Sleep getting worse at 7.5 months

[mooki]

Two weeks ago I was feeling pretty pleased: 7 month old DD seemed to be settling for bed at 7 really well and the number of night feeds definitely started dropping - we even had 3 nights when she slept through. We hadn't done anything different, just stuck to the same bath, feed, bed routine as usual.

It seems however that she was just stocking up on sleep in order to give me a complete shocker this week. She has got one tooth poking through the gum by about a millimetre and the one next to it visible under the surface.

It took over an hour to settle her last night and then she woke up at 12, 3 and 5.30 - each time needing a full 30 min feed to get back to sleep.

We tried with DH just cuddling her the night before last but after about an hour of air-raid siren noise, I fed her. Medised seems to help getting her to sleep in the first place but doesn't prevent the waking up.

Please tell me that this will be shortlived while the teeth come through? And that we might be able to return to the gradual improvements we were making?

The worst thing is, I seem to have run out of patience. We've only had struggles for a few nights but I get really wound up when she won't sleep or wakes up yet again. DH is great, with me and with her and I get a lot of support from my mum during the week, I'm just gutted that when we seemed on the verge of cracking it, it's all gone pear-shaped and I don't appear to have the reserves left to cope calmly.

Oh, mooki. I know how you feel! Having a LO whose sleep is affected by everything is REEEEAAAALLY hard work. You have my complete sympathy.

Hang on in there, though- I hear it does get better eventually! And it seems like you know the reason for it, which is a good thing. Don't forget that your DD needs you right now- only you have the means to comfort her. I assume you're beastfeeding? The reason she wants it (in case you didn't know) is breast milk contains hormones which encourage the release of her own natural painkillers. So you are literally taking her pain away when she feeds, in the most natural way possible.

That doesn't, of course, make being woken so often any easier. And the more tired you get, the less patience you have... but your hard work will pay off eventually and I bet the return to normal will be swifter than it would have been just because you're being so consisitent and structured with her. Chin up, love.

Thanks for replying Yetihed. Things are still borked but I'm managing to stave off my rattiness a bit more now. Have taken to going to bed earlier then the 12.30am wake up doesn't seem so bad.

I didn't know that about the painkiller-releasing properties of breast milk. S'interesting, I think the sucking helps too.

Will give it another couple of weeks to settle down I think and then see how we feel. She was a tiny newborn so for ages I've just thought 'oh she needs feeding' still. But now she has gone through several nights with fewer or indeed no feeds at all, I'm wondering whether I need to bite the bullet and try methods of getting her back to sleep without a feed.

Thanks again, just having someone sympathise helps immensely.

Hi Mooki,

I just wanted to add my sympathy - and empathy! I have 8mo old DTs and although they've never completely gone through the night (best stretch being 7pm - 4am), they do seem to have got progressively better in the last few weeks. BUT, just when I start to think they've got the hang of it we have a night (like last night!) when DT2 decides to whine and whinge and then full on cry from about 4-6am. I think it's teething too, as although none have poked their way through they've had all the other symptoms - gribbly nappies, uncontrollable dribbling and biting, etc. I also am finding it hard to have patience when she does wake, and frequently find myself muttering things about chucking her out the window (obv, just said in anger, have no intention of following through!!) but it does always seem better in the morning when I see those gummy smiles...even if it's through bleary eyes!

So....no magic solutions but just a note to say that you're not alone, and that I'm sure that it will get better. It seems like your LO does 'know' how to sleep through so hopefully once these teeth are through she will reward you with some sleep for being such a lovely and attentive mummy to her!

I didn't know about the painkiller properties of BM either, so that will make it easier I think when (as I'm sure it will) we have another night like this.

Meant to say that my DTs were teeny tiny too and so have always given them to benefit of the doubt about night feeds. Am also always looking for the path of least resistance so feeding is always the easiest option!!

