Hello! I have a 10 and a half month old baby girl. Up until about a week ago she has been a pretty good sleeper. She has slept in her crib since she was 2 months old. We do our bedtime routine, followed by a bottle, and some rocking, then I put hep in her crib a she is out. Well, the past four nights, as soon as I lay her down, she starts crying. I pick her up and she is right to sleep, start to put her down, starts crying again. That can go on for 2 hours. Is it separation anxiety? How long does it last? Should I let her cry? Also, since this has started, she has been waking up at 5:30 instead of 8 or 8:30, and she is still so sleepy!
Thanks you all for your responses and advice! The past 2 nights have been wonderful! Instead of running right in and picking her up the second she starts to cry, we let her cry a bit. The first night we waited 5 minutes before going in a laying her down and rubbing her back, and then leaving again, then we waited 10 minutes the next time. She was asleep in 20 minutes, and slept all the way through to 8:30 the next morning, what a blessing! I thought why didnt we try this sooner! Last night it only took about 10 minutes. Hopefully things continue this way, because it's such a relief. I hope things start working out for those of you going through similar problems.
Try putting her down right before she goes to sleep so she's kinda still awake. She has to learn how to put herself to sleep. I know it's hard listening to them scream and cry but eventually they will learn how to soothe themselves.
The same thing just started happening with my 7 1/2 month old. I've been thinking it's seperation anxiety too. He will sleep great on my chest, but as soon as he's in his own bed, he starts crying, and ends up being really sleepy when he's awake during the day. Do you put music on when you lay her down? Does she have a night light? I personally believe letting her cry is alright, but not for more than 15 minutes at a time at the most. I'm hoping mine starts to learn to put himself to sleep. Good luck.
Mine went through this stage at 7 months, just when I got used to her sleeping BAM sleepness nights again. I went through several websites looking and I finally stumbled on one. It seemed she all of a sudden was needing more sleep. She was waking up every 10 minutes forever screaming until I picked her up, I tried to wait it out and let her cry, I tried putting her into my bed and nothing. I guess she was being more mobile and was getting so much more active during the day that she was simply just worn out. I too had the whole bedtime routine, a bath, book, bottle and rocked. What I had to do was try putting her down about 15 minutes earlier until I knocked it down to about an hour earlier than her normal time! I don't what yours might need, they are all a little different. But it totally worked!! She may still have some issues occasionally but for the most part it worked beautifully. It was a total life saver!! I hope you try it and let me know if it worked!
H., I have an (almost) 11-month-old and he did the same exact thing. Like every other thing with kids this age, it should be just a phase. Wait it out (as long as you don't suspect any illnesses) and it should work itself out within a week or so.
I've heard it CAN be a combination of separation anxiety &/or growth spurts.
Hang in there!!! :-)
I went through this also. My oldest slept WONDERFUL! Then about the same age did this. I was told it was just a anxiety. Once they know your really there they are fine. I found that if I rubbed on his back rather than picking up it seemed to help. My youngest liked his foot to be rubbed lol. Something to do with the warmth of mommy.
Personally I would let her cry it out a bit. Go as long as you feel confortable. You know when the cry is I need you and when the cry is just a cry. I may aslo be it may also be that you are warm and when she is put in bed she is cold you might try bundleing her up a bit more. My two-year old wakes up when she is cold. She has just learned how to pull the blankets over herself so it is getting better. Most nights if she wakes up we just cover her with a blanket and she goes right back to sleep.
Good chance she may be teething and going through a growth spurt both of which may disrupt their normal sleep schedule. You might want to start putting her to bed before she falls asleep as my daughter did the same thing - would fall to sleep on me, but when I put her down would wake right back up. We started to put her down as she was just getting really sleepy and let her kind of cry it out. It only took a couple of days for her to get to sleep on her own. As they get older, I've noticed they sleep at different times. Mine have both gone from 8am sleepers, to 6am sleepers and now back to 8am sleepers, it just depends on their growth and what their bodies are telling them to do. Best of luck!
My son went through a similiar situation, he was teething when it was going on - is your daughter? Also, you might just try letting her cry it out - I know that it is tough - my husband and I would sit and just watch the clock - but it worked. My pediatrician said that if healthy sleep habits aren't established by 10 months then you are basically screwed - pardon my french, till they are two. It sounds like your daughter has been a great sleeper up until now and this is probably just a phase she will work through. If it is teeth then try Hylands teething tablets - they work!!!!!! You can get them at Walmart in the vitamin section. As far as waking up earlier than normal - try putting her to bed 15 or 20 minutes earlier - don't ask why but it works. Good luck!!
H.:
I just posted about the same thing (prior to reading your post). However, my son is older than your daughter. In your case, it could be teething or a growth spurt. The separation anxiety usually does not start until well after a year. Rub her back, let it cry it out (now that she is not a newborn) for about 5 minutes, keep doing your routine.
A. L
I can think of 3 possible reasons:
1) She is teething. When you lay the baby down when they are teething, it throbs and hurts.
2) She has an ear infection. Every time my son had an ear infection, he had a hard time going to sleep and would wake up earlier than normal. Like teething, it hurts to lay flat when your ear is infected and it throbs.
3) She is not getting enough food to keep her full all through the night. Maybe try dinner of baby food before her final bottle (if you are not already doing that).
Just some possibilities. Good luck!
Have you tried taking her to your bed and laying down with her? My daughter goes through phases where she sleeps better snuggled up. She might sleep later then, too.
Well, I just went through all of your other responses...it's funny that everyone seems to be having the same problem :) I was going to tell you that, although I did not have any advice, you can vent to me any time because we are in week 3 of sleeping hell with my 16-month-old. I have absolutly no advice, because nothing I have tried has worked...crying, caressing, eating, drinking...i even brought her in my bed...which did NOT work because she thought it was play time. Anyway, hon, good luck, hang in there, and get some strong coffee. if you just need to talk or you find something that works, email me any time!
Have you ruled out an ear infection?
Hi H.,
When I read your post a few different things came to mind, most of them got mentioned, like teething, or not getting full enough, groth spurt ect. But there were two things I thought of that were not mentioned. One is that when a baby/ child is working hard at a goal like walking, pulling up, or any big milestone, it can affect their sleep patterns. This happened to my son when he was really close to walking. I couldn't figure out what his deal was. Then my pediatrition asked told me about this. It made since, they are little people too & I know when I am working real hard at something & I am so close it is hard to sleep normal until I complete my goal. As it turned out she was right. As soon as he started walking & really got the hang of it he went right back to his original schedule with a little help. This may or may not be the case, but if it happens again later down the road you might consider it as a possibility.
The other thing I thought of is if there has been a major change in the household, like you going back to work or starting daycare, or other major change. When I had my first son I was still pretty young (18) & my husband (not at the time) & I hadn't quite gotten our relationship quite right yet, so we would split for dumb reasons from time to time & it would really affect our son & his sleeping patterns. Fortuneatly now we have our relationship/marriage in a healthy place & little one has adjusted nicely & I don't think we caused any permanent damage, lol. I hope everything continues to work out & that baby continues to sleep well! (You too!)
A.
You could try rubbing her back or carressing the side of her face once layed down in her bed (if she stirrs after laying her down) and don't pick her up again or talk, just comfort without words until she relaxes enough to fall asleep. You might also try wrapping her in a blanket, papoose style, to make her feel more secure and warm, before rocking...but always leave her arms free to move. Then she will be feeling snuggled, secure and cozy already and still will be when you lay her down. Babies and kids take on our moods and frustrations, so the more you can relax, the more relaxed she will be....just enjoy her...she wont be this small very long. :)
