I know this has been asked and answered a million times, but nothing seems to match what my son is going through exactly. The short story is that my boy doesn't nap anymore and he can't seem to sleep past the hour of midnight for longer than a half hour. It started about a month ago, and prior to this he was a good sleeper -- slept 11-12 hours straight waking up happy and well-rested and two solid, hour plus naps a day.
A few more details: if I am lucky, he takes one, maybe two naps, of no longer than 20 minutes tops (more likely 10). He'll sleep in the car longer, but I don't consider this a "real" nap. For the last two weeks I don't think he has slept more than a half hour total during the day. At night, he falls asleep on his own fine (at 7:00pm) but sometime around midnight or 1am, he starts this pattern of waking every half hour. We go in, pat him on the back or sometimes rock him, but generally he falls back asleep within minutes. However, either he senses we have left the room and starts crying immediately, or he sleeps briefly and then wakes crying about 15-20 minutes later.
It's gotten exhausting very fast, since all of us are getting only three or four hours of sleep at night. For the last week, in desperation and exhaustion, we decided to just let him cry when he wakes. And he does go back to sleep after 20 minutes or so...but then he wakes up again 15 - 30 minutes later. It's like that from midnight on -- wake up, cry for 20 minutes, sleep for 20 - 30 minutes, cry for 20 minutes, etc.
He's been seen by a pediatrician and he is not obviously ill. He eats fine, seems happy when he's awake, and is generally the same lovable boy he has always been. We give him ibuprofen because we thought it might be teething -- no effect. We have a very consistent bedtime routine that we have done since he was a newborn that we have not altered. Most confusingly, about three times in the last month he randomly slept through the night again, like he used to. Nothing was different. Nothing has changed.
My last theory was that it was just developmental, since he seems like he is close to walking, but it's been a month and the lack of sleep is alarming. I don't think I can just wait this one out, but I am totally stuck for ideas.
Anyone else have this situation from a previously good sleeper? Any advice?
Thanks, moms. I'm pulling my hair out on this one.
B.
Take him to a homeopath. Something has surfaced that was buried before. Don't pull your hair out. Find a homeopath who is a parent and understands children. Also your homeopath should have been in practice for at least a full ten years. This way they've already experimented on other people and know what they are doing with your baby.
I wish you well.
It sounds like the developmental to me, especially since he is close to walking. Have you let him cry for a few moments, then go in lay him back down, shush him a little and leave? repeat?
I know this sounds a little unconventional and out there, but I'd recommend a GOOD, reputable pediatric chiropractor. I went to a Chinese (TCM) doctor who does chiropractic type work on babies, and he did some gentle moves on my daughter and relieved some apparent discomfort she had from growth spurts making her a bit out of whack. It worked instantly, when I put her in the car afterwards she played happily, something she hadn't done in weeks. She kicks a lot in her sleep and he said it was probably triggering some pain in her back and waking her up. She's sleeping longer, though I have to say not ideally, she doesn't want to sleep alone anymore, but she does sleep longer than before.
There's absolutely no reason to let a baby cry at this or any other baby age.
Have you tried Tylenol instead? Do you think he might have Reflux..you could try a wedge? My baby never cried just to cry it was always his teeth or something...hope you find the answers.
You could try to let him cry ONE night and then if he really doesn't sleep all night you know he's in pain or just uncomfortable.
I hope you get rest...that can be brutal
L
I'd try a a cd or one of the nature sounds radio's white noise, stuff like that and see if that might help.
HI, sleeping is stressful! My children stopped naping at a very young age as well.
From my early childhood and infant psychology classesin college, we learned that this age is typical for wakefulness, as babies have new milestones they are learning such as walking and words, it can interrupt with their desire to sleep. So, in essence, it is developmental.
He is old enough to learn to self soothe. Going in there to pat his back is fine, but avoid picking him up, rocking or talking/singing to him. It's okay to let him cry it out at this age.
In any case, Dr. Sears has some great tips on this very issue:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp
At ten months he knows what he is doing. Have you let him cry himself back to sleep. Babies wake up all the time. Some cry for a minute, fall back to sleep, others find something to play with and then go back to sleep. Some just know how to put themselves back to sleep right away and you don't even know they woke up. He sounds like he needs to know that he can put himself back to sleep on his own. This has to be learned. I would let him cry for a few minutes and see if he settles down on his own. Do you let him cry at all or do you rush right in? He is expecting you to be there when he wakes up and he is expecting you to be there to help him go back to sleep. You may need to ignore the crying for a while. Talling back to sleep on your own is a learned skill. 10 months is when I let both of my kids learn this skill. They cried, but it was the best thing for them. Best wishes to you.
