I need clever detective mum's!

[Katie17isabella]

Hello! This is my first post so sorry if it's in the wrong place!
I have a seven month old girl.
From six weeks she slept through (I knew it was too good to be true)
She slept every night, all night pretty much.
Then she turned five months and started waking during the night once or twice for a feed.
I didn't think much of it, thought maybe because she was Crawley she just needed more milk. She'd just wake for ten minutes, feed then go back to sleep - no Biggie.
I started solids just before six months thinking she was getting really hungry. She eats brilliantly, no signs of allergy or anything but the ten minute wake ups during the night turned into her staying awake for a few hours every night. She can self settle to an extent, she can fall back to sleep pretty well and used to fall asleep on her own but not anymore!
So then I started trying different techniques to help her stay asleep. I offered her water instead of milk, tried feeding her more, tried feeding her less, tried loads of different sounds, tried loads of different clothes, tried waking her just before she was due to wake up - I tried lots
NOW she's worse than ever. I can't get her to sleep!!! Before I used to take a few minutes for her to go to sleep, now it can take hours, she's still waking up during the night and staying awake for a few hours and sometimes multiple times..
I just don't get it! How can my brilliant sleepy baby suddenly stop being so?
Her routine has stayed the same - we practically meditate before bed.
Is this a normal thing? Has anyone else had a sleep regression that's lasted three months?!
I just want to know what I'm doing wrong and how to get it right again!
She is trying to walk and I get that that's hard for them but she was like this a while before trying to learn!
Basically I want someone to tell me she's be a brilliant sleeper again one day, although my dreams are looking unlikely.

Thank you to anyone that reads this, sorry if it doesnt make any sense- I've just tried putting her to sleep and I'm flustered!!!

Are you maybe interfering too much at bedtime? What happens if you just do pjs, milk, teeth, story and put her in cot? Kiss goodnight, "mummy loves you" then walk away to a different room?

Thank you for your reply! She criessss, and she won't just cry for a bit and then fall asleep, she cries and because she's so tired she starts falling in the cot and hitting her head 🙈

How much day sleep does she get? Are her naps too long in the day maybe?

Is there anything else that she might have a sleep association with that you might be missing maybe?

So frustrating and knackering! Could just be learning new skills like you say but does seem to be going on a long time. My daughter didn't sleep for two weeks when she was learning to crawl, but wasn't months long.

Does she have supper??
All of mine had a Weetabix and a bottle...

Thank you for your reply!!
She gets about three hours during the day and her naps are better than before. Is that too long?
I can't work it out! At six we bath, put on some relaxing music and before I used to just put her on my boob and she'd sleep now I have to just leave her in her cot to wonder around!
She has a new habit of just sitting up in her cot too. I feel like my baby's morphed into a zombie 🙈

Short answer is that babies change, and go through phases all the time. Honestly, you could look back at this thread next week and things will be different AGAIN. Just go with the flow, try not to over analyse. As long as you are following your baby's cues and meeting all needs, providing all the cuddles needed then I promise it will change again soon :)

Have a look at the site babysleepsite.com it has some good info about separation anxiety and waking through the night. Good luck and I hope you have a good nights sleep soon

This is super interesting, thank you!
I've just gone back to work so septation anxiety could definitely be a factor in the more recent changes. Thank you, I'll have a look!

I just want changes that involve more sleep! Haha
You're right though, she's going through a really tough stage as she learnt to crawl a few weeks ago and now she's trying so hard to walk!
Just going to embrace the zombie mum look and hope it changes soon!
Thank you

Just seen that you're back at work, worst timing for a sleep regression! Can you fit her cot in your room? Would she settle if you were lying on your bed in the same room pretending to sleep?