Helen has been going to sleep like a dream. She goes down for naps with no problem. She'll sometimes wake early talk a bit and put herself back to sleep. I know she knows how to go to sleep on her own and to soothe herself back to sleep.
The past two weeks, she's been waking in the night screaming! I'll go in after a few minutes just to pat her on the back, cover her, or give her a little Gaviscon or gas drops if she keeps crying. I've never had to pick her up until the past two nights.
The crying is escalating. The night before last I actually had to feed her. At 9 months and 22 pounds, she should not need a night feed!
I won't feed her again during the night, because I don't want to start something I don't want to continue.
I've been applying the Baby Whisperer principles, but I can't seem to come up with why she's doing this!
I really need her to start sleeping through again. I don't know if it's medical (reflux, teeth etc...) or developmental (separation anxiety, new skills she's trying to master, frustration / stress). She's not showing any of the other signs of an ear infection and she just came off and antibiotic, so it can't be that. I really don't want to take her to the doc's again.
Any suggestions as to what I can do? What's worked for you?

By Frasersmama on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 01:56 pm:

Teething? My dd has been sleeping through the night for 7 months and then last week woke up in the night 3 nights and refused to be settled until I got her up and sat in the rocking chair for awhile. Then yesterday when I was brushing her teeth there was a new molar. Do you think? If it might be teething, try giving her a little pain reliever and sometimes she just might need a little extra comfort. After the tooth came through, dd went back to sleeping like a dream.

By Amyk on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 06:41 am:

Sounds like you are doing the right things - don't worry, you'll get back on track. Sometimes a little one just needs her mommy - if she has been a good sleeper until this point - she'll get back on track. I love the Baby Whisperer stuff - good choice. Try to do the least possible yet still comfort her sufficiently.

Best,

Amy
mom to Garrett - who is almost 22mo!

By Amecmom on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 08:42 am:

Thanks! We had a textbook day yesterday. She ate very well, took good naps, went to bed like a dream ... Then at midnight she started screaming. I patted her and covered her and she would have none of it. I picked her up, put her down again and she settled reluctantly.
10 minutes later she was crying. I gave her 10 minutes to try and settle herself. Nothing. Finally I had to feed her. She took about 6oz. I put her back in her crib awake - no protest. She cooed and talked and then went to sleep. She did wake and cry once or twice, but put herself back to sleep.
She really was hungry. How do I get her to eat more during the day so she won't need a night feed?
Currently, she takes only about 4-5oz milk in the morning, some crackers or oatmeal and some fruit.
At lunch time, she takes about three oz of home made babyfood - mix of meat and veggies, and about 6 oz of milk. She likes finger-food, so I'm trying to phase out the mashed food and replace it with diced. I'm concerned though that not enough will make it into her mouth.
At supper she usually eats the most. She takes threee ounces of solids and 6 to 8 oz of milk.
Before bed, she has either oatmeal or crackers and milk. I can't get her to take more than 4 to 7 ounces before bed though.
I've tried switching the milk and the solids, but she still takes the same amout of milk and is then looking for the solids.
Today, I'm going to see if I can add a feed somewhere, and see if that helps.
If not, I'm going to feed her and put her to bed at 7. This way when she wakes three hours later looking for food, it will only be 10 and I can deal with a quick feed then rather than waking up several times a night.

I knows this rambles, but thank you. It really gave me a chance to work this out. I would appreciate any other ideas.
Ame
BTW Amy - I like the way you sign off ...
Ame

By Tink on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 11:24 am:

Ame, could she be going through a growth spurt and just needing this extra nourishment right now? I understand you not wanting to start a bad habit but I remember 9 months being a busy growth time for my kids. Maybe an extra dose of fruit and cereal right before bed? I sure hope you're able to figure it out.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 11:27 am:

Have you ever done cereal at bedtime? That always seemed to fill Natalie up sooo much.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 01:56 pm:

Deanna, I either do cereal or crackers and milk before bed. Lately, she's been taking less milk and still not sleeping when I give her the oatmeal at night.
She actually started pushing away the oatmeal after a few bites anyway.
Yes, Tink, I think it is a growth spurt and separation anxiety combined. She's a big girl and her little belly can only hold so much at one time. Lately, the most she will drink at one feed is 6 ounces, when she used to down a full eight plus oatmeal.
Am going to try and fill her up andget her to bed early so at least if she wakes looking for milk she won't be getting me out of bed.
Thanks again,
Ame

By Amyk on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 02:12 pm:

Oh, in case this turns out to be behavioral in nature... try to be very consistant in how you respond to her wakings - if not, she might start to put together... hey, if I keep trying, mom eventually feeds me, or gets me out, or rocks me. Come up with a plan of how you will respond to her wakings before you go to bed and you'll be better prepared to be consistant once she wakes. In the middle of the night, it is hard to come up w/ a plan and stick to it! :0)

By Amecmom on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 01:17 pm:

Well, I guess she was just hungry! I fed her again at 11:00 last night and midnight or so the night before. After a good 7 ounces of milk she put herself to sleep - not on me, but in her crib and slept the night through.
It seems no matter how much I try and get into her during the day, she needs that extra feed.
Thanks for the advice ladies.
Ame

By Colette on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 01:43 pm:

Glad you finally got a good night sleep!

By Amecmom on Friday, July 1, 2005 - 10:27 pm:

OK, so I didn't figure it out. Last night was horrible! She would put her head down, start to fall asleep, then jerk it back up.
I put her in her crib and she fought me to sit up. She played until she cried. I fed her again and she finally fell asleep - but not deeply.
Took her to the ped this morning. She has fluid in her ears - not an infection - but uncomfortable.
Tonight, I gave her Benadryl, Mortin and put numbing drops in her ears - she went out like a light.
Actually, before the numbing drops it looked like it would be a repeat of last night.
It just goes to show, you never know.
Ame