5 Month Old Has Been Sleeping but Now Is Awakening at Night

This happened with mine too. Don't pick her up or it'll become habit. Just keep doing what you're doing. Go in and soothe her and then leave again. With mine, it lasted a couple weeks and then we were right back to normal with going to bed awake and falling to sleep after a few minutes. I know it's so hard...I hated it, but it's a phase and it'll pass. You'll regret it if you get her into the habit of being rocked to sleep. Don't do that or you'll be on here asking for advice on how to get out of that habit after months of doing it.

Hi L., Wow you really have a great little girl. That's a parents dream. Unfortunately they chance. Sleeping patterns, eating schedule even there bowel movements change. The best advice I could give you is one, please be patient. It will get better. I would go in and comfort her with a little pat or rub her back. with a soft "mommy's here". Then go out of the room. If she starts cring wait one minue, then go in and repeat the same. Keep that up and wait a minute longer every time. This may go on for about three days but it should work. If every thing else is ok like a clean diaper then it should'nt be a problem. She could be teething. Just don't let it get to you. It's all part of parenting. Hope this helped. RE

5 months is exactly the age when each one of my children went thru a change in sleeping habits. I think it's pretty typical because they become more aware at this age. With my daughter, it was that she finally started sleeping better, but with both my sons it was the opposite. LOL

I don't know how you feel about this, but this is how I handled it ::: I rocked them to sleep. I turned everything off that was disruptive (TV, etc) and left on some white noise (the fish tank filters or a fan works in our house for that purpose) and had the lights very low and rocked them till they were either fast asleep or just about... then lay them down. Now we co-sleep in this family, so I would lay down with them until I was sure they were completely out, then could sneak away and do what I had to do until I was ready to go to bed myself. I have safety rails on the bed as well as the mattress directly on the floor so baby cannot get hurt if they roll to edge of bed.

In my experience, they grow out of the need for rocking. I no longer rock my 3yr old or 6yr old, and I do not regret the time spent doing so. I think it's ridiculous when someone says don't do it, then your baby will "manipulate" you and want it every night. SO WHAT!! They are little for such a short period of time, do you want to look back and remember it as a time of crying and struggle, or peacefully sitting in a relaxed atmosphere just you & baby enjoying each other. Rocking my babies usually takes about 10 minutes, and I always sort of wished it would last longer, because I love the closeness. When my now 1yr old no longer needs me to rock him, I will be very sad,,, but I will have no regrets about how we handled bedtime, and I will always look back and smile when I remember our special quiet time together. :-)

I agree with what Diane S. wrote. I too had to do the same thing at some point with all of my kids. My oldest I was not consistent with so I created my own problems. The 2 little ones though I have always let them cry it out (unless they are sick).

Seperation anxiety is one reason they cry, another is as they approach or have recently achieved a developmental milestone they want to stay awake and "practice". Teething was always a factor with my kids, especially my 2 year old. I'd give them tylenol, rub their back for a few minutes and call it a night.

One thing I found to make a difference is to have a clear and consistent bedtime routine. We do the same things at the same time each night. This way there are no surprises when it comes time to go to bed. It's funny because my 2 yr old every night at 9:30 grabs his bear, walks to the stairs and says "night, night". I don't even have to remind them what time it is.

To this day, if they wake up, I let them cry. If it is prolonged, I check on them, soothe them, tell them I love them and leave the room. They ususally don't cry for long. It's hard to let them cry, but I promise she will be okay:) Good luck.

maybe she is not tired at the time you are putting her down at. they change times.. try a little later at night.. try about 15 to 20 minutes later.. good luck

I have the same problem... My son was born 6 lbs 3 oz and slept like a dream from day 1!!! At 5 months it all changed. The doctor told us perhaps becuase he was developing his motor skills so fast it was disputing his sleep. We figured once he was walking (which he is)we would finally get a break. We tried the cry it out concept and it worked a little, but not permanently. As a matter of fact we went that route last week and it sent him into a full out tantrum which ended up with him flipping out of his crib onto his head and sending us all to the ER. Our only solution is if he comes into bed with us, which makes me believe it too is seperation anxiety... My only link to when this all started is that I went back to work and it is impacting him and his sleep. I wish I had an answer for you but all I can say is you are not alone! It is a major challenge, my son will be a year on Jan. 1st... We have not slept a full nights sleep in over 5 months... Good luck to you and try as best you can to stay postive... This has to pass at some point, right? (I hope :))

DO NOT LET HER CRY!

There is TONS of scientific evidence that this is HARMFUL for babies despite what society wants you to believe.

An awesome book that cites tons of research papers and articles is called Baby Matters by Dr. Linda Palmer. I could spend hours here listing all of the reasons why you should NOT let her cry it out. Please, just get the book and read through it. You can find millions of parents out there who do the same thing. It's called co-sleeping. It is the best thing I have ever done for my family. My mom was so against it and warned that it would ruin my son. After 2.5 years of co-sleeping with him, my mom tells me she was 110% wrong about everything and that she wished now that she had co-slept with my brother and I.

