8-month old still wakes up 3 times during the night!

[jasmine_bay]

When she was younger, there were nights when she would sleep all the way through. But then she got sick and kept getting some sort bug every other week. I think this was when the sleep problems started. She naps pretty well during the day and can soothe herself to sleep. I put her down for bed around 7:30pm with her blanket and her binkie. She usually falls right asleep without any fuss. Then she wakes up around 11:30pm and I nurse her. She's up at 2:30am then 4:30am. At first I thought she was waking up because her binkie was falling out. But no, sometimes she wakes up at this time with her binkie still in her mouth.

I don't know if it makes a difference that she's not eating much (actually, hardly any) solid foods. I started her on solids at 6 months, but she hasn't shown interest. She'll take a couple of bites and then turn her face from side to side when she sees the spoon coming.

Her older sister was down to one waking by this time and started sleeping through the night at 9 months. I did try CIO for three nights with her older sister to eliminate that one waking. The other night I was at my wits end and tried to skip the 2:30am feeding. She cried off and on for 2 hours and never went back to sleep until I came in and nursed her.

Please help! I have Weisbluth's book, but I'm still not sure what I should be doing in this situation. I also have the No Cry Sleep Solution.

[jen2006]

Hi There, My 8 month old has been waking up during the night lately too. In fact, it seemed like he slept better (through the entire night) when he was 6 months. I'm not sure I can offer you any help, (we are still trying to decide if we should ferberize or not) but I can commiserate. I too thought it was when the pacifier was falling out, but he wakes up either way.

Jen

[kimbe]

When DD was that age, she did the same thing. She only woke up 2 times a night though. She also had no interest in solid food so I figured that she was hungry and I just kept feeding her. I started night weaning her at 1 year.

I am sure that you are exhausted. I think that skipping a feeding cold turkey is probably pretty rough on both of you. Maybe you could start with one of the feedings and only nurse on one side for that feeding and then slowly nurse for less and less time on that side until hopefully the feeding drops, then start working on the other feedings.

Hang in there, it will pass. Hugs -- I know how you feel!

[jetrlw]

I can understand what you are going through. My 9 month-old wakes up 3 times each night also for feeding. She takes solids all day and eats fairly well. I don't believe she is hungry, but that she nurses for comfort. I am in the process of trying to "sleep train" but am afraid to use the Ferber method. Still trying to find other ways to help her sleep regularly. Hang in there. I am.

[Melarina]

Any chance she might be teething? My 7 month old slept through the night for a few weeks, then got sick and woke during the night frequently for about a month. Once she got over her cold she still wouldn't sleep through, but now we think it might be teething. Her gums are really swollen and a dose of Tylenol at night seems to help.

Hang in there and wishing everyone some good sleep!

[kitmama]

My youngest son is nearly 9 1/2 months, and right now he's still waking every 2 - 3 hours at night. I don't always have to nurse him- sometimes he just needs to burp. But of course I am feeling pretty sleep-deprived. (And naps for me are totally out of the question, with two older sons to care for too!) The best he's ever slept was 5 hours straight, and he's only done that twice. Sigh.

He eats solids like a horse, nurses well during the day, and naps. I kept telling myself it is teething- he only just cut his first tooth a month or so ago, and his second in the last week or so. Maybe it is still teething. I'm just hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel soon.

My point is simply that you are so not alone, and I sympathize. I remember being here twice before, though I *think* my other boys started sleeping well sooner. (How soon I forget.) I never did any sleep training before, and eventually they adjusted on their own. Things were better before their first birthdays, and now they're both fantastic sleepers. So, hang in there! And I'll be rubbing my bleary eyes right along with you. ;)

[wendibird22]

If it's any consolation, my 13mo still wakes 2x's a night. She was up 3-4x's a night from about 8mos to 12mos in various stages of teething. The molars have been the worst. I am sleep deprived, and I do work full time, BUT, I keep telling myself that this is only a short phase in her life and I want to be responsive to her needs. If eventually I feel the need to change our nighttime routine I will try Dr. Jay Gordon's method. We don't cosleep but his plan can be tailored to crib sleeping. http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp

[firsttimemama]

I'm not so sure this isn't just "normal" - and the babies who sleep through the night are just good sleepers.
My 9 mo old DS still wakes 2-3 times a night also.

[babyready]

My first DD had a similar schedule at this age. When she was 9 months, I sent DH in to soothe her during that middle wake up. He attempted and she didn't like it very much. He just rocked her and did his best while she cried for maybe 15 minutes? Maybe it was a little longer. But she was being attended to by daddy so it didn't feel as bad as just leaving her to cry by herself. Anyway, after that first night, she started sleeping through that middle wake-up and then sleeping in later. And then dropped her other wake-ups over the next week or two. I'm not even kidding, it was a miracle and it only took one night!

Anyway, maybe we were just lucky but that is what worked for us. It was hard that first night but so worth it. Now I have a 6 month old that wakes up twice a night. I am waiting until I feel confident in the fact that she is not hungry that much at night to do the same thing. I hope it works as well!

Good luck!