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Sleep help- just don't know what to do

Hi girls



I probably shouldnt be writing this when I'm so upset as it's probably just going to sound like a big emotional rant and I should probably wait til I'm more clear headed. I've had yet another horrendous night with my 9 month old baby and I was wondering whether anyone can give me any tips or advice??



Alex has never been a great sleeper. I believe part of this is due to him having such severe reflux which he is medicated for. He was sick a lot in his sleep and couldn't sleep lying flat so spent many weeks asleep on my chest whilst I sat upright to stop him vomiting. He also had lots of feeds through the night as he could never take more than a couple of ounces at a time through the day because of the reflux so would need feeds in the night as he was never full enough.



Anyway, we cut out his night feeds about 7 weeks ago and for a time he was sleeping great. Not quite sleeping through as he still needed settling/dummy a couple of times a night but I was able to get more than a string of 3 hours asleep!! Hes also weaned (although is still only ok pureed food as he can't tolerate lumps very well without vomiting)



My problems really started about a week and a half ago. He's started waking up literally every hour screaming. When I go in he's in floods of tears and is sat bolt upright and he looks so scared. It really upsetting to see him like it. I've been picking him up as I was upset seeing him like that too but he then just won't go back to sleep or if he does it's for like 50 mins then the same thing happens again. Are these night terrors? I'm just confused though as I've read that when they cry they are still asleep but Alex is very much awake?



I thought maybe it's because I'm picking him up but I tried last night to just shush in his ear and stroke his back but when he did eventually stop crying (15 mins) he woke up again an hour later crying and sitting upright again. I'm so confused. I thought maybe teeth but he's fine once I pick him up...he just doesnt want to go back into his cot. He's not showing any signs of teething in the day either and is eating fine etc.



The only thing that's sort of changed is that he's been having longer naps in the day. He will only sleep in his cot (sigh) and when we're out he just refuses to sleep and gets overtired. When he does nap in the afternoon though he can sleep for about 2 hours so it's quite a big thing for him not to have this but apart from staying in every afternoon (which I can't always do) I can NOT get him to sleep (pram/car seat/on me etc) could losing his nap disturb his sleep so much??



Sorry this sounds a bit like clutching at straws and I really hope it's maybe a phase...but I'm just really struggling to cope at the min image Im also 15 weeks pregnant and don't think pregnancy hormones help with me getting upset a lot!! I am married but i don't oh helping in the night time mainly because he works a stressful job and I want him to rest but also he normally does the opposite to what I want him to do and I'd rather just do it myself!! And I do keep going to bed early to try and get some sleep in before Alex does all his waking and crying...but I'm feeling like Im

Not spending anytime with oh as he gets home from work, we have tea and then

I go to bed!!



Any advice greatly appreciated...do you think it could be night terrors? Do I need to be more strict and stop picking him up when he cries?? Should I make sure he gets the second nap? I just feel so lost with it all image



Thanks

Replies

  • Oh Sally image Hun I really feel for you, I know how bad I feel after a bad night & im not pregnant! I don't really have any advise for you (sorry) but I'm thinking of you xxx
  • Oh Sally you poor thing. I don't have much advice but could you try moving the cot around in his room? Something as simple as that may break what now sounds like a habit. I know my friend had issues with her little girl and did some sleep training and Vicky mentioned a good technique on our Facebook page. I hope someone is able to give you some advice that works. Thinking of you xxx
  • Oh Sally you poor thing. I don't have much advice but could you try moving the cot around in his room? Something as simple as that may break what now sounds like a habit. I know my friend had issues with her little girl and did some sleep training and Vicky mentioned a good technique on our Facebook page. I hope someone is able to give you some advice that works. Thinking of you xxx
  • Thanks ally. I just feel more exasperated by it all as im back at work next week and after months of a routine....its all gone to pot!! Argh.



    Thanks for thinking of me xxxx
  • Oh poor you. My DD (13 months) goes through phases like this maybe every couple of months (maybe lasting for 3 or 4 nights). I too found that picking her up actually makes her worse and then we start a cycle of her associating the cot with the crying so as soon as I put her back in it, she starts again.



    If there is nothing obviously wrong with him (nappy, teeth, etc) have you tried leaving him? Sometimes I find DD will go hell for leather for a few mins and then go back to sleep as though nothing ever happened. She's also definitely more unsettled when she doesn't get her sleep in the day so that might be the key. Have you seen snoozeshades? They are blackout covers for buggies - would that encourage him to sleep while you are out and about?



    Not sure about night terrors in that age but would be worth asking your HV. Other than that, they can go through developmental phases which affect their sleep - for instance, has he just started crawling or anything?



    Not sure whether any of that helps - I hope a little bit!



    K x
  • Thank you all image I went back to bed 7.30 - 8.45 so feeling less like my life is about to end now! It always feels so much worse when you're in the middle of it all and it's an obscene hour and no one else is up!



    He's been chewing his muslin like mad this morning, cried through his breakfast and I remembered he'd done two bad poos yesterday do maybe it is teeth? Who knows!



    Hes been crawling a few weeks now but only the last few days has learnt to pull himself up and he's just started moving his legs when you hold him up in a walking motion.I suppose could be another possibility why he's so unsettled.



    And I agree kayecee that maybe I'm picking him up so much that he's associating his cot with crying so I think leaving him might be the step I need to take once I've initially calmed him down. And good idea about the snoozeshades - I hadn't heard of those.



    Thanks again for your replies. I'm going to get an early night (again!) tonight and start prepared to hear some crying!!



    Xxx



    Thanks again for your replies. I'm going to trial
  • Hi,



    Not sure if you've managed to resolve this now, but I noticed you said when you go into his room he is sat up crying, and I was reading a little while ago that sometimes babies can start to wake up again distressed at this age when they can sit up but can't lie back down. It suggested when putting him in his cot sit him and try to teach him to lie down by himself. Not sure if it works as my son is 8 months and haven't come up to this problem (yet).

    Hope that might be some help.
  • Also Sally, I noticed Freddie started sleeping much better when I undone his sleeping bag so he had more freedom. I seen Charlotte stopped using hers for same reason but Freddie would wriggle out of blankets so I fasten at top and zip down and across but not up other side. I found before this he was getting all stressed as he couldn't turn into a comfy position so I would find him sat up sobbing! Worth a try if you use sleeping bags x x
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