Baby Waking up Several Times a Night:(

Nothing you want to hear-it's difficult-but she may need to cry and learn to soothe herself back to sleep instead of being rocked. This is, I think, one of the most gut-wrenching things a parent must do. You can go in-but don't pick her up. The pediatrician will give you the amount of time to wait before you go in-I think you make it longer each time. It takes about three nights-and you must implement the technique for naps, as well-but she will get the hang of it-and you will be able to sleep! Good luck-again-I know how very exhausting it is to do this-but just think, by the end of the week-you could be sleeping all night!

I had the same issue with both my boys and i asked a few experts about it. they said it becomes a routine for them to wake up at night and generally they dont need to eat. they told me i would have to let them cry it out. it killed me at first but eventually it worked out. they woke up less and less till they stopped waking up at night.

She probably needs to nurse/have intake.
If intake does not keep up with a baby's growth-spurts, they will always be hungry.
"Solids"... does not replace nursing/Formula. Solids is not as nutritionally dense, as solids either.
I nursed my kids on-demand, 24/7 day and night for the 1st year. This was also according to our Pediatrician. For the 1st year of life, this is a "building block" period of development and they need the nourishment of their breastmilk/Formula.

Or, she is teething.

OR it is both things, at the same time. Which is common. Very common.

Or gas.

If you are comfortable with it, cosleeping makes things like this much easier. I nursed all three of my children, and although none of them slept through until around 18 months when I nightweaned them, the night waking was a lot easier. First, because we were cosleeping, our sleep cycles synchronized, so when she was waking, I was not sleeping as deeply either. Then, when they woke, I would get them latched on, they'd nurse, and we'd both drift off to sleep. Much easier to get back to sleep if you don't actually need to get up, walk around, quiet the baby, and go back to bed. If you do decide to try this, PLEASE look up the guidelines for safe cosleeping -- there are some VERY important safety issues to think about. It can be done very safely, but you need to make sure you're set up right to do it. You don't, however, need an expensive cosleeper.

It's normal for a baby that age to wake up several times overnight. She's probably hungry. Their stomachs are so tiny at that age that they can't possibly take in enough at one time to last them all the way through the night.

Ditto what S.H. said.

Don't have much to add to the other helpful posts, but wanted you to know you are not alone. I have 3 children and NONE of them slept through the night regularly before age 2. Some research indicates that sleep patterns may be inherited while others say it has to do with individual brain development.
Just do what it takes to get sleep. Rocking and feeding is what I did with all mine. Don't worry too much about developing bad habits, just comfort her and be there for her. If it is teething, you will likely have a couple weeks here and there when you get more sleep once the tooth emerges and before the next one. I know how tired you are. At times my babies and toddlers would get up hourly for several nights straight. Good news is that it does pass. My 3 1/2 yr old and 6 1/2 yr old sleep 10-12 hours straight now. I'm still praying for the day my youngest (just turned 2 this week) will sleep through the night. He's sleeping longer stretches now, so there is hope.
If you get tempted to let her "cry it out" please read this first: http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/fussy-baby/science-says-.... Nurse Midwife Mom

She's most likely hungry.
They have little tummies & do not sleep through the night easily.
I got up every 3 hours w/my little one. A 5 hr stretch was a godsend.
I would get up (keep her in your room), check diaper & nurse (or bottle
feed if that is what you are doing) w/o much light or commotion then bk
to bed!
This stage will soon pass. Just keep going.
Take your days one at a time & in 3 hr stretches to makes it easier to take
Easier on the psyche. Hang in there. This stage shall pass & you will barely remember it looking back.
(Not in my case. I remember it vividly & am permanently scarred. Kidding. That was to make you smile & laugh.)
Feed, change, cuddle (mama's mantra). Hang in there sweetie. :)

Are you sure she is getting enough sleep during the day? Some of you might laugh - but it is true that kids that are OVERTIRED do not sleep as well through the night. If you don't believe me, read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth and give it a try. IT WORKS!! I HIGHLY recommend it!!!
Good luck!! :-)

She may be hungry. What time are you putting her to bed and when is her last nursing session or bottle? If you go in and feed her the first time she wakes, does she sleep at least 6 hours?

She is a growing baby, she probably needs to nurse or have a bottle
.