I should add that the reason she cries even harder when you pick her up is because she's telling you not to leave her again.
Have you ever had a fight with a partner and when he comforted you, you broke down even more? Have you ever poured out your heart to a friend about something that was hurting you in your life and the friend hugged you or did something else soothing and you started crying even more? If not, you may know someone who has but that's sort of what it's like for her. She's telling you to please not leave her again alone. You need to listen to her feelings. Don't do things against your child just because other people tell you it's best for her. It's not.

Please get the book! Baby Matters by Dr. Linda Folden Palmer.

It sounds like she may be going through a growth spurt or about to do something big developmentally. You can let her cry a bit but if she is really upset, go and comfort her. She may be feeling nervous or anxious and needs her mom. Don't worry about bad habits, just give her what she needs and use your wisdom and insticts as a mom.

The modified Ferber method works best. I did it with both my children and never had a problem after.

I'm assuming you have a monitor. When you hear your child stir do not go in. Then and only then if she cries for about a 1/2 a minute you should go in. The first time sooth her. Put her down and then leave. If she cries again. wait a full minute then go back in. Here's the tricky part. Check all the important things ie. fever, diaper and such. Do this without saying a word. DO NOT PICK HER UP! Then leave one more time. If she is screaming and/or crying go back again but this time. Do not say anything. Just sit down on the floor beside her her crib. Do not look at her. Just sit there. I know it sounds weird. Your presence will soothe her, but she will realize it's sleepy time and you may be sitting there for a loooong time, but it's worth it.

I nursed so it was a bit different up until they were 1 year old. And for 5 months it's just about being available at that point. But you can try it early and see how it goes.

Both of children even when they were in big girl and boy beds Gave me the business. You just do the same but put them back in bed each time they get out and eventually they realize oh well, it's time of bed.

Good luck, let me know how it goes!

L.

Hi L., Most likely your baby is teething. Check for white or swollen gums. She will go in and out of stages like this. You really have been blessed until now. Of course, rule out any other problem. Get some teething rings and some baby motrin. Best wishes mommy, it is not easy. Grandma Mary

Hey L.,

Like the saying goes all good things come to an end. If you are sure nothing is bothering her and is purely separation anxiety then you should just let her cry it out. I did it with both of my kids and it works. I get some slack for this because many parents are against it. I always say this is an individual decision and depends on how each family wants to handle sleep issues. The secret to crying it out is to be consistent, make sure you are ready to do it because once you give in you have to start all over. I would take her for a check-up to make sure nothing physically is bothering her first, ear infection, teething etc. Because if your anything like me that will be in the back of your mind and may make it harder to do. What I always did was start at nap time and on a Friday this way I would have my husband to support me through it (I was very upset doing it, however I needed to sleep) I went without sleep for a year and was desperate. It is so much worse when they are older because they can cry longer and also call for you. I know you said she gets mad when she sees you leave but that is normal and part of the process. She needs to learn to rely on herself to soothe. What you do is lay her down awake say night night and leave, come back in every five minutes rub her back or her forehead tell her you love her and say night night again, she is going to be mad but just continue checking in on her so she knows you are there and repeat the process until she goes to sleep. It usually takes three nights, and by the fourth night no crying at all. Each night the crying should be cut down significantly this is why I would do it at nap time as well. This really is the only way I know how to get them to sleep without starting bad habits which you said you want to avoid. Good luck!!

Just a technicality that our culture tragically ignores: Babies are not meant to sleep through the night until they are much older.

The good news for you, though, is that your baby is old enough to start communicating her needs more intentionally - versus just a reflex that says I'm tired, hungry, wet/dirty, etc.

Please reward her for reaching out for you. You are her source of comfort and support. Now is a critical time in neurological development for babies to inherently learn they can count on their parents. When you unconditionally meet the needs of young babies (and five months is still very, very young), you will find they no longer have the need. They learn their life with you is safe and that they can trust you. Once they feel safe, those demanding needs dissipate, and they mature confidently.

All of this can be very important when it is translated into the difficult period of teen years. It is equally important when they are teens and struggling with monumental issues for them to have learned as babies that they can turn to their parents for assistance, that they trust they can count on you.

Remember - the loss of a little bit of sleep is part of what we signed on for when we decided to have and raise children. It's actually a very small sacrifice to ensure the short-term and long-term emotional health of the children we love.

Hugs to you and your baby!

M.

My son started doing this around the same time and we found out a bout a month later it was due to teething. Sleeping (both through the night and with naps) was never the same until around 2 years (once all his teeth were in). NOt all babies are so bas with teething. Hopefully yours is better.

This is so normal! Your daughter is getting smarter and smarter, and hitting new milestones. If she's not turning over yet, she will soon. And crawling is just around the corner! Also, there are probably tooth buds bothering her.

It's a tough, but exciting time to be a baby!

I would actually put her to bed earlier. Sounds weird, but she may be over-tired when she's going to bed. My son was this way, and would cry and fuss and be very clingy. Especially as he started getting separation anxiety, like yours, around the 5 month mark. I actually put him to bed very early- around 6:00! And he slept through the night, all the way to 6:30-7:00 AM! Now he is almost 11 months, and he still goes to bed at 6:30. The earlier bedtime made a world of difference, once he started getting more active. Way less fussing!

