My 7 Month Old Will Not Sleep Through the Night Any Suggestions?

I think it's the teeth. This will happen off and on and may happen again around 12 months.

Look for homeopathic remedies at health food stores in the children's section. Or, if you want more remedies and a little booklet to tell you more, look for the Hyland's Kid's Kit (about $30) which has teething remedies plus fever, colds, etc.
Good luck and I hope you sleep SOON!
B.

I have a ten month old and he has slept through the night once so far. He used to wake up every three hours and now it's down to twice a night. I think they go through peaks and valleys for quite a while with their sleeping habits. Especially when they are growing. I have found when my kids are going through a growth spurt they are also waking up more frequently and sometimes because they are actually hungry. I was tired for a really long time because he woke up so frequently. Finally I figured out that he has "baby reflux" or GERD is the techinical term and since he has been treated for that he has been sleeping much better. You never know what could be causing it. My daughter wouldn't sleep for the longest time and we figured out that it was her crib. She was so used to sleeping in a pack n' play during the day, that that is what she felt comfortable sleeping in at night. It made all the difference. You just have to keep trying different things, even things that you think are insignificant and see if they work. Unfortunately it is a trial and error thing until they can tell us what they want/need. Good luck!

Hi K.,
I'm doing the attachment-parenting approach, which means co-sleeping with my infant, which in turn means that it doesn't matter if he keeps waking in the night because I barely have to wake to comfort him and we both go back to sleep very quickly. I really like this approach, but I understand it's not for everyone. However, it is entirely normal for a baby who was sleeping really well to start waking more often as they start to develop more skills, especially crawling and walking, rather than the other way around. Just read what other moms have written on this site! My baby was the same. They grow out of it eventually, with a little encouragement.

I would definitely think that the teething has something to do with it. But also, it is common for sleep disturbances to creep up along with achieving major milestones (like crawling). Try not to stress; it's probably a phase. Even [honest] people who have gone with a "cry it out" method will tell you that it's not a permanent solution and their babies still have phases and need to be "re-trained" periodically.

What works for us with these phases is to have baby in bed with me. Maybe not a popular answer, but it works, it makes him happy and secure, and I get sleep!

Good luck :)

Perhaps the teething is interfering with his sleep. It could be all sorts of things too. Growth spurt, wanting to "practice" new skills, hunger to name a few. I say stick with routine and follow his cues. Technically, "sleeping thru the night" is a 6 hour stretch. Make sure that he's getting enough daytime sleep too. Sleep begets sleep. GOod luck!

Hi K.,

I have an eleven month old and a 4 year old. My youngest is cutting teeth and it has jacked up her sleeping schedule pretty good. She sleeps all night but wakes up like at 5:30 or 6:30 in the morning b/c of her teeth. Make sure you keep up the tylenol dose throughout the day and before bed if his teeth are bothering him. Give him a dose during the night too if he wakes up. I know too that when they learn new things like crwling or walking they have a hard time shutting it off at bed time. So those new skills might keep him wound up for awhile. When my daughter was not cutting teeth I would let her cry it out b/c otherwise she got use to me coming in there and I would still be doing it. She cried for about two hours once or twice and then that was the end. But it sounds like either his teeth or being wound up which will all pass. And don't worry no one knows what they are doing with the first kid and barley more with the second so keep your head up and I'm sure you guys are doing just fine. Good luck :)

K.

