Sleep! - Linden,MI

B.,
I have gone through this with both of my Daughters (they are now 5 and almost 2), are you opposed to letting him cry? If not, you can contact me and I will help you. If you don't believe in crying it out, I understand, I never thought I would do it, but I had too! As far as the reason, it could be that he is going through a milestone. Or, it could be that he isn't falling asleep by himself and he needs you to help him get back to sleep everytime he wakes up. Hope this helps.

K.

My son also did this. I never would give my kids pacifiers just for the simple fact of what you and some others experience. I had to harden up and let him "cry it out" after a couple nights he would still wake but the crying sessions where shorter and shorter and ever since then if he wakes up crying it is because there is a real problem. Good luck and I definitly do not miss all those sleepless nights!LOL

I had glow in the dark pacis for my kids. It seemed to work, I never had to get up and put it back in their mouths. He is a bit young now, but something to think about a little later.

Hi B.,

Both of my sons used to do that at this age. I figure out that there is more than one reason why they wake up at night more than ten times. Here they are with the solutions that I used.

1.Teething: I used to give them Tylenol if I feel that they were very very crumpy.

2.Hungry: at this age they get hungry where milk itself is not enough, so I gave them cereal right before their bed time.

3.Miss you: my kids used to miss me at night. Maybe you’re wondering how do I figure out this. Well, the minute that I set down or lay down with them they go right away to sleep and the minute that I move from their side they just wake up like an alarm. So what I did is this; I used to wrap them with the blouse or sweater that I used to wear during the time that I hold, feed and play with them all day. I know it sound sweaty and dirty but they recognize the smell and gave them comfort by thinking that I was sleeping beside them.

Good luck

Here is my advice... get rid of the binki. I know this will be tough... and will give you one or two more rough nights... but then he will sleep more soundly as he isn't woken by the binki falling out of his mouth... it worked for my daughter when I got fed up getting up 8times a night to stick it back in. Good luck.
:)

You never know what might be keeping him up, and it might be that he might need to learn to comfort himself to sleep. I also have a binky boy, and until he was old enough to pop it back in himself, I had to make the middle of the nights trips to do it if he woke up. But I realized that he would sometimes cry with the binky in, and that he needed to figure out how to fall back to sleep on his own. Also, we've learned that our 3 year old wasn't sleeping well through the night because of the night light in his room. You just never know!

My son went through a growth spurt at 6 months and woke up for a feeding for about 1.5 weeks and then I was able to just go back to his paci after the growth spurt.

Hi B.,

I can simpathize, been there done that. There are a couple of thoughts that I would check out on this one. First, is he maybe starting to teeth? Secondly, if it has been going on that long and he use to sleep through the night, ask the doctor to double check his ears and nose. One of my 3 boys had only one sign of a possible ear or sinus infection, he would do exactly what your little one is doing (and mine slept through the night from about 1 month). Finally, try giving the oatmeal in the morning instead and mix with whatever milk you are giving him or if that's what you've been doing try purified/distilled water, that way if he is getting gas from it he'll work it out while playing. All 3 of my boys had this problem at one time or another and it totally sucks. They did not want to take the Mylicon Drops so I had to walk around maybe lay them down and repeticiously bring legs to chest and down again along with rubbing/almost squeezing (gently of course) the abdomin until it passed. Prunes work awesome!

Just some ideas from someone who has been there.
K.

I think you're spot on to suspect more teeth. As a 42 year old mother of 3 boys (now 6,8,and 11) nothing like new teeth disrupted sleep more for my little ones. They say if adults had to cut teeth, we couldn't take the pain, so even if you can't "feel" them coming in, chances are you will soon! Good luck. M. in Michigan

I would put a bed or a chair or a bed in his rm till this stops you you can rest inbetewwn.
sure sounds like his teeth are bugging him.. what about some oragel or somthing on the gums at bed time??

Usually babies go through a growth spurt at that time. He might be hungry if he is growing

Dear B.:
I had the same problem with my little girl around that age. I think it is because they cannot locate their binky and/or put it back themselves. Once he is able to find it and replace it, things should go back to normal.
I remember wanting to cry!! I was sooo tired!
Hang in there!
T. F

Sorry, I don't have an answer but I can sympathize with you. It sounds just like our situation. Our son, Brayden, will be 6 months next week, started sleeping thru the night at about 2 months, has two teeth and just started getting up about 5 times a night. It started about 2 1/2 weeks ago when he had the flu. He is fine now, but still has the same sleep patterns :( I would love any advice or an explanation too.

I found with all three of my children that they went through a growth spurt and did exactly what your son is doing ... right around 6 months. When this happened, I added a little cereal to their diet and gave it to them right before bed. This did the trick each time! Good luck to you ...

Hi B.. Just wondering where your little guy might be in the teething process. My 4 month old is beginning to teethe and, while he used to be a great night sleeper, he gets up several times whimpering (even with his binky). I comfort him, turn him over, and he's back to sleep. It's annoying, but I'm seeing that just a little comfort goes a long way. I can't imagine what their little mouths must be going through.

Hi B.
My grandson had the same problem. At Wal-Mart in the vitamin aisle is a product that we use for him. It is all natural teething tablets that dissolve in the mouth and numbs the area. I believe the name is Holland Teething Tablets. They seem to work better than the Baby Ora-Gel.

Have you started baby cereal or jar food yet? I found that at about 5 months my kids were hungry in the night and I was doing the same thing you are. The breast or bottle just wasn't getting them through. I started on rice or oatmeal baby cereal and it really helped. Good Luck!!!

