6 MO doesn’t sleep through!

[Raveceleste]

Hi all,
New to MN so please be gentle.
My little girl is 6 months and still to this day she hasn’t slept through the night once. I’ve got her bed time routine down to a T. It’s probably not
perfect or how it “should be” but it works for us. The problem is how she wakes up in the night. I honestly think she’s in some form of discomfort, almost like trapped wind I think. I’ve tried the typical, gripe water, infacol and even tried her with comfort milk but found that just made her sick. I’ve had her next to me crib inclined slightly. Nothing helps her sleep through - it’s getting to the point where I’m beyond exhausted and I’m falling asleep with her in my arms and almost dropping her (I’m laid in bed still)
when she wakes it’s pretty much like clock
work as well as it’s roughly the same time every night.
I usually put her on my breast and she tends to go back to sleep - last night I tried to settle her without the breast and she got that worked up and started screaming I had to go downstairs with her. Dad does not deal well with being woken up and he suffers with SADs so he got snappy as well.

I’ve contacted my HV but can take up to 5 days for them to get back in touch with me so thought I’d come on here for some real life help.

Don’t know if it helps to know she also fights when I try to get her to nap in the day - I honestly have to seriously gig, cuddle her and even sing sometimes.

Does anyone have any suggestions, tips, questions? I’m honestly at my whits end!!! 😥

@Raveceleste this is all totally normal too. They all grow out of it in the end. I was rocking my second until she was gone 18 months and patting my others ones bottom for months and months 😂🫣

It doesn't mean it's not exhausting and frustrating because it absolutely is but just try and manage your expectations and go with what works for now. It will get better eventually and it will all be a distant memory! Promise!

It’s once or twice give or take 🙈

A 6 month old only waking once or twice is amazing. I'd just be grateful for that and feed them back to sleep if it's the quickest way. It makes you sleepy too. I hear you on the falling asleep with them on you and echo what others have said about setting up your bed for safe co sleeping if this happens. I would also quit the gripe water etc. it might not be necessary. It is normal for babies to wake even more frequently than you describe and it is developmental. There is not always a reason like digestive discomfort. My baby is 9 months old and a night where he only wakes once or twice is a very good night.

It isn’t what I wanted to hear no, I need a magic wand LOL but I also wanted honest and real opinions/advice so I appreciate your comment thank you! I’ll do my best to ride it out, I think i was just hopeful to get her in her own room and sleeping better, some what, before I have to go back to work very soon!

In that case effort it might not feel like it, you are very very lucky!

My first was waking twice a night at that age (which was fine). My second anywhere from 5-15 times, and it didn't improve into 18m. I went back to work at 3m.

If once or twice, and then falling back asleep on the breast (so not prolonged waking) is exhausting you to this degree, then it is with investigating if there are other issues at play. Insomnia, PND, poor sleep hygiene. Perhaps also getting some bloods done. I'd expect you to be tired (parenting is knackered), but to the extent of falling asleep with baby in your arms when it's sometimes only 1 wake up is unusual tbh.

Before I had children I thought that night wake ups were only for a few months, but for most children it's at least a year. For many it's more like 3, and for some it's far longer.

For what it's worth I've not had a full night sleep in maybe 2 years. Most of those nights have involved more than one wake up. This is from a school age child (plus another child, plus working etc). Your expectations from a 6m are way off I'm afraid.

I'm sorry if you've been sold the lie that your baby should be sleeping through already. For most its just a myth. Sorry.

DD2 woke every 40 mins at 6 months. Interesting though she’s by far my best sleeper now, and still has 11-12 solid hours at 8! She was also my earliest to sleep through the night (15 months).

My dc was over 2 before sleeping through, her sister was, er, 6!

Once or twice at 6 months is pretty good! Count your blessings.

Is it not so much the waking up but the difficulty in her going back to sleep that’s the problem?

My wife has recently given birth to our first.

From what the midwives/other mums have told me, I'd be concerned if my infant slept through, even at six months. That's a long time to go without a feed and to lay in a shitty/pissy nappy.

I'm doing the night duties with our little one, and find that the best way to get her to settle after her wee-hours feed is to walk around the house while singing to her 😂

No, thank you.
Every suggestion and comment has made me feel a little better (no matter how brutal) I knew it was unrealistic but was probably sold the dream by socials of other mums!
I used to deal well with minimal sleep but maybe you’re right and should check with the GP.

Ugh, social media “sleep advice” belongs in the bin! Filling new parents with anxiety over what is entirely normal and age appropriate 😫 I’m sorry you’ve been made to feel like something is wrong. You’re doing great and your baby is doing great! A 6-month-old waking only once or twice is better than average! It’s exhausting, but I found that most of my tiredness was caused by trying to fix something that wasn’t broken, and once I accepted that it was what it was I started feeling better and coping better.

It’s really the first two years on average that are gonna be rocky sleep wise. In my experience things get better after 1yo and when you wean - mine started sleeping through at 13 months exactly a week after I fully weaned - but there will still be hiccups and rough patches due to teething, illnesses (first winter in nursery is HARD!) and all the crazy development they do. They grow so much and learn so much, it’s gonna throw routines off for a bit. Mine will be 2 in a month and we have just gone through a couple of months of ridiculousness sleep wise. I’m currently sitting in a Tesco car park with him asleep in the car because that’s the only way he naps anymore but if he doesn’t get his nap in then we’re up either 3 times a night or start the day at 4am. But the past week he has slept through again so I think we’re out of the worst of it!

I’m sorry that you’re struggling. As others have said, it’s perfectly normal for baby to wake over night still but I know it’s hard.
When I’m too tired to get up with my six month old I bring her into bed with me too but it’s not safe sleeping to fall asleep holding your baby.
I’ve linked the lullaby trust advice below, but baby should be on a flat surface without risk of covers falling on them.
I find feeding my LO in a side lying position and then sleeping next to her prevents many wake ups - it’s not comfortable but you do get to sleep 🤷‍♀️

https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/co-sleeping/

good luck

My just turning 3yo has slept thorugh once, ever 🤣

We co-slept after a while- with DH occasionally going in the spare room (he was always worried he’d roll onto her). At 6months DD was a terrible sleeper on her own, but probably woke up once for a few mins when we co-slept.
Sleep training didn’t work for us, DD got so distressed within about 3 mins I couldn’t carry on. I’m sure older generations might say “ooh you are letting them rule the house” but you do what you have to for your sleep and sanity!

Same here! She’s in her own bed obviously but wakes up once or twice a night. It’s usually only for a minute so doesn’t affect me
too much- although I often immediately fall asleep in her bed! Only time slept through was when I had an upset stomach all night. Typical!