Hi K.,
I read the responses to your question and although many responders touched upon the potential explanations I would like to add that babies around the age of your child begin to develop memory. When this period occures we call it "Object Permanence". During Object Permanence children realize for the first time that they know mommy and daddy and other regular caregivers, but they now know that people look and sound different than those with whom they are most familiar. This makes children anxious and fearful. Behaviors associated with this developmental period include, baby crying when you walk out of sight, becoming fearful of others and taking a bit of time to warm up to them before they will go to another person, clinging to you when others are around, and waking in the night and crying out to make sure you are there.
Before this period of brain development, baby would go to anyone and would seek the attention of others to play and socially engage. Before this period, baby slept through the night.
It's confusing because when baby woke in the night during the time they needed fed every 2-4 hours it was a signal they were hungry, right? Not now. Now, it's because the baby needs reassurance that you are there, that's all....of course, unless it's teething or illness.
So, the recommendation is to reassure your baby when you first hear a sound telling you baby is waking up. Begin by softly telling baby you are there and it's ok, go back to sleep or shhhhing. If that isn't enough move to placing your hand on the baby or doing something you know that soothes baby without picking baby up. If nothing but picking baby up works, try to hold baby as little as possible to comfort baby. The idea is to not get sleep off track if you can possibly do that. Feeding baby isn't recommended.
This period can be mild to severe, depending on baby and that can all be normal. This period ends between 12-15 months for most babies and sleep will be back on track once again!
Hope this helps explain this developmental stage as it relates to a child's behavior and that it is helpful information for all of the wonderful mommies!
You're all doing such a wonderful job!

If he's cutting teeth than give him tylonol 1 hr BEFORE you put him down. It's been said that this pain could be one of the most horrible pains anyone has ever felt. Tylonol will help him sleep better and will reduce the pain and swelling. Also try to warm his formula/breast milk befor you give him his bottle before bedtime or to put him to sleep. He may be growing so you made need to increese feedings (ask your doctor). And last but not least when you pick him up to sooth him, put him back into his crib after he feels comforted. And tell him "Mommy's right here for you." Rub his back and leave. If he cries let him for at least 10 mins before you go back into his room. Make this a habbit. Let him cry for 10 mins, then go in. Then increase by 5 mins each night. And always leave by telling him, "Mommy's right here for you." He will stop soon enough. But keep strong and follow this method. It works! You baby KNWO you love him! He just wants to be with oyu always because he LOVES you too! :)

Peace!
S.

K.,
I don't think sleeping through the night has anything to do with your child's gender.
If he's not cranky during the day, then I don't think he's in a great deal of pain from teething.
Have you changed anything in his diet? My son screamed all day and most nights until we figured that he was allergic to cow's milk. Once we put him on soy milk he was fine.
I hate to offer this old adage, but you might try it: let him cry himself back to sleep. He's old enough to be forming good sleep habits, and everytime you respond to him during the night he gets more and more gratification and so will continue the pattern.
Once you've put him to bed and checked to be sure he's dry and not hungry, leave him in his crib. You may want to start by just responding once, perhaps at about 2am, and then after a while, not at all. I promise you'll survive and he will too.
You might find it useful to let him schedule himself during the day to find his best sleep pattern.
Good luck

At about this age, I would add infant rice cereal to my kids' bottles so that they would stay full through the night. There were times I also let them sleep in the swing so that the motion would keep them soothed, and the sound also helped. You can also put a soothing CD on so that if he does wake up, the sounds can keep him relaxed so that he can fall asleep again.

Some kids never sleep through the night. When he wakes up just quietly go to him in the dark and pat his back. Make sure you don't turn on any lights or pick him up and if you keep this routine he may still wake up but he will go back to sleep faster.

My son did the same thing at 7 months when he was teething. I took my doctors suggestion and let him cry it out. It took a few nights, but then he was back to sleeping at least 8 hours on his own. Good luck...

K., Cutting teeth probably has a lot to do with it. I give my kids teething tablets, if they are fussy. It relieves their discomfort and they are all natural. The ones I use are made by hollands. I also am a firm believer in letting them cry it out. If youve changed, fed, medicated him... let him cry. Babys wake up in the middle of the night after like 6 months as a routine. Stop feeding him in the middle of the night and he will stop waking up for it. It usually takes about a week to break the habbit... It is hard to let them cry, but well worth it in the end... if hes crys for a long period of time, every 5 to 10 min go back in and lay him down, pat him on the head say mommys still here and walk away. Good luck with your little guy!!