What's quite amusing is, my boy was a biggun' when born, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt re night feeds too, figuring he may need more sustenance!!! What lovely mummies we all are!! They've got us twisted round their little fingers!!!

If she's in agony from teething, you could give her more medised when she wakes, as long as there's been an appropriate gap in between.

Hello. Although I know from a recent thread lots of babies are still waking in the night, I'm glad there are still some other mums who are night feeding as well. No-one I know with a baby my age in RL is feeding after bedtime, if their baby wakes at all. For some ridiculous reason that makes me feel like somehow I'm a muggins or a martyr.

Like Dairymoo (and blimey - well done you for breastfeeding twins!), I've been a path of least resistance person up until now but that does always mean that it is always me that has to get up in the night.

DD went to bed at 7 last night and eventually dropped off at about 7.40. She woke herself up at about 8.30 but went back to sleep with just a stroke of the hand. Then woke up again when we came upstairs at 10.30. She cried with her eyes shut for a while so we didn't pick her up and thought she might drop off again with more stroking but then she got increasingly agitated. We tried medised and water but again she just got more upset so I fed her and was able to put her back down after only one side.
She woke again at 3.50am and fed and woke up for the day at 7, crying again :-(.

Both the bottom teeth are through now, though only by millimetres. Maybe the slow progress through the gum hurts? She's pretty cheerful during the day at the moment so I really don't know if she's in pain or not?

At least she is having a decent nap this morning. Normally she only sleeps for 30 mins x 2 or 3 in the day. Must keep reminding myself to remember all of the lovely happy giggly baby bits as well as the whingeing.

Mooki - your DD sounds very like my DTs. And yes, I don't know many people in RL still night feeding either, but hey, I'd actually rather spend 15 mins feeding than 1 hour pacing up and down the corridor. And yes, I am the only one with the special 'baby calming powers' in our house too. Occasionally I nudge DH and he goes and tries to rock one fo them back to sleep but I inevitably lie there awake and, as it sometimes takes him so long to get them calmed down, I end up feeding them anyway so it's not really worth it.

Annoying but am just hoping 'it's just a phase, this too will pass' and I know that when I do FINALLY get a night of unbroken sleep I'll be so appreciative of it!

When I say a baby my age, I mean of course a baby the same age as mine. I hope no one is still breastfeeding at 31!

Dairymoo - exactly the same on the 15 mins Vs 1hr (and counting) and the staying awake listening while Husband tries calming.

I know that it could be much worse - she does tend to go back to sleep after a feed.I have a friend whose son has terrible sleep at the moment and he's bottle-fed so she doesn't even have the quick boob-out option. I'm very lucky that I will be off work until she is 1 as well.

Sorry for moaning on. Repeats this too will pass in head.

I agree- a fast feed is better than an hour+ walk!

I also think that it's a pressure society puts on us, to have our baby sleep through... rather than a natural event. the amount of people I meet who say "what a beautiful boy! does he sleep well?" I find it a bit odd in a way- they don't ask if he's a good pooher!! Can't think why!

On teeth, my DS started getting his at 4mo. The first was definitely the worst and the agonies did last for a few days/ a week or so while it pushed fully through. It did pass and his sleep did get better. Tooth 2 was a bit better but also painful.

His 2 top teeth are coming through now and they're causing much less bother. TBH, I think he's just got used to all the pain/ sensations that come with teething. Also, solids seem to be helping- he loves munching on a banana or carrot stick if it's sore. Hates all man made teethers!

Don't be sorry for moaning, mooki- you need to and goodness knows we all deserve to!

Well, I spoke to the Health Visitor on Monday and she made a few suggestions. She's a bit old school but I was prepared to give them a try. Mostly they revolved around trying to get DD to eat more solid food during the day and putting her to bed 30 mins later.

I know opinion on the impact of food on sleep is varied but she has now gone back to settling well at bedtime and only waking once for milk in the night. The teeth are through too though so it could just be coincidence. (thinks... what I need is a control group baby.) Thanks all for listening at the time.