BF'ing & STTN help!

mrsladyteflon

My dd is 9 months old and has never really sttn very well.  She's always been a restless sleeper.  Around 5 months my husband and I separated so I'm left to the night wakings alone.  I still bf but not during the night.  Recently she's started waking up around 2-3:00 am and not going to back to sleep for 1-2 hours or until 5am when I feed her "breakfast"!  She will stop crying only if I'm up walking around bouncing with her...if I even try to just stand still she starts screaming bloody murder!  I'm at my wits end as I work as well so these sleepless nights are making me incredibly nutty.  She does have several teeth at the verge of coming in but the oragel and/or any other medicine doesn't help...her diaper is clean...she isn't acting gassy or hungry. I was thinking tonight I would just let her stay in her crib and sit next to her as she screams and see if after a couple of nights she relaxes.   Any other moms who still bf, have any suggestions or advice? 

jilley

If you think her teeth are bothering her try teething tablets or Tylenol before bed. Have you tried to let her CIO? DS woke up 2-3 times a night until he was 8 months old, but I think the problem was me. As soon as I heard him, I went and got him, I never gave him a chance to fall back asleep. He still wakes up once in a while, may cry for a few min. and go back to sleep.

I wouldn't sit by her crib, at least with my DS, it would only piss him off that I was right there, and wouldn't get him. Oh, I BF, too. GL!

RufflesRambo

I might actually try BFing her when she wakes. I've read that it can help with teething...

mrsladyteflon

Yes, I've tried all the medicines and teethers with not much help.  It doesn't help that we're in a one bedroom so we sleep a few feet away from each other either!  I've tried sleeping in the living room but she still wakes up.  I think you are right though that a lot of it may be me and not her...she's used to me picking her up and holding her for as long as she "needs".  I've tried CIO a few times but not with much consistency or for very long as she is really dramatic and I think sitting next to her would piss her off too...I guess I can try leaving the room and just sticking to it...it's just so hard when there is no other person there to tell you that you're doing the right thing!  Do you go in and check on them at all though or do you just kinda stand close to the door or monitor to make sure they're okay? 

jilley

I know it's hard! I hate listening to DS cry. And he is super dramatic, so he can really carry on! I have a monitor beside me on the nightstand, so I hear him the whole time (not that you won't be able to hear DD!) but for DS personally, I didn't go in until I knew he went back to sleep, it just set him off more. It's so sad b/c I knew he was standing up waiting, but after 2 nights of it, he was done, and would go back to sleep no problem. It's soooo great now!

Can your DD get down from a standing position? Before DS could get down, I had to go in and put him back to sleep, or he would just stand there crying, and fall asleep standing up.

mrsladyteflon

Yes, she can get down.  It's not her strong point though and the few times I have left her alone to cry she has just remained standing.  I'm going to try this tonight and see how it goes...I figure I'm not getting sleep anyway so if I'm up the next few nights while she gets adjusted to this it doesn't matter!  Thanks for the ear/advice!