I need sleep help, please!

Smudges*Mom

Background info: For all intents and purposes, Grant started STTN between six and eight weeks. I was able to put him down drowsy but awake. For the next ten months (or so), he would sleep between ten and twelve hours. I know that I was very fortunate. I joke that it was God's gift to me since DH was deployed.

Current situation: Since, basically, his first birthday, Grant has started waking up, crying and upset, most nights. It ranges from one wake-up to five during the course of the night. About half the time, I am able to soothe him back to sleep in a short period of time. The other half, a bottle and/or a diaper change is needed. He appears to be teething and growing quite a bit. I do give him Motrin before bed about half the time as I have found that, typically, he does better on the nights he gets it.

I am wondering if this is a phase that will pass or might this behavior become more permanent. I'm concerned that he has learned through experience that if he cries, I come in and cuddle him, so when he wakes in the middle of the night, he cries. FWIW, when he wakes up for the day, he does not cry. He chills quietly in his crib, waiting for me to come get him. But, I do not want to discount potential pain and discomfort. I also wonder how much is separation anxiety too.

Tips, suggestions, resources. . . I'm open to hearing. I don't know that I can do CIO though. (I don't necessarily rush into his room, if he is laying down, I give him a bit to see if he quiets down, but if he is standing and crying out, I go to him.)

TIA

BelleBaby

This sounds like the molars.  Eli did the exact same thing.  He would wake up several times and on occassion be up for 3 or 4 hours at a time.  We finally noticed he had his molars (and canines) coming in.  We would give tylenol or motrin, but it only helped until about 1 am, then it would wear off and he'd be up again.

He's just finally coming around and STTN again, so it lasted about 2 months.  Sorry I couldn't offer better advice!

cera2525

does he take one nap or two during the day? my son started doing the same thing right about the same age. he would wake