Sleeping, Teething, Crying, Oh My!

[marymoo86]

Tired mom here looking for some advice, thoughts, prayers, etc :)

DD was a good sleeper early on - at around 2.5 months she would consistently sleep 730-230am, wake/nurse, then sleep to 6am or so. Then she got a cold with never ending congestion, that turned into an ear infection, and now she is teething. She went from waking once, maybe twice a night to multiple times before the teething started. At that point, I kept her in bed with me after the first waking instead of the co sleeper so I could function at work. At daycare her naps are variable sometimes good, sometimes bad. I normally get home with her around 5pm and she usually takes a 30-45-sometimes 60 minute nap. Then we read, quiet play, and start bath about 45mins after she wakes. We then do massage and nurse to sleep.

Now this teething thing has me stumped. She will cry and have bad nights for a couple of days and then the pain seems to go away. She just had her 2nd round of 2 bad sleep nights. I have tried acetaminophen and homeopathic remedies but she gets little relief. On top of that I have DeQiervains tensovytis and my right wrist is almost shot :(

Any ideas on how to get my sweetie back to sleeping? Should I put her to sleep as soon as we get home from daycare?

[alexmommy]

:hug: Sleep issues are the worst. IIRC, 5 months was hard sleep-wise for my DS. Eventually it just got better. We did CIO around 8 months, though could have done it sooner. Several times we thought DS was having sleep issues b/c of teething, when really he was too cold. Though if you are co-sleeping that wouldn't be a problem. No great advice, but hang in there. It will get better, and get all the sleep you can.

[momm]

I have no advice but that sounds tough. Wanted to send you hugs.:hug:

[ashleybama24]

Teething is the WORST. My son (17 mo) just got his last tooth...16 teeth in 6 months. He got his first 6 teeth...YES 6 AT ONCE...at almost 10 months and went went from sleeping all night to not sleeping at all. The 4 molars came in at in once in February and he went on a 1 week hunger strike as well as waking up again.

Are you breastfeeding? I found that to be the fastest and easiest remedy. It will comfort them and put them back to bed. Plus if you nurse laying down you can sleep. I also like Advil or Motrin (generic) better than Tylenol for pain. I would give it before bed and then after 4 hours when he woke up in pain. Hylands teething tablets are much better than Humphrey's but I can't seem to find them after the recall. Some days I felt like he ate those things like candy. During the day try a frozen washcloth or ice chips in one of those mesh food holders to help numb the gums. I think Munchkin makes some. We never liked teething gel but for some kids it works great.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this....teething is the VERY worst. After the first tooth comes in, it gets easier and doesn't seem to hurt as much until the molars and the canines.

[PGTB]

Teething is the WORST. My son (17 mo) just got his last tooth...16 teeth in 6 months. He got his first 6 teeth...YES 6 AT ONCE...at almost 10 months and went went from sleeping all night to not sleeping at all. The 4 molars came in at in once in February and he went on a 1 week hunger strike as well as waking up again.

Are you breastfeeding? I found that to be the fastest and easiest remedy. It will comfort them and put them back to bed. Plus if you nurse laying down you can sleep. I also like Advil or Motrin (generic) better than Tylenol for pain. I would give it before bed and then after 4 hours when he woke up in pain. Hylands teething tablets are much better than Humphrey's but I can't seem to find them after the recall. Some days I felt like he ate those things like candy. During the day try a frozen washcloth or ice chips in one of those mesh food holders to help numb the gums. I think Munchkin makes some. We never liked teething gel but for some kids it works great.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this....teething is the VERY worst. After the first tooth comes in, it gets easier and doesn't seem to hurt as much until the molars and the canines.

DS is similar to your DS in cutting his teeth in bulk, which disrupts his sleep even more. Poor thing was not much of a sleeper to begin with, last night he was waking up every hour. I find Advil useful as well, but how do you manage to administer it in the middle of the night? We usually give it to DS after bath because it's a messy business. DS screams and would not open his mouth, he hates it and spills half of it :(

[Giantbear]

to throw a twist in, are you sure it is a teething issue? I think from your sig that your dd is around 5 months, is it possible she is wakeing due to hunger and not teething? Maybe check with your doc and see if you can start solids. I know with my daughter, had all the classic teething indicators, swollen gums, pulling at the ear, crazy drooling, but once we got her going on solids, some of the fussiness went away and she slept through. She finally cut her bottoms and had a rough few days.

[ashleybama24]

DS is similar to your DS in cutting his teeth in bulk, which disrupts his sleep even more. Poor thing was not much of a sleeper to begin with, last night he was waking up every hour. I find Advil useful as well, but how do you manage to administer it in the middle of the night? We usually give it to DS after bath because it's a messy business. DS screams and would not open his mouth, he hates it and spills half of it :(


Medicine dropper. If you put it in their cheek it's harder to spit out. Just do a little at a time so he is more likely to swallow. Sometimes it's a 2 person job... One to hold the other to administer. I knew DS hurt when he readily took the pain medicine. Again nursing is a godsend, sometimes that's all it took.

[Giantbear]

DS is similar to your DS in cutting his teeth in bulk, which disrupts his sleep even more. Poor thing was not much of a sleeper to begin with, last night he was waking up every hour. I find Advil useful as well, but how do you manage to administer it in the middle of the night? We usually give it to DS after bath because it's a messy business. DS screams and would not open his mouth, he hates it and spills half of it :(did you ever try a medicine pacifier?

[PGTB]

did you ever try a medicine pacifier?

No, I haven't, but sounds like a great idea. Except DS does not take pacifier and will likely spit it out the moment medicine reaches his tongue. He is pretty stubborn when he doesn't want something. It takes DH and I to administer pain medicine from the syringe, one person to hold him another to squeeze medicine into his open mouth. We also have to entertain him so that he laughs to actually get him to open his mouth. Once he sees the syringe, he clamps it shut tight and nothing can be squeezed there. :(

[Giantbear]

No, I haven't, but sounds like a great idea. Except DS does not take pacifier and will likely spit it out the moment medicine reaches his tongue. He is pretty stubborn when he doesn't want something. It takes DH and I to administer pain medicine from the syringe, one person to hold him another to squeeze medicine into his open mouth. We also have to entertain him so that he laughs to actually get him to open his mouth. Once he sees the syringe, he clamps it shut tight and nothing can be squeezed there. :(

sounds like my sister...at 48 :) We are lucky, DD takes the medicine like it is candy...of course, when sick, it is the only thing she will eat... Best of luck