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5 month old stopped sleeping

My lo is 5 months and has slept thro the night since 12 weeks, a couple of weeks ago he was waking every hour in the night, he then slept ok the following night but seemed to be waking up a few times every other night. Now for the past few nights he just wont sleep. He goes to bed ok but half hour later he is wide awake and its as tho he wants to play but he is tired as he keeps rubbing his eyes and yawning. He normally only has about 3 half hour naps in the day and will only take these if asleep on me!! The past couple of days (still only sleeping on me during the day) he has wanted long, between 45 mins to 2 hours eash time, I am guessing this is as he hasnt slept at night.

What do I do???? Do I onlt let him have his usual half hour naps so he doesnt have too much during the day and maybe he will sleep better at night or let him sleep as long as he wants in the day, I am worried if I do this he will sleep even less at night (if thats possible at the moment).

He has always been swaddled so we have tried not swaddling him in case he doesnt wanna be swaddled anymore but his arms fling about and wake him, he doesnt wanna sleep on his back, side or tummy.

If anyone has any suggestions/help it would be good.

Oh, we tried controlled crying last night too but he just cried and when we eventually went into him he was in such a state he couldnt calm himself down and we had to help him regulate his breathing again.

PLEASE HELP!!!! I need some sleep image

Replies

  • U say he only has naps on you? Maybe at night time he is waking, not realising your near and thats what starts him off?

    I wouldnt cut down his naps. The thepory of less sleep in the day means more sleep at night just isnt the case with babies im afraid! So definately dont do that.

    Has he been weaned yet? Maybe hes needing more food in the day to settle him at night?

    Just a few things i can think of. Hope it helps
  • I was thinking of maybe putting something I have worn that day into his cot so he can smell me??

    Yes, he is weaned, I know he is getting enough and isnt hungry, maybe I am feeding him too much??
  • Hi, I would help but really have no advice as I'm going through the same thing & have been for 2 months! Gabe used to be a fab sleeper and slept 7-7 for aaaages but at 5 months suddenly he started waking, for no reason. Sometimes he wanted to play, other times he was crying and needed a cuddle, or wanted a bottle or a drink of water. Despite having lots of milk, food & fluids during the day. I did think that he might be poorly or his eczema playing up but if we co-sleep, he NEVER wakes so I think it is an attention thing. It has improved but not completely...some nights I won't hear a peep out of him for 13 hours, other nights he's waking every 2 hours for God knows why!
    I have heard some mums say their babies wake at night when they are cold - could Jonathan need an extra blanket etc?
    A comfort blanket (well - a muslin - he loves them) helps Gabe, he falls asleep holding it & if he wakes I stroke his head with it and he goes back off. He only has a dummy for daytime naps as I don't want him waking in the night for a dummy as well as everything else. not much help but i know how you feel x
  • Well he slept all night last night... it could've been any one of the following things we tried....

    Lots of bounching in the jumperoo/door bouncer to tire him out
    Nurofen to go to bed in case of teething pain etc
    Extra bongela at bed time
    My top being in his cot so he could smell me
    Going to bed half an hour later
    Long splashing in the bath to tire him out (and soaking me and oh!!)

    Or it could just be that he was so tired from not sleeping properly for a few nights that he had worn himself out on his own!!!!

    Tigerlily... have you tried any of the above with success?!?!?! Hope Gabe starts sleeping better again soon! I hope this isnt just a one off for Jonathan and I think I will be repeating all of the above tonight. :lol:
  • Hey,

    I have no advice but just wanted to say that my sleeps on me during the day too - If I put her in her cot awake she getsexcited and wont settle or if I put her down asleep she wakes within 5 mins then is grumpy because lack of sleep!

    The silly thing is that she will settle herself in her cot at bedtime without her dummy but wakes for it!!! Last night she woke up lots of times, sat night twice before we went to bed then only once!!

    We have no idea why she sleeps better some nights and not others!!! So frustrating is't it! Great you got a good night sleep last night!
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