5mo sleep just turned horrendous after weeks of good sleeping-help!

[monstergoose]

My 5mo dd sleep has been awful over the last week or so. After co sleeping for the last few months for about the last 6 wks she's been feeding to semi sleep then after waking herself up when she's put in her crib, falling asleep by herself with just occasionally the odd cry. I had been feeding her lying down but had graduated to feeding her sat up so eventually I could move her Ito her own room. She then used to wake up 2-3 time for a feed, each time I could put her straight back into her crib and she'd go straight back to sleep. she would also self settle for naps on the morning, although for her afternoon nap I'd have to feed her to sleep and hold her otherwise she'd wake up.

For last week shes been awful though. At bedtime she does all her normal sleep cues and nothing has changed in her routine but after I've fed her and put her in her crib she either wakes up straight away and cries or wakes up after about 30mins crying. I've gone back to feeding her lying down and I've been leaving her on bed to sleep, doing that she'll perhaps wake up 2-3 imes between 7 and when I come to bed at 10ish. Then as soon as I put her in the crib she screams, proper tears rolling and hiccuping sobs, until I bring her back into bed. This goes on all night until I give up and co sleep for the rest of the night. Naps have been horrendous, today after 1hr of trying to get her down and gave up, put her in the car to go to baby club, she stayed wide awake and finally zonked 6hrs after her last nap, but then only slept 30mins!

I think she's teething which probably explains it but the HV said that I should persist with trying to get her in the crib as she'll 'forget' how to settle without me if I go back to co sleeping. Don't get me wrong, I have loved co sleeping but I go back to work in 2 months and I work nights so the co sleeping has to stop (as does the night breast feeds but I plan on waiting until she's on some solids before tackling that one!).

So why is the best thing to do, go back to co sleeping and cuddling to sleep for naps and just ride it out or persist with the crib for sleep and naps and just accept that it might be a long job?

Sorry for the long rant, had the most horrendous day with her and just needed to rant!

[monstergoose]

Wow, sorry, didn't realise quite how long that post was!

[3littlefrogs]

Get her ears checked.If she has ear pain, being horizontal will be agony.

Look at her gums and if she is teething give her some calpol.

Otherwise, she may just be too hot and extra thirsty.

[CreatureRetorts]

Sleep regression. There's a big one around 5 months so that could be it.

I woul go back to whatever works then try again every week or so.

[AnotherStitchInTime]

It could also be the heat. She could be thirsty.

My dd2's sleep regressed at that age too, it has only just improved. She is 16 months.

[monstergoose]

Thanks for the quick replies! frogs she does pull at her ears a bit but I thought it was another sign of teething. She doesn't cry when she's laid flat on her playmat though so didn't think she was painful then. I was a bit reluctant to give her calpol as she's on meds for reflux as well and don't want to overload with stuff, but it might be worth a try