7 month up for two hours in middle of night

[fizz14]

My 7 month old has never regularly slpet all night, only the very odd occassion. We put her to bed around 7.30/8.00 and she was sleeping till 7.30/8.00 a.m. BUT waking at least once in the night usually around 2 or 3. I would usually end up breast feeding her and she would conk out again. At the most she would be up for about 45 minutes. The last few nights have been a night mare (for me!) She goes to be as normal but is waking at 1.30/2.00 and not going back to sleep for hours (last night it was after 4 a.m. by the time I got back to bed) It doesn't matter what i do - feed, change, sing, rock - she appears to doze off in my arms but then the minute I put her in her cot she starts crying again. But she never seems fully awake, even last night when I put the big light on to change her nappy she didn't open her eyes fully.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated. I thought by now I'd be getting a few hours uninterrupted sleep, which I only get if I go to bed with her! Also I dont think I should still be feeding her during the night anyway by this age?

fizz14, had exactly the same problem with ds from about 7/8 months to 15months. In the end I resorted to controlled crying. Babies love being held all snuggly and warm in the arms of their favourite person and as long as your little one knows that you will hold her until she goes into a really, really deep sleep and that if she crys then you'll pick her up again - that is what the clever little thing will do.
Do you think she really is hungry when she wakes up?
Might be worth looking into one of the many techniques for helping her to settle herself.
Could she possibly be teething?

We too had exactly the same problem at around the same time. Initially he would go off quite quickly in our bed and then in a matter of days this had progressed to being up and playing for 2 hours in our bed !!! something had to be done.

We discussed controlled crying and decided to go for it. Personally I think it is important for both parents (if poss) to agree and to support each other throughout it. One always wants to crumble before the other and so you need the support. We only had to do it for two nights - they were horrible nights and all three of us were miserable, but it worked (touch wood) and he has even been better about day time naps since the controlled crying.

Thanks for your comments. She already has two teeth, but no obvious signs that any more are on the way. Can anyone give me a basic guide to controlled crying?

My advice is cut out the feeds and do controlled crying. It worked very, very well with ds when he was 8months and he's slept well ever since. It changed our lives. And he's a very happy, loving boy.

My advice is cut out the feeds and do controlled crying. It worked very, very well with ds when he was 8months and he's slept well ever since. It changed our lives. And he's a very happy, loving boy.

Fizz14, if you did a search on it, you will probably find reams of advice in the archive. Basic run down:
you pick a night when your baby is definitely healthy
when your baby starts crying you go in after a set period (2 mins, 5 mins, 10 mins) basically whatever your nerves can stand
you say reassuring words of comfort so that baby knows you are there but you do not pick baby up
you leave the room
it is unlikely that your baby will immediately capitulate and go to sleep, so you repeat the process again until the baby gives up and goes to sleep.
If you check the archive, you'll see that CC works very well for some babies (and parents) but doesn't for others.
IME, you do have to be feeling fairly strong and determined because listening to your baby wail is fairly grim. I turned the light on in my bedroom and the 1st night I was awake for an hour and a half (went in every 5 mins for first hour), 2nd night 40 mins, 3rd night 15 mins and for the next 2 years we've had a great sleeper.
Good luck

Fizz14, another vote for cc, worked wonderfully for my 7 mo dd. She only wakes in the night now (she is 9 mo) if she is unwell or needs some water on a hot night and then it's straight back to sleep. Sometimes sleeps 7.30/8pm to 9am!!!