6mo sleep = Draining

[Firsttimemummyworries]

Hi
any advice/just someone to tell me things get better
6mo DD has always been an okay sleeper, had her moments but on the whole pretty good
These last couple of weeks, getting her to sleep is SUCH a battle - nap time/bed time are just constant screams, arching back, hitting out etc
I’ve got the huckleberry app and have tried following their sweet spot, tried sleepy cues, bed time routine is always consistent
Sometimes rocked to sleep, sometimes fed - never falls asleep on her own but I have tried and she just gets herself so hysterical it’s not worth it for either of us. Either way she wakes up after an hour or two hysterically screaming
naps are rarely longer than 30 mins even if they’re contact/crib/pram - doesn’t even feel
worth it after the screaming match
spend my day so anxious about getting her to sleep/bed time that I am literally drained
advice/hand hold/light at the end of the tunnel anyone?

Have you just started solid food? Does the change coincide? It's just the arching back indicates wind/pain.
Or any other changes?

We have started solid food so I did wonder about this, although it seems more out of frustration because the minute I give up trying to get her to sleep she’s as happy as anything again/might whinge a bit. It’s taking me 2 hours to get her to bed sometimes and it’s really getting me down now 🥺

Well we're a month into weaning too, and LO has been really gassy since starting. We only do veg atm so no likely allergens really. We thought it was just his tummy getting used to the new food so we're persevering! The gassiness causes thrashing, milk refusal, arching, and the bedtime feed can take an hour (used to be fifteen minutes). So not exactly the same as you but quite similar.

Ohh your poor LO! It’s so horrible seeing them in pain isn’t it with their tummies. DD was really gassy when she was tiny & it was heartbreaking. She’s had some constipation since starting food so maybe it is linked. It’s difficult when they can’t tell you what’s wrong isn’t it. I hope your LOs gas gets better soon x

Thanks! It is so hard, especially when it's intestinal wind. At least you can try to get belly wind out!
If you're feeding any possible allergens maybe try cutting them out for a few days and then reintroduce one at a time? If you're just doing veg I don't have any suggestions I'm afraid 🙁 Keep on keeping on!

Only veg will make someone gassy!

That's true, but probably not if it's the equivalent of one pea per day! We are still in the tasting and spitting stage 😁

Are they in their own bed and room? Moving our DD into her own room and the bigger bed made a huge difference instantly. The room is also extremely dark, we have white noise, and we leave a couple of comforter toys in the cot the whole time so she has them. Leaving her to cry has to happen, just check on them with increasing time between checks, and she will fall asleep in time.

Do you use a sleepyhead or similar? I bought one for my 6 month old out of desperation yesterday, and today she did a 1.5 hour nap in it!!! I’m in disbelief as like your DD she has NEVER napped for longer than 30 minutes in her cot before and always wakes up crying and still tired but unable to fall back to sleep. I think the nest stops her from being able to fling her arms around so much when she stirs so it’s easier for her to stay asleep? I wish I bought one sooner now