Chronic Sleep Issues with a 9 Mos Old

She may be undergoing a growth spurt and needing more to eat. That is normal and not something you can control; you can only get through it with her and give her what she needs when she needs it.

Or she may have been taking in less, at each breast feeding during the day and early evening, than you realized. With bottles at night you can tell exactly how much baby is eating but on the breast you can't always tell even if you "feel" the baby's had enough or the baby seems to be done; some babies just tire out before they really are satiated, (which can be another sign of a growth spurt -- getting tired) and that means they want another feeding sooner. Not a lot you can do about that one either, unfortunately.

Did the doctor ask about symptoms of acid reflux or other issues that could cause her to wake? If you don't think it's food she wants or something wrong with her physically, check her sleeping clothes and crib for anything that could be irritating her or waking her.

If so, and there's nothing going on, a growth spurt or a tendency to need smaller feedings may be the case. And I know you don't want to hear this but....some babies, like some kids, like some adults, just do not sleep long periods without waking. The "babies who sleep all night long every night" seem to exist according to some parents but it's not the case for all babies. My daughter is 10 and still changes her sleep habits periodically -- wakeful for some months, solid sleeper for a while, restlessly iin between for another little while. It's not a matter of discipline or wilfullness; it's just metabolism and, well, her nature. I'm an extremely light sleeper who never sleeps all the way through any night. Babies are individuals too. But that's pretty hard on the parents, I know.

Good for you for staying up with her when she cried. Please do the same when it happens again. You may get posts on here saying, "Train her, discipline her, don't cave in, let her cry it out alone," etc. but I am on your side: An infant this young can't manipulate adults, she doesn't have the mental ability to do that for a very long time yet, so she does need to know that her most trusted adults will be there if she is upset. When you leave a room, in her mind you are vanishing forever and ever; she has no concept yet that you still exist somewhere else, so your presence is vital to making her feel safe as she goes through whatever she's going through.

Many babies need the 5 am feed till 12 months. Even my terrific sleep wanted a snack at 5 am (after being asleep 10 hours).

Also, there is a wonder period at 9 months. They wake and stay awake during these things...

It will pass, just hang on.

What I have come to understand is, when we can sleep, we do. When we can't, we don't, even if we want to. As a person who has multiple sleep issues myself, I can only feel sad for you and your child. Sleep is like a form of hunger; the body and brain need it, but if too many things are keeping the body or mind tense or active, then sleep becomes impossible, even if the person/child is actually feeling exhausted and craving sleep.

I've watched a couple of generations of young families, including my grandson's. Some babies have greater needs, for food, for contact/comfort/connection. They don't ask for those needs, and would be perfectly happy if they didn't have to deal with them.

In some cases, a child's nervous system is irritated by food allergies or chemical sensitivities. A few moms I've known have helped their kids by removing all potentially toxic cleaning and air freshening products from the home, especially the child's bedroom. Dryer sheets are particularly toxic. Some processed foods that contain colors and preservatives can also jazz up the nervous system. It might be worth checking out.

If that doesn't help, you may simply ('simply' – hah!) be the mom of a more irritable child. My grandson was a poor sleeper until halfway through his third year. I would sometimes do overnights with his desperate parents to give them a break, since I'm a poor sleeper myself. No matter what they tried, or how many sleep "training" approaches they attempted, their son just could not stay asleep. But at 2.5, he settled down and is now a great sleeper, though he talks in his sleep sometimes.

I hope your little girl doesn't take that long.

My kids all needed to be nursed during the night until about 12 months because they were simply too busy to eat enough in the afternoon/evening to last through the night. Some babies just sleep better than others too. My 21 month old still wakes during the night just as my older 2 did until about age 2. I know the expectation is that kids sleep through the night every night after 6 months, but research doesn't support that. Please read Elizabeth Pantley's book "The No Cry Sleep Solution" or go to www.askdrsears.com for more help. I know you are tired....I am too for because my youngest 2 are under 2 yrs apart, I've had only a couple full night sleep in the last 4 years. My oldest 2 kids do sleep well (10-12 hours straight every night) and they were horrible sleepers before age 2, sometimes up every 45-60 min. I'm glad you are not letting her CIO alone. Might try some tylenol or motrin if you think it's teething. This too shall pass....Nurse Midwife Mom of 3

Did your pediatrician check her iron? We were dealing with this with our son and it turned out he was iron deficient which can cause mega sleep issues in babies. We've been on supplements and after some sleep training, we're doing soooo much better. I feel your pain. He would only sleep 15-60 minutes at a time and be up for hours in between. It's tough. Hang in there!

some babies are like that.. my son woke up at 4 am for 3 years.. every night.. started out crying but after he caould talk he would call me... MOMMA.. every night.. at 4 1/2 years he still wakes up some nights and calls me.. he is scared or needs his blankie.. he wakes up and wants to see his momma.. my daughter doesnt make a peep all night.. she slept through the night at 7 months..