Have you had her checked for acid reflux? That could be making her uncomfortable and sleeping on her belly would make that a little better. Let your ped know what's going on just to rule out anything medical if you've made sure she's not hungry, diaper's been changed, tags on jammies aren't itchie, etc. My ds had acid reflux, but a little medicine helped.

One thing that I learned with my daughter is that her sleep patterns changed all the time and just when I thought I had one pattern down, she changed it on me. I noticed that when she would suddenly wake up in the night it was due to a) teething, b) growth spurts (which leads to hunger). I know you're exhausted but it will pass. She'll be sleeping again soon!

When you put her to bed a night is she sleepy but awake? It's normal for her to wake up during the night. She won't be able to put herself back to sleep until she's going to sleep on her own at bedtime. If you always rock her to go to sleep she's always going to want to be rocked.

I think they are a few possibilities:
She is in a grow sproud and needs more food (solids)
She is not getting enough sleep during the day and she is overtired
She is having colic, teeth coming out, in my daughter's case it was itching because she has eczema.
She is use to you coming to get her when she cries

I would first start making sure she is eating and resting enough during the day, check if she has any allergies to food or colic, touch her gums, are they swallow?
If you mom insting (sp?) tells you go to the doctor, they probably will check for any infection, ear infections and colic.

If nothing of this help you may just going to need to decide what approch to take about your baby just wanting you there when she wakes up, people wake up several times at night, babies (and no so babies) haven't learn to put themselves back to sleep, and who can blame them, I would love if my husband would rub my back everytime I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep ;^)

well there maybe two reasons does she have ear infection??? Another could be teething. Try n give her tylenol or advil her last feeding that might help with teeth discomfort because shes in prime age for teething. I have a 6mnth old. who is doing similar sleeping the nights we don't give him advil hes up 4 to 5 time a night. they are hurting so they need to the comfort. Another sinerio could be shes having night fright terror and when you go in there you wake her n she doesn't remember them n goes right back to sleep after feeling safe. Good luck but those are all i can think off. its gotts be one of the three.

She could also be teething or having a growth spurt, which you need to do something about. Growth spurt means hungry. Teething means ouchy. And some kids just don't sleep through the night - mine didn't and still doesn't except occasionally.

Aside from a medical issue she's got y'all wrapped! My daughter did the same and I didn't sleep till she was 2! I was told not to go in unless it was feeding time. I couldn't do that! Take her in there with you! Sleep is sleep and while I don't like co sleeping (my daughters 4.5 and still wont sleep in het own bed) sleep is sleep! Good luck mama!

Is she hungry? That is a possibility. Babies go on "grows" and some really do need to eat in the night. Sleeping on her tummy is fine...babies have done that for several thousand years now. When mine were infants we wouldn't have it any other way. You also might try a white noise machine or a fan to make some white noise. My daughter has used one for her 3 sweeties and it really helps. The constant soft/white noise can be very soothing. So, if you have determined that she is not hungry, I would get the white noise machine (Bed Bath and Beyond), turn it on before she goes to bed, when she wakes up leave her in the bed on her tummy and pat her fanny until she goes back to sleep...no talking, no picking up....unless she is screaming, then OF COURSE pick her up. I could never let mine cry so I just brought them in bed with us. Sometimes we had all three in with us, sometimes we had none. No white noise machines in the '80's and no one had thought of the fan yet LOL! I always had the thought that hmmmm, adults do not sleep alone, why do we make our little ones sleep alone way off in a room by themselves. I hope this helps!

Put her in your room in a portable crib. Hearing you and your husband nearby may let her sleep better. I'm not a let them cry it out type of parent. I know it is in fashion again as it was in the 1940s and 50's. Do you know what came of that foolish idea the revolution of the 60's and 70's. Under a year they don't cry for no reason.

try intoducing solids, if not already like oatmeal cereal for breakfast mixed with her formula or breast milk into a loose mix like very runny oatmeal and if all goes well for a few days do it an hr or so before bed and itll help fill her up. and also if that goes well you can start to introduce pured vegies one at a time 3 days at a time to make sure there is no reaction to the foods. she probably needs something else in her tummy my daughter needed it as well

Babies are not designed to sleep thru the night... ADULTS do not even sleep thru the night and babies have more sleep/wake cycles per time frame than adults do!! So example: if you wake up once to pee and once for a drink/snack - your infant will wake up 5-6 times for the same reasons.

Who said having a baby meant you got sleep? The only Moms I know that get decent sleep are those who co-sleep or bed-share: like me!