help! my 6month old wont go to sleep at night and gets up every 2 hours throughout the night. what do i do?

Question

i am a single parent of a teenager and a six month old, both girls. my baby hates it when i put her to bed at night and wakes up throughout the night. i try lullabies, waiting it out through her screaming, bedtime routines, ect. is it because im nursing her? it seems she wants to be cuddled, but every two hours?? she doesn't cry but she screams! i'm afraid the neighbors are going to think that im beating up my kid or something. i read the books, look on line, talk to the pediatrician and even other parents. im about ready to pull my hair out. im not getting any sleep because i have chronic fatigue sydrome due to my fibromyalgia and her waking up all the time, i never get any sleep. i'm single so i have no one to help me out during the wee hours of the morning. my older daughter spoiled me she couldnt wait to go to bed when she was a baby. so this is all new to me. i live in the country so i dont have much help outside the home. im just burnt out. i love her like crazy, but i need help!

Answer 1

Six months is a difficult time with some babies -- a real transition. However, there may be an additional factor. If you are still nursing her, and she wants to be fed every two hours, it could be that your milk is not as good as it once was. That can easily happen -- especially when you are under stress. Having to care for a child is difficult enough, but twice as hard for single moms. And if you are not getting enough sleep, and are burned out, the end result could be that your baby is simply hungry. Do you give her supplemental feedings? And by the way, how is your diet? Are you being kind to yourself and making sure you get enough of the right kind of food? If you aren't getting enough sleep, and it doesn't sound as though you are, that makes it all the more probable that you are getting run down, which will also affect your milk production. You need to take naps during the day, whenever you can, and whenever she lets you. All these things make a difference, and I hope this can help.

Answer 2

My son was exactly like this, but no worries, he will grow out of it... well for a while anyways. He was breastfed until 2 months, but would eat every 30 mins and just graze all day long. Just to let you know he is going to be a needy baby. Needy babies are like this and will continue to be so until around a year old, sometimes longer. I found I had to start co-sleeping, but putting hher in a bassinet beside the bed would probably be best for you. Try keeping the bottles in the fridge and warming them the exact same way every time, my son preferred this. Change her diapers every 2 hours unless there is poo, this will let her know that her diapers will be cleaned on schedule. Don't switch nipples or bottles EVER, use the same ones every time. My son always had different preferences and if I switched the nipples sometimes he'd start preferring the new ones and refuse to use the old ones. Buy swaddling blankets or bunting bags, this is the only way I can lie my 7 month old down after he's asleep. Try to make everything the same so she doesn't get confused, and move her around lots so she doesn't get bored, I found a bjorn was great, especially since you're taking care of other children My son was sleeping 4-5 hours by 3 months, so don't worry. But DO NOT change her formula, I switched my son to soy and he is only just learning to sleep 4-5 hours again at 7 months. She'll be a tough one, but you'll figure it out good luck

Answer 3

I Breastfeed my baby too...GOOD FOR YOU. That is NOT the problem, don't let anyone tell you it is ever a problem.
My daughter is 11 mos old now. I find that she has re-current wakings when: Teething, growth spurt, ear infection, stressed, going to bed TOO LATE, or just for no good reason!
If your maternal instinct tells you something just isn't normal, then take her to the doctor to check for symptoms of teething or ear infection.
The good thing to remember is that babies go through phases. And this too shall pass. I know it doesn't help in the moment when you are tired and all you can do is cry with your baby. Continue with the bedtime ritual. Babies find comfort and security in routine. Make sure baby isn't OVER tired when you put her to bed. Sometimes parents make the baby stay awake all afternoon and evening thinking she will sleep better if she's worn out. But that has the OPPOSITE effect. Overtired babies have more frequent wakings through the night. For the sake of YOU getting sleep, consider co-sleeping with your baby for a time. (if not bed-sharing, at least in the same room) This will make tending to her at night easier. You sound like you could use some help. Mommies also could use a break. CALL a family member or friend to help you. Your mental exhaustion is adding to how unbearable the situation seems. Take care of your babies mommy, then the mommy can take better care of the baby.
Good luck to you.

--SH in Oklahoma

Answer 4

Ok, at six months you can feed her cereal, feed it to her an hour or so before you go to bed, so she has time to process it and do the diaper thing.
There is a book called "Helping Your Child Sleep Through the Night." Basically, she needs to learn to self-comfort. The main thing is to let her cry, go to her, but don't take her out of her crib. After doing this for a few nights, she will cry for a shorter and shorter period of time. If she is eating well, at six mos. she is waking up out of habit, and not hunger.
I've been there, so good luck!

Answer 5

Have you tried taking her to your bed?

If you are worried about pillows, covers, and your mattress/space try a co-sleeper.

Does she do well at nap time? Perhaps, its the space she isn't used to...does she do well at other times? When my son is cold he'll wake up at any time irregardless of how tired he is. Make sure her feet are warm and her hands aren't cold.

My son does this at nap time and it's horrible. He screams like someone is pinching him. He's three months and I just wonder if he has night terrors or something. What works is going in there and comforting him. I stroke his forehead or run my fingers through his hair while telling him 'nighty-night' in a soft firm voice. His eyes usely drift up and down until he falls right back asleep.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Man, it could be a lot of things. You say you are breast feeding her? Are you on medications for your fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue? Are you giving her anything besides breastmilk. She might be hungry...try a little cereal at night. She might have a belly ache. Get some peppermint flavoring, dip a toothpick in it, and swish it around in a bottle of water. That will help a stomach ache. I take it she doesn't have a fever? Does she have any teeth coming in? Possible ear ache? There are so many things...

Answer 7

I'm not a parent so I dint know a lot about this subject, however I did read a study recently about baby's sleeping better in the same room as the parent. It didn't say it had to be in the same bed, that would scare me for fear of rolling over on the baby.

Answer 8

ok, here is the help you need- i nursed my baby and she did me the same way. i had her sleeping in a playyard for a few weeks. then, i found a bassinet at a local yard sale. I took it home and she slept alot longer- i think its because of the mattress that is used in them or maybe because they are so small they feel warmer, more cuddled. i also started to fall asleep while i was nursing her so i was so afraid i'd drop her that i would let her sleep right next to me sometimes when she'd wake up- i was told to substitute a little similac with iron in between feedings. i also started to pump my breasts and put the milk in bottles - my little girl liked cool milk. hope this helps you - email if you need me

Answer 9

Alleviating your fibromyalgia symptoms might help you find a little rest in the middle of so much going on. Check out the link below for homeopathic remedies for fibromyalgia pain. I use Arnica as needed, and I also take 800 mg. of Aleve and a 1000 mg. flaxseed oil capsule every night at bedtime as a preventive measure--without it, my pain is so bad that I can barely walk.

Answer 10

my 8month old still wakes up in e middle of e nite & so i totally understands how u feel.. my 1st 2-3 months was terrible too, esp e 1st month!! (i'm still nursing him; he is on formula in e day)

anyway, things are a little better now.. here's how i do it:
i try to stick to a bedtime. everynite ard 10.30pm, i'll nurse him.. but he wouldnt sleep den.. he would turn & toss & blabber a little b4 finally falling asleep.. i do all these with e lights off (jus with nite light).. it took quite a while b4 it worked.. like ard 3-4 weeks.. & in between i make sure i dont feed him even when he wakes up, unless its been at least 4 hours since my last feed..

its a lot of hard work.. i know..

i hope it helps..