Hi B., I think it would be worth a Doctor visit to rule out an ear infection. My little ones started sleeping through the night really young also, but then the ear infections started. Have it checked out before needing your comfort to get back to sleep becomes a requirement. You all need your rest to much to start that.

It could be a number (or a combination) of things.

1) He could still have teeth coming in even though you don't feel them. The Hylands(?) teething tablets work wonders to help ease the teething pain so they can fall asleep.
2) He could be ready for some solid foods. My daughter started sleeping better after we started giving her solids around 5 1/2 months.
3) Ear infections. Get an appointment to get this checked out. My daughter is 11 months and just two weeks ago stopped sleeping through the night and started waking me up 2-5 times a night. Last Thursday we noticed she had a stuffy head and she started looking and acting sick. Turns out she had a double ear infection! I had no idea since she hadn't favored her ears at all. Definitely worth the check-up before it gets bad. I'll know better next time!
4) Growth spurt. Not much you can do there besides wait it out.
5) A loud sleeper. My daughter makes noises like she's awake sometimes in the night but if I don't go in there (just peek in the door instead of tromping in to get her) I can see she's still sleeping - just making noise in her sleep. She didn't start this until around 6 months when she figured out how to move around in her sleep.

Good luck!

Hi B.

It may be a growth spurt. Also around this age they start getting hungrier Milk just doesn't do it. He maybe waking up hungry. Mine did around that age and I just started feeding her a lil cereal at bed time and didn't have that problem anymore.

Good Luck

M.
www.4parents.biz

Hello to the sleep deprived! Your message reminded me of my son. He didn't start sleeping mroe than 2 hrs at a time until he was 10 months old and then after about a month of good sleep he started waking every half hour or so. It ended up being ear infections.I never guessed this because he didn't have any of the other typical symptoms.

Hi. I had the same problem with my daughters (they are older now). Nonetheless, I remember that before they started to eat solid food, it seemed breastfeeding was not enough, so they would wake up hungry!!! I remember that after they started to eat things went back to normal. I hope it helps!!!

B., It sounds just like my son who is about the same age. He is either going through a growth spurt and may be hungry or his teeth may be getting ready to come through and this will also cause some discomfort. Basically it is a process of elimination to figure out why the binki is not cutting it. Good Luck

When our little granddaughters were babies (we had guardianship and the mom was not around) we would put a very small amount of dry baby cereal into the last bottle of the night and it would keep their tummy full for a while. They would still sometimes wake up during the night to get a diaper changed, etc. but it may help you get some sleep. If this doesn't work, ask the doctor how much acetaminaphen to give and rub some baby oragel onto the gums at bedtime. You might not be able to feel a new tooth working in, but one could still be there.

L. C.

It sounds like a groth spurt it will pass feed a little bit more and tech him how to put hisbinkie back in i put mine on a clip low enuff on there pj they can reach the mouth but not long enuff to wrap a round neck

B.,
I had to stop giving my son cereal all together close to bedtime. It seemed to help. He was the same, better on rice than oatmeal. But, I think anything other than formula was too much on his tummy right before bed. "They" say that as long as you get enough food/formula in anytime during the day, it works just as well as giving it to them right before bed.

I asked myself that same exact question when my daughter was that age(now 15 months old). Do you pop his binki in every time he cries during the night? If so, do you take it out once he falls asleep so when it does fall out at night he won't be startled to know it has fallen out. Start trying that if you feel comfortable doing that. I would. It might take some time but you could try it and see. It could very well be more teeth. I didn't know my daughter was waking up because of teething until I took her to the doc and he said that "oh, all 4 molars are coming in but he told me I wouldn't be able to tell yet. That was causing her to wake up. Do you let him cry after you go in there for about 10 minutes on his own???? I know alot of parents that are against that and alot tht have used that and for me, I feel, that is how my daughter went to bed and slept so well at 4 weeks old because I would go in there and comfort her and walk out and if she cried I would let it go for 10 minutes and go in again and rub her head, pat her butt but try not to pick her up and repeat it maybe once or twice more and walah it worked. Withing 5-7 minutes, she would always fall asleep on her own. And I'm sorry for those parents that think that is just the child I disagree because if you start it early enough you can get your baby in the habit to do what you want them to do , as far as sleeping goes. Don't you think? Well I hope I helped a little. Let me know what you decide to do!! Good Luck

Hi B.,

Have you tried to let him cry it out a little and go back to sleep on his own? When my boys were that young, I used to do the same thing that you are - I would jump out of bed, comfort them, hush them and then crawl back into my bed. I figured that if I caught them and calmed them before they got into a screaming fit, then we would all be able to go back to sleep.

But, I figured out (okay - maybe my husband pointed it out ;)! ) that I was pretty much training them to rely on me instead of figuring out how to get comfortable again on thier own.

Try letting him cry it out a little. Even if he cries for a few minutes once or twice a night, you won't be up all night long.

Also, consider that you may just have a noisy sleeper. My older son is a silent sleeper, he sleeps deep and does not make a peep unless he's not feeling right. My younger son, who is 2, on the other hand, talks in his sleep, moves all night long and occassionly even cries out from what seems to be a vivid dream. By the time he was 6 months old, I had to just turn off the baby monitor so that my husband and I could sleep, knowing that if he needed me, I'd hear him.

Good luck!

--R.