My 7 month old is suddenly very difficult at bedtime. She has a solid bedtime routine we stick to strictly and she is good and tired when we put her down at 7, but she is suddenly incredibly restless and fussy. She flails wildly and thrashes, rolls over and desperately tries to crawl (she can't yet), and cries and cries. She wants to be picked up, but after a minute that doesn't even make her happy. She really fights sleep. The major problem is the thrashing and desperation to get up and move. She freaks out if put down at all (even on her tummy or sitting in her Boppy or swing). She gets frustrated if I let her keep trying to crawl in her crib. Some nights she wakes every hour, some nights every 3 hours, and some nights she wakes a couple times from 7-10:30, then sleeps straight through until 6 or 6:30. It seems random. She has been really fussy and grumpy (and very needy) lately during the day, too, but she's had watery eyes and some minor congestion that suggests allergies. She is just so restless and nothing makes her happy at bedtime - she just can't calm down. She isn't acting sick at all, and she has no cough or fever or tummy symptoms. I don't see any changes in her routine or eating that might cause a problem.
Is she teething? My 1st son started teething at 7 months & showed similar symptoms. My 2nd second started a little earlier, but they both had trouble sleeping through the night & would wake up fussing & usually wouldn't go back to sleep until I gave in & put them in the bed with me. I never used any oral gel or anything of the sort, but a cold wash cloth or cold teething ring sure did help during the day.
Is she napping?
She sounds real over tired.
Also she is hitting some milestones... at this age they start crawling/sitting up/rolling over etc. And even in their sleep, it is an impulse that they do and cannot control. Babies have no impulse control. And it is instinctive in them, to do their new skills. Even if when supposed to be sleeping.
It being a phase... until they develop more command and mastery and at-will control over their appendages.
They can't do, motor-skills wise, what they 'think' they can. Hence frustrations.
At 6 months was also a growth-spurt time. Does she get enough intake and is feeding on-demand? A baby needs that.
For the 1st year, breastfeeding or Formula is a baby's primary source of nutrition and intake, not solids and not other liquids.
AND teething, occurs at this age too. Which affects their sleep.
MANY things occur in a baby, at this age. And it occurs, all at the same time. So its hard for the baby too. Growing pains.
When not feeling well, a baby does get more needy and frustrated.
take her to the pedi she might be teething/have an ear infection because thatt is what it sounds like to me
I would take her in to the Dr. Might be ear infection or teething. My daughter had several ear infections w/o fever. Lying them down will cause them pain w/ an ear infection and that might be what you are seeing. Good luck
check her ears. and also it might be colic.
Could be the stimulation of a new developmental stage – babies frequently have a harder time sleeping when they're about to learn some new skill, like crawling, standing, or walking. That can linger for a week or so after the skill is mastered.
Could be teeth or ears. Watch for any other symptoms, or try a dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen 15 minutes before bed and see if that helps.
Or you could have an sleep-deprived baby. This sounds very likely considering her sleep patterns recently. Too little sleep = difficult sleeping. If she's "good and tired" at seven, she may actually be overtired. Try a half hour earlier and see if this helps.
Because sleep is so important, for you and for her, would it be possible to wear her through her daytime naps to see if she'll sleep more deeply? Or snuggle her to sleep in a rocking chair at night? Especially if she's in some discomfort, this may help get her into a deeper sleep more quickly. There is some danger that she'll become dependent on this cuddling, but truly, babies need it if they need it, and when she doesn't, she'll probably ease back into a less needy routine.
I'm guessing ear infection because it hurts to lie down. Especially since you say she has a runny nose-allergies. My son was almost one and he started doing basically the same thing-crying at night, waking every few hours, crying unconsolably. It wasn't until almost a week had gone by and we went to lunch and he put his head down on the table and then jerked back up in tears that I realized his ears were hurting. He had never had an earache before! The doctor made me feel horrible. He said it was the worst ear infection he had seen in years. Nothing like adding insult to injury. I felt bad enough on my own without his help. And no, that wasn't my regular pediatrician. But anyway, check her ears.
Good luck.
