Just started weaning and 6mo struggling with sleep - any ideas?

[IsItMeOr]

DS has always found sleep a bit of a challenge, and from 6-13 weeks he seemed to be really unsettled with his digestion so that some (dark) days he slept only 6 hours in total day and night. He seemed to mostly grow out of this at 13 weeks, with naps settling down at around 15 weeks. But then he started with the teething and the colds and the going away on holidays, all of which seemed to disrupt him again, so waking 5-7 times per night. Naps okay, although he would often lose part of his lunchtime nap. He doesn't have consistent times for waking in night for BFs, but pretty much always had two between bedtime and breakfast, but just over past through days some nights he seems to want three. They are very slow and sleepy though!

Then it was time to wean at 6mo, so we started down the BLW route a couple of weeks ago now (when DS 25 weeks). Although nothing much seems to be going in, it seems to have made him a little constipated, so his regular daily dirty nappy can now skip a day, which seems to make him uncomfortable.

So my questions are, has anybody else experienced similar? And any tips? A friend recommended infant probiotic powders and I have bought some just yesterday, but getting them into a BF/BLW baby who won't take a bottle is non-trivial!

DH is a hugely light sleeper so wakes up even before I do with DS, and he is close to despair. I'm currently on a more relaxed day, but come back tomorrow and I will probably be in depths of despair.

Any tips and survival strategies gratefully received. Thanks!

Sorry, meant to say that DS seems to be genuinely uncomfortable in night when he can't get back to sleep, and because of his digestion issues at 6-13 weeks, I theorise that may be the cause again now, with the adapting to some solids. We know little bits are going in as they are recognisable at the other end (sorry if TMI !)

Anyone?

Wah wah wah!

does he have pain when he is awake and playing? I have a almost 10 month old ds who is VERY similar to how you describe and has been seen by various paediatricians with no diagnosis, is going into kings hospital next week.(not suggesting they are the same)

Thank you for replying . Gosh that must be a worry for you. DS doesn't obviously seem to be in pain when he is awake and playing. I would say that it was more discomfort than actual pain, iyswim, but is enough to disrupt his sleeping. He's always been a very good-natured little chap, even when he was only getting 6 hours sleep, so I assume/hope he doesn't feel a lot of pain.

I do hope your DS is okay, and that kings can help him. It's hard not to worry, isn't it, especially when you're sleep deprived too.

at the moment my ds2 cant eat any protein foods, wheat, dairy (keeping off egg and soya due to ds1) and he is ok when awake but he wakes up between every 2-3 hours each night. Not hungry. Can hear his tummy making noises and he will curl himself up tight then arch his back. His naps are all over the place too. Sometimes only has half hour before waking in pain. Have you noticed a link between certain foods? Try keeping a food diary to see if some nights he's worse? Id suggest you see either your gp or heath visitor.

Prune juice is great for constipation, try putting some in a medi syringe as he wont take a bottle?

Thanks again mad4, it sounds as if I may be worrying overly much, as his tummy isn't making anything like the old noises that you've reminded me off, and he is fidgety, rather than those classic pain symptoms you've mentioned (I remember his little legs used to be held up against his chest all the time while he gurgled).

I will keep an eye on what I've fed him as you've suggested, and suspect we just need to try and tweak his nighttime routine and gradually wean him off the night feeds somehow. I think it might just be a case of one thing after another (teething, colds, staying away, introducing solids), rather than anything more serious.

I'm still night feeding at 9 months and using co-sleeping as a coping strategy! He has one or two feeds a night. Not ideal, but I tried many things to get him to sleep through and haven't found anything that works with my baby.