Despite what many people will tell you, this is not unusual at all. Babies go through periods of more or less night wakings depending on growth spurts, if they are nearing a developmental milestone, if they are teething, if they are sick, and even if they just need a little more mom time. Just relax. he'll get there when HE is ready. Sleep is developmental, and it is impossible for a baby to sleep like an adult. The book The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantly is a great resource to help with nighttime and napping issues. Also, babies who "sleep through the night" actually don't. Babies pretty much wake up the same amount of times at night. Some call out for mom, some don't, that's the only difference. Here are some other links that might help:

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBSepOct05p204a.html
http://www.ezzo.info/babywise.htm
http://www.nospank.net/granju2.htm
http://www.talaris.org/flash/interview.htm

Every time my kids were teething they didn't sleep through the night.. I still have my 16 month old going through it.. I just get up give her some baby ambesole (sp), tylenol and a small bottle. Teething lasts only a couple of days... so if he is for sure not teething at the moment... let him cry. If he crys longer than 45 mins then something is wrong. That is what my pediatrician told me to do.

Hope I helped. Good luck. =)

P.S. I Personally wouldn't let him cry it out if he is teething.. he is in pain and needs your comfort. No one likes to cry when they are in pain. If nothing is wrong.. no poopy pants or fever, etc... then let him cry it out.

Every baby is different, so it is hard to pinpoint the problem. What kind of schedule are you on? My son has been sleeping through the night since he was about 2.5 months old. I have followed the babywise book which suggests establishing your schedule and having a routine of feeding, waketime and naptime. If you follow this routine they say your baby will sleep through the night by 12 weeks. This was the only book other moms I knew recommended to me and they all said it worked for their babies! Now if you have a fussier baby, you may not be so lucky! My 7 month old son is teething too, but luckily it has not disturbed his sleep. Babies love routine. I know a lot of people say never to wake a sleeping baby, but maybe your morning wake up should be set at a certain time. My son wakes at 7am usually on his own, sometimes I will let him sleep til 730 if he has not woken up by then and it never seems to throw off our schedule. Is he getting enough naps during the day? My son still takes 2-3 naps and will sleep from 9-7. Make sure you try and take naps when he sleeps during the day too! Good luck!

mine is 19 months and has never slept through the night :( I am lucky if she only wakes once a night. Most 7 month olds I have known do not sleep through the night. Sorry!!

I struggled a lot with this issue with both my children (now 16 months and 3yrs old). Everyone has advice and it's all different. For my children, feeding them more before bed or not, rice cereal or none...that all made no difference. I've had better nights for everyone by adding white noise to my kids' sleeping environment. You can use a fan, humidifier, or actual sound machine. My children also had a very difficult time with frequent wakings when I had them sleep in their cribs until they were older, because they would startle awake. I swadled them until they were too big for that, but the best "crutch" I ever found was to just let them sleep in their swing. I didn't even have to keep it running all night. They felt snug and secure and the slightly upright position also served to help them breathe easier when they had colds. Don't worry, K., you WILL get through this. The first year, especially the first 9 months, are SO amazingly difficult. Your child will outgrow this in just a matter of a few months, even if you do EVERYTHING wrong.

It could be a number of things. Teething could be a factor. I have 4 children and my 1st was no problem. My second cried several times a night until she was two. Come to find out, she was allergic to dairy and I was nursing her and it went through my breastmilk. Once I weaned her she was fine. My third had trouble sleeping in the night until I cut back on her naps during the day. She is very mild mannered and I don't think she wore herself out during the days. My 4th one would only sleep through the night if I put him on his tummy. I knew that was a "no-no" but that was the only way I would get any sleep. Try different things and see what works. I'm not sure if that was helpful or not. Good luck to you!

Hi,
Though some disagree with me, I wake my baby up to keep him on schedule, if it is time to eat and he is sleeping, I make sure he gets up and eats. I have learned with both my children that I have to be the one who takes control of that or they will just have a crazy schedule.
I am all about the sanity of the mommy. As long as mommy is happy so is baby. You gotta do what you gotta do to be sane! My children are well loved, well fed and they sleep well, but trust me, I had to be a bit strict about their routine.
Also, does your baby take a pacifier? My son would not sleep through the night until he was 5 months old because he constantly wanted his pacifier. When he finally got old enoug to pick it up himself, I put 5 pacifiers in his crib every night so he can be SURE to find one!!