Alright ladies, I need your advice. How do I get my little peanut to sleep better at night?
The past 1 1/2 - 2 months have been miserable. MG is waking up ever 45 minutes to an hour. I'm exhausted and beginning to feel extremely crazy. She was a wonderful sleeper in the beginning. After about 6 weeks she started waking up more frequently but it wasn't too bad. She would wake to nurse then fall right back to sleep. But now, oh my, let's just say it's been a challenge.
We've developed a pretty good nighttime routine using cues from MG. He gets a bath given by daddy at 7:30. Then she snuggled with me and I nurse her. Then depending on her mood, either K or I rock her to sleep (I really don't mind rocking her because I enjoy the time and I know that she isn't going to allow me to do it forever). Then we put her in her pack n play in our room. This usually happens by about 8:30.
Then the fun begins. At least every hour she wakes up crying. I nurse her, she fights me (she even drew blood scratching my nipple the other day), she gives up and falls asleep. I put her back down and there's a 50/50 chance she stays asleep. If she does, great, but we'll be back at it in another hour. If she wakes up she screams bloody murder. This goes on all.night.long! I am EXHAUSTED! I NEED sleep.
K and I have talked. I'm thinking moving her into her crib in her room may help. I'm certain she can sense that I'm in the room with her. But other than that I'm out of ideas. I don't mind waiting a few minutes to see if she's just fussing rather than really awake. So far the fussing always turns into screams. I've tried patting her butt and putting her paci back in her mouth with no luck. I'm bit sure what else to do.
There has to be a way to teach her how to sleep. I absolutely do not mind waking up with her if she needs to nurse. In fact, I don't expect her to sleep through the night. But, I think for my sanity and her happiness ( she's quite grumpy lately and it's obvious she is over tired) something has to give.
She is finally learning to take naps during the day. I put her down at two shelled times during the day and she has finally figured out that she is going to nap regardless of if she really wants to or not. The amount of time she sleeps is still hit or miss (anywhere from 5 min - 2 hours). But I am extremely happy with our progress seeing as how just a month ago naps were totally non-existent.
So, if anyone has any advice I'm all ears. I'm desperate. I need sleep like I need water lately.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone so please excuse the autocorrect craziness! My phone is out to get me!
Long overdue final update (such a good one)!
7 months ago
I agree moving her might help, from your description sounds like something is waking her and she not happy to be awake. Of course if it is teeth or a cold waking her; you all will just have to ride it out :(
ReplyDeleteHugs: Liam is getting over a cold and just got two teeth.
My son was a bad sleeper - Turns out he was sensitive to lactose and had terrible gas pains all night. He woke up all night until I stopped nursing him at 9 months. In retrospect, I wish I had paid attention to the gas pains he cried with all night and tried to eliminate the offending food from my diet. But I didn't realize it until he was 1 and I gave him his first cup of cows milk. The evidence was in the diaper!! He is over 3 now and has outgrown his sensitivity.
ReplyDeleteBoth my children went through phases where they would be up (and still are up) during teething sessions, growth spurts, etc. But if you want to check into a food sensitivity first and then try swaddling or CIO later. I'm not the biggest fan of CIO because most of the time my children woke up was because something was wrong. But the only persistent waker was my son when I was eating dairy! Good luck!!
I'm not much help-we're just riding it out! Hannah is SO similar to MG-at least she was a few weeks ago. It HAS gotten better. I just gave in and went with it and she has gradually improved on her own. Granted-I'm not pregnant and can actually function on very little sleep. YOU NEED SLEEP! One thing that did help was laying Hannah next to me in bed and rubbing and patting her until she fell asleep. She screamed-sometimes for 15-20 minutes. I only did this when she would not nurse and nothing else worked. But then she actually started to like going down that way. Now I put her in her bed slightly awake and rub her back until she falls asleep. HUGE improvement! She was a 45 minute sleeper until just a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI liked this better than the CIO idea-which we've never tried. She did cry-hard. But I was there to keep it in check and make sure she didnt get too upset. I think her falling asleep not in my arms has helped her learn to sleep a little better.
She also just learned to like her tummy while sleeping! She didn't at first-I had to hold her down and rub her back and make her like it. But last night she only woke up THREE times-in 13 hours! That. is. wonderful.
It WILL get better!
Abigail had trouble sleeping starting around 6 months and lasting until about 9 months- when she gave up naps, too. I was going nuts- and finally- after much prayer and consulting with both my mentor and best friend whom I highly respect- we let her cry. At 9 months she was ready and it has made a world of difference. Our home is so much more peaceful! I'm not saying this to advocate or recommend CIO as I don't think it's for everybody- but the time was right for Abigail. It was much MUCH easier then I ever dreamed it would be, which proved to me that she really was ready. Have you read the No-Cry Sleep Solution??? That book was a big help to me.
ReplyDeleteI think you have some good ideas about moving her out of the room. That might help. But it might not:)
ReplyDeleteHave you asked your ped. to check for any underlying medical causes that could contribute to her frequent waking? Like reflux? Even if a child doesn't spit up, they can still have reflux. Also, babies can take forever to cut teeth and even if you don't see or feel any teeth buds, it could be pre teething and really hurt. Also, are her pj's all cotton? Sometimes babies can be too hot in poly/cotton or be sensitive to them.
Does MG sleep on her back? Trying her tummy might help. White noise might help as well. We really depend on our sound machines esp during the day when Nelson naps and we are up and around the house making noise.
Perhaps get some chammomile in the form of homeopathic pills. They are minute and dissolve in babys mouth. Completely safe and non habit forming so she can't OD on them. These might help her settle and sleep better. Whole foods has them.
And well, that's the best I've got:) Nelson and Maggie followed the same pattern of taking good naps first then getting to be better sleepers. There is just so much that could affect a babies night time sleep it's had to rule things out. It will take time. An overstimulated baby will not sleep well so maybe if you can improve her naps, nighttime sleep will improve. Sleep begets sleep:) But you aren't alone! And she will sleep better.
Oh, one more thing I was thinking about today. With pregnancy, milk supply can dwindle from a little to a lot b/c of hormone fluctuations. Could it be that she is outgrowing the supply you have? Before I'd try a CIO night, perhaps try a bit of formula.
Grasping at all kinds of straws here:) Praying it gets better!