You also may want to try infant tylenol before bed one time. If that helps ro calm the crankiness at bedtime, then you know those teeth are getting ready. Even if they don't come in for a while, they can still hurt!

I think you're right on target, trying to stick with your current sleeping plan. That ability to soothe herself to sleep is so wonderful. Kudos to you! But if she's crying hard, something probably feels bad to her. So at that point, I'd soothe her. It stinks to be alone when you're in pain, right? You know your little one best, so you can tell if she's fussing versus crying hard. One's ok, and the other isn't!

Good luck! She'll be back on track soon. :)

Hi L.,

My thought was maybe it's teething starting. Most babies I know started drooling a few months after birth, showing signs of all of the pre-cutting teeth stuff. My friend's baby started "teething" at 2 months! Mine started at 3 months! The only thing I know for certain is that teething completely influenced difficulty sleep and night waking for quite a while (through 2 year molars)in my daughter. Try feeling her gums for nubs working their way up, and look inside for swollen gums. Break out the teethers, cooled down in the fridge. Look into Hyland's teething tablets, a natural homeopathic quick dissolving tiny tablet, those really helped. I found them in health food store and surprisingly, some drugstores like Eckerd's. Please ask your pediatrician about acetaminephin (sp?) versus ibuprofen, to be given at nighttime to help her get to sleep. One may be more effective than the other for your particular child. Don't know if it is teething or not, but it sounds likely! The best of luck to you and Baby!

Too funny :) Same thing is happening here with me. My "dream baby" (born 3 weeks early, > 6 lbs) has been quite cranky at night and does not like to go to sleep. And yep, as soon as I leave the room she'll cry (not scream though).

She usually takes her binky, I lay her down and bam...she's asleep. So now when she's cranky I put her down and she'll usually fuss and cry a bit, but she'll get herself to sleep. If within 5 minutes she isn't asleep, I'll take her out and cuddle with her until she's really sleepy. We usually watch tv after she goes to bed, so its no real issue if I'm just holding her while she falls asleep. Its so nice to cuddle with her -- its a new habit of hers, and I love it. So, I'm not too concerned. Her teeth are definitely bothering her though. Some times if she really cannot settle down I'll give her some tylenol, or baby anbesol. I've also given her a sippy cup with an awesome rubber tip that she loves to chew on. Seems to help lately.

Is she eating food now? Mine started about a month ago and WHEW, I get the same crankiness when her food is all gone. lol.

Its all fun, and just do your best. She's destined to make some changes, but I'm sure she won't change that much from her original schedule. Good luck :)

L.,
Very likely she is starting to teethe. My son wanted to be held when he was in pain (and I refused to medicate 'just in case' because I didn't want him to build up a tolerance).

Have you tried letting her gum your fingers?

Good Luck,
M.

L.,

Babies have an intense need to be with Mommy, I think. My son is 20 months and I still nurse him down for naps and nighttime. I believe you are doing nothing wrong by comforting your daughter, rocking her, soothing her. In this culture, most people believe that it is the children who must conform to OUR schedules instead of the other way around. Why don't you try wearing your baby in a sling to comfort her in the evening? Or have you tried co-sleeping at all? When my son was that age, I would nurse him down around 8 PM. He would usually wake to nurse again around 9:30 or 10 PM. (I was still up doing stuff around the house then). He would sleep a couple more hours and then I would bring him into bed with me after that (I was asleep by then). That's what worked for me. Now, he sleeps for much longer stretches (usually about 5 hours or so).

Hi, L..

I whole heartedly agree with Michelle M. and I'm responding to underline her advice. We are the only culture that expects small children to conform to our adult schedules. Babies don't sleep through the night and any number of things can wake them up. At 5 months I would venture to guess that your baby has started teething.

Babies are also constantly changing. What is the norm now will be a distant memory in a few short months. Try to enjoy your time with her now. I know its so hard to be sleep deprived, hang in there.

Good Luck.
R.

Have you checked her gums in the front, top and bottom?At 5 months, she could be beginning to cut her front teeth, especially on the bottom, and that could be waking her up and making her uncomfortable.

The same thing happened with my niece and her little one recently, and that turned out to be the problem. A little Baby Oragel partially took care of the problem as far as getting her to sleep, but she would still scream when she woke up during the night.

My niece was told by her pediatrician that when she cried, she should just let her cry, and if she didn't stop within 5 minutes, then to go into the room for a minute or two and let the baby see her, without picking her up or saying anything, and then to leave the room.

The first night, she was to do this every time she cried, unless, of course, it was time for her bottle, and she was hungry. The second night, she was to do the same thing, every time she cried for at least 10 minutes, and the third night, every 15 minutes, and so on.

By the end of the week, she was sleeping through the night again, except for waking up when she was hungry, and then she would go right back to sleep.

You may want to give this a try, and see if it helps....