Okay, Mamas, I need help! My 7 month old has had several nights of terrible sleep this week. By terrible, I mean inconsolable crying for an hour or more. He just will not be comforted. I have checked his diaper, reswaddled, rocked, patted, and fed him. Sometimes he falls right back asleep after he eats, but other times he isn't interested in eating at all. Sometimes I can get him settled enough to put him back in bed and then pat his back until he's fully asleep, and sometimes nothing works. I am just at a loss here. I know teething is a possibility, but giving him something for that pain doesn't seem to help either. Any ideas? I need some rest! I have two big kids, so napping when he does isn't really an option anymore.
If it helps, he nurses 4 times a day, three with solid food after he nurses and he takes 3 naps each day: one morning 1 1/2-2 hours, one afternoon 1 1/2 -2 hours, and a catnap 45 min or so, in the evening. Yesterday his first nap was great, second nap was only about an hour and third nap was about an hour. He fussed awhile at bedtime, then was quiet for a while then cried A LOT and I was able to get him to sleep patting his back. An hour and a half later he was up again for another hour. Sorry this is long, I just wanted to give as much information as possible.
Help! Thank you!
Could he have an ear infection? My daughter was inconsolable and didn't want to lay flat in her bed when she had them.
We used the Ferber method. It worked for us. It was mighty exhausting for all concerned, but we stuck with it, and it created good self soothing sleep habits, and we have all slept well (largely) ever since.
Best,
F. B.
Move to two naps. And when teething, they sometimes sceam even with the meds. Mine did two weeks ago, and then four molars popped through.
My daughter had night terrors, I can't remember how early it started, but around age 1. It seems like they are awake, but they aren't really. She would cry for quite a while, and nothing helped. They won't be really responsive.
Just an idea
Is he sick?
Does he have a fever?
Gas?
Also at this age, separation anxiety occurs developmentally.
And also the concept of object permanence.
And teething.
And just because a teething remedies are given that does not mean it will make the pain go away.
Or is noises in the house waking him?
At this age their awareness increases.
My daughter for example, would wake if a car drove by.
For my kids I used white noise. ie: a fan in the room that I turned on low.
And babies at this age, are not coordinated enough to get themselves in a sleep position that is comfortable nor can they accurately adjust, themselves/their body to be comfortable.
Does he have a lovey? At 6 months old, my son took to a lovey (a stuffed animal) that he would hug/grasp, when he slept.
And he was real attached to it.
It helped him sleep.
And, at that age, I was breastfeeding my kids.
The things I mentioned, was what helped my kids, etc.
For the 1st year, my son napped 3 times a day too. it was according to HIS cues. Not mine. But at night, he still went to bed just fine.
There was no problems with his napping or bedtime schedule.
What time, are you putting your baby to sleep at night?
What times are his naps?
Maybe get rid of his "evening" nap. What time is that anyway?
That is probably too close to bedtime.
Ear infection. With my second son, the only way we knew he had one was that he wouldn't sleep.
First of all, you need to cut down to two naps. He might me a bit miserable for a week but once you get him on a new schedule, he'll be better off for it.
I know many people don't like it, but if you ferberize your baby, it will take 3 days max. You MUST do it correctly for it to work or don't bother doing it at all. I used that method with my baby at 9 months and she cried for 12 minutes the first night, 3 minutes the next night and then never again. Now, you might have a 45 minute cryer on night one and it can take a week. But if you are strong, you baby will be better off.
But definitely ditch that third nap and keep him awake.
Good luck!
He's old enough to be at 2 naps per day and in another month or two he'd be old enough to even go to one long one during the afternoon.
As for the crying, give him some Mylacon drops. He may have gas from the food. He's eating a lot for a 7 month old. He should be eating 3 meals per day when he's at lease 11 1/2 months. So he's getting a LOT of food. He could be constipated from all that food his system can't handle yet too.
Perhaps drop the swaddle. 7 months is very old to still be swaddled for hours at night, and it's generally recommended that it be stopped by around 2 months. It can lead to hip problems if it goes longer, and if he's rolling can be dangerous as he wouldn't be able to get his hands out to roll back. I agree with the others that the catnap in the evening might be to blame.
I would have to see her ped. Could be an ear infection. 1/3 of them don't have fever with it. But one of the clues is crying when you lay them down.
If she is fine, drop a nap.
