She used to go from 7 to 7-ish but since she had her last lot of immunisations 4 weeks ago she has started waking a couple of times in the night. Last night she woke on the hour every hour. My husband says don't pick her up, let her cry herself back to sleep. I know he's probably right but can anyone help with more specific instructions please? I am breastfeeding and she has started solids on the advice of my health visitor.
2007-11-09 23:32:40 · 11 answers · asked by Lucy C 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Its a nasty shock when they stop sleeping through, isn't it!! I can remember just wishing that my daughter would make up her her mind and either sleep through or not, I never knew where I was.
I recommend Elizabeth Pantleys book, No Cry Sleep Solutions. It is really helpful, and she helps come up with kind alternatives to letting little ones cry it out..
In the meantime, when you listen to her cry, is she really hungry? Upset? Tired? Bored? Maybe she is just in the habit of waking up since her imm's and having you to feed her and soothe her back to sleep. Once you know she is not wet, hungry or upset, you can be more confident in your approach.
Some babies (mine - now 16 months - included) grizzle themselves back to sleep, its just their way. In fact soothing them might actually be keeping them awake when if given a minute or 2 they would grizzle themselves back off to the land of nod. When you really listen you can hear the difference in their crying, and can recognise when to overcome your natural mummy instinct to try and make it all better!
Try minimal interference tonight - go to her, but do as little as possible to get her back to sleep. She will have the reassurance of you being there, but you can start to 'wean' her off expecting you there in the middle of the night by backing off and letting her discover for herself that its not fun being awake in the night and there are no cuddles. It will probably take a few weeks, but at least you can look forward to better sleep.
Set good habits (for your benefit as much as hers), make allowances and accept the situation for now, she is only tiny still. Its easier when you accept rather than resent it. I know its rough right now, but she WILL get over this!
Have just re-read this, I mean it to be experience gained and passed on along with sweet dreams, rather than the rant it sounds like. Please take it as such!
2007-11-10 00:34:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is 4 months and is doing the same thing I don't think it was her last lot of needles but I think she may be teething or something happening in that area and a bit of a growth spurt. I feed her once may twice if she wakes a few times but sometimes a little cuddle is enough for her to go back down. I was told by my child health nurse not to feed her all the time if she wakes cause she will get herself into that routine and expect it all the time and not go back to sleeping through. Good luck : - )
2007-11-10 00:33:43 · answer #2 · answered by banditqueen1980 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is 4 and a half months old and she recently started doing this too. I was also advised to give her solids and she has since slept through again. My health visitor advised that in the beginning stages to keep up with the normal intake of milk and add solids as a side item so they are full up. She also suggested that once they start solids, they might need "hungrier baby milk formula" but as your baby is breastfed this isn't applicable. I would try and make sure she has two to three meals of baby rice a day. Her stomach is still adjusting so only give her very bland foods (baby rice / apple purree etc) - I wouldn't give her vegies as of yet as her tummy might be adjusting. When she wakes in the night I would comfort her once but then leave her. One cuddle will let her know that you are there if she needs you. Good luck!!!
2007-11-10 00:25:24 · answer #3 · answered by Nally 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it would be the shots now. It could be teething - or her pattern has just changed. My little one is 5 1/2 months old, and she could go weeks sleeping an 8 or 9 hour stretch, then go weeks waking up a few times. It's normal. As far as crying, at this point you can probably tell the difference between cries. I can always tell if my little one is crying just because she woke up, in which case it is more of a whine... if I leave her just a few minutes, I will hear her suck her hand, then she is out. And I can also tell if it is a cry that means she needs something. (I usually get up to at least check her diaper, though.) If I am not overly tired or wide awake, I will get up and rock her for a few just to spend some time together. I try not to rock her to sleep though, baaad habit. (one which she is just getting over. haha) Sorry to ramble on, congrats on your little one!
2007-11-10 00:20:19 · answer #4 · answered by luvin225 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go and get that baby and feed her she is hungry. I breastfeed and at 4 months mine was getting up every 2 hours sometimes. and some nights every hour. If after 4-5 min she is still crying then she needs her mommy and increase the time by one min a month and eventually she will learn to put herself back to sleep.
STOP the solids her system can not digest the food until 6 months or later and that might also be causing gas and other tummy problems.
Mine did not sleep through the night until 10 1/2 months. Babies go through growth spurts and I think she might be going through one now.
Some moms can detach them selves from the crying baby but I was not one.
2007-11-09 23:55:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
its funny that because my baby has been going thru the night since about 6 weeks and he started waking up thru the night after his 1st lot of injections!.
it only lasted about 3 nights and he started going thru again, have u tried a dummy, it may just help her back to sleep on her own without u having to pick her out
2007-11-10 00:36:57 · answer #6 · answered by lnjhamilton 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She is staying up longer, so let her stay up until around 9 to 10, make sure she eats supper around the same time as you guys, then make sure she has a really warm bottle when she goes to bed. It is true, warm milk makes you sleep better.
2007-11-09 23:45:36 · answer #7 · answered by LIPPIE 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I bet she has started teething, she is around the correct age for it. Try some infant tylenol.
2007-11-09 23:38:08 · answer #8 · answered by ridder 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I wouldn't think it would be the shots now. she might be getting in some teeth. get some baby oral gel for her gums.
2007-11-09 23:45:03 · answer #9 · answered by sassylassy2876 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Growth spurt! Feed her!
2007-11-10 00:10:05 · answer #10 · answered by piontkofsky 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