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7 month old - started waking lots at night - recent trauma - any advice?

11 replies

Pavlovthecat · 29/01/2007 16:22

Hey guys, any advice would be appreciated;
My 6, almost 7 month old baby is a fantastic baby, smiles and laughs all the time, has a great temperament and is always happy. She is crawling, fast, and can pull herself into standing position and play like this for ages before falling. The problem I have is sleeping pattern which has changed recently. She used to go to bed at 7:30pm, have a dream feed (breastfed) at 11:30pm or so, and wake at around 4am, then at 7:30am. All fine there. We went to USA just before xmas which, along with at the same time getting a stinking cold and ear infection, threw her sleep out, and it has not really been the same since, waking up between 2-6 times during the night and only going back to sleep when nursed.
My mother passed away last thursday after a horrible illness, and my little ones routine has been thrown out for a while now, including a lot of travel from Devon to London. although we always go through normal bedtime routines, story, sing-song, food and cuddles, where-ever we are.
However, in the last week, coinciding with the death of my mother, she has started yelling, an earpeircing sound, during the night, and will quieten when nursed. Once I stop, she arches her back a little, tosses her head and makes the same blood-curdling sound. She does not initially appear to be awake, but if I do not nurse her immediately she will wake herself up and become miserable. The last two nights before last she would only sleep once she was taken for a drive in the car.
Is it teething (calpol and Anbesol does not help this time), is it my fault for going to her when she cries? (I have tried to leave her, when she moans a little she will go back to sleep, but this yelling she cant do it), is she picking up on the events around her (i have tried to remain calm around her, and to be hones grief not quite hit me fully yet). Or is it a consequence of her extreme activeness, she wont ever keep still when she is awake, not even to feed these days!
Any ideas if this is something I can do anything about, is it as a result of external factors, can I do anything to get her back on track, or will I just have to ride it out as a normal part of baby development? I am desperately tired emotionally with everything and with my poor little baby, but can cope of there is light at the end of the tunnel.
BTW her mood during the day is still fanastic and does not seem to be adversely affected by the lack of sleep. Just her parents!

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kittypants · 29/01/2007 16:25

sounds like youre haviong awful time of it.weve just started baby whisperers pick up put down thing,its amazing,i think lastnight was the 4th night and he only woke once and that was at 5.45am.he used to wake 6 plus times a night!worth a go.

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Pavlovthecat · 29/01/2007 16:30

Thanks for this Kittypants...I have heard a bit about this, but sleep never used to be a problem I did not look into sleep issues, and when it started, did not have opp to find out more...I will make tme to find out more...

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mckenzie · 29/01/2007 16:58

hi Pavlovthecat

So sorry to hear about your mum and the change in your DD's sleep pattern. I dont really have anything profound to advise but wanted to offer sympathy. Tiredness on top of grief must be extremely hard to cope with.
You should be able to get the Baby Whisperer book from your local library if you want to read up more on her ideas.
Do you have some good friends around you to help you just now?

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Mumpbump · 29/01/2007 17:04

Sorry to hear about your mum. Could be teething if she hasn't yet had any teeth through or ear ache, maybe? I gave ds calpol and then, if necessary, ibuprofen as well if he was in a lot of pain with his teeth. Sorry if you've already done this, but I'd assume it was pain such as this and treat accordingly for a few nights and see if it helps.

Should warn you that it took ds about 6-8 weeks to cut his top four teeth and involved lots of waking and little sleep for us...

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Pavlovthecat · 29/01/2007 17:25

I know our LO is teething, she has rosey cheeks, dribbles lots (but has for months) and has two little white spots on top front right of her mouth. However the spots have been there for a couple of weeks, and she usually grimbles with teething pain, so we thought, that was the noise she made when we gave her calpol (actually using Tylonol - American equiv as we bought some when there after running out) and Anbesol which used to work a treat.
I will try the calpol again, for a few nights, just been cautious about using it if not actually any pain there.
Thanks for condolences. I do, lukcily have some exceptional friends, mostly my friends have shied away from any contact other than obligatory text with hugs (but I understand that it is hard to know what to say to some-one who has just lost a parent), however I have a wonderful partner and two great friends who are not afraid for me to mention my feelings.
my LO has been the most support though, even with the lack of sleep.
I will also try to get a copy of the baby whisperer, sounds like it could help.
thanks everyone, so far..

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Mumpbump · 30/01/2007 12:21

The upper teeth were much more painful for ds - I didn't even know his lower teeth were coming through until I put my finger in his mouth one day and felt the top. Hope that teething is the problem and that it sorts itself out soon...

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Pavlovthecat · 30/01/2007 22:24

been told this problem might be ear infection. She has just got a cold, and is pulling her ear, so it seems to make sense. Will see GP first thing and hopefully get her feeling better again. Thanks to all for advice. I will post again once I know if it is this...

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cruisemum1 · 31/01/2007 11:15

pavlov - join us on 'sleep is for hte weak' thread. We are all where you are

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Pavlovthecat · 31/01/2007 11:37

I shall check this out!!!

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Mumpbump · 01/02/2007 10:57

Nurofen is very effective for pain relief, or a combination of both Nurofen and calpol...

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Pavlovthecat · 01/02/2007 11:59

thanks mumpbump. managed to get LO to sleep from 8:30-1:45am! with the help of calpol, carvol and baby oragel (Sha cold right now). Been cautious using nurofn but now over 6 months should be fine...

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