stirs 2-3 times and I don't always have to get out of bed at all! It's fab! (We do have bad nights still though!) Looking back, what was the magic trick to improving sleep? Nothing. It just happened... We weren't doing anything wrong, he just wasn't ready. Hoping it will continue to improve for us (am going to put a post up shortly!) and hoping the same for you. Hang in there, it will get better xxx

HogMother · 04/04/2019 20:39

I don’t know if it’s reassuring, or the news you don’t want to hear, but my 2yr old has only ever once slept through about once. I’m convinced people make it up.
It is tough going though isn’t it.

pastabest · 04/04/2019 20:48

My now two year old didn't sleep through until they were 13mo. They are now a great sleeper.

My 10 mo has never slept for longer than 3 hours EVER. I feel your pain.

MutantDisco · 04/04/2019 21:01

It's normal OP - nearly 3yo DS2 is only just sleeping through.

Darkstar4855 · 05/04/2019 09:55

I think I would try reducing the night feeds so he gets more of his calories during the day - 4 9oz bottles through the night is a lot. I would do it slowly though - say an ounce a week reduction and start with just one feed at first. I’d encourage more calories in the day at the same time.

RebeccaJoy · 05/04/2019 10:46

What a fantastic night we had!

Went down at 8pm woke at 11pm had 9oz, again at 4:30 had 9oz then slept through till 9am!! I wish every night could be like this 😍

Thank you all for the help and advice, I'm going to try and stop his 2:30am bottle, I'll keep you posted 😊 xx

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread