8 Month old 4am waking up crying

[Crumble2023]

Hello,

Over this last week my little girl has just started becoming unsettled/upset at 4am which then leads crying/screaming until I give up and come in to settle her either with milk or cuddles (depends how bad she works herself up to) then she’ll come sleep on my chest until I wake her.
As soon as I put her back in her cot after settling or feeding she hysterically cries.

I’ve tried the soothing talking/singing/re entering the room but unless I keep her with me she’s just not happy. To start with I try not go in straight away as she used to be able to settle back to sleep again but now she doesn’t and when I enter the room and walk away it makes it 100x worse.

She used to sleep half 6-half 6 every day then a couple of weeks back started to get her teeth come through, followed by a sickness bug then a cold on top therefore everything’s been a bit up in the air. Before I’d be able to sing or feed her and she’d settle, I’d lay her down, she’d cry as I walked away but then fall back to sleep but now she won’t even do that.

Naps and bedtime she falls asleep by herself with no problems.
Lately she has been getting upset when I put her down for a nap but after about 5mins she’s asleep.

After anytime of being in the cot, if I go to change her straight after or lay her down she gets so upset it’s like she needs some time with me before I can do that.

She is currently combi fed (expressed milk) bottles all day with the occasional boob in the morning if I haven’t prepped milk in time or she wakes up like she has been doing and I haven’t got any pumped milk ready.
6 bottles of 4oz BM
3meals a day - yogurt & fruit, cereal and fruit and veg / cereal type dessert

She has just turned 8 months and I go back to work in 1 month full time (don’t, I’ll cry)! So would like to try fix this before then.

She used to do 3x half an hour naps a day
But has now gone down to 2x as she started to refuse the last nap, as she’s now waking early, she tends to do 1x hour or hour and a half nap in the morning then half an hour in the afternoon.

Bed times still the same and her last bottle of the day is before bed at around 6:15, then a change and down at half past

Thank you x

[Brightandbreezey]

I know this isn't that helpful but sounds like she just needs you right now. Teething and separation anxiety are really painful and scary! I know you’re back at work soon which sucks but I don’t think there is a quick fix.
If you are in the UK the clocks go forward this weekend so at least she’ll be getting up at 5am instead!! Little silver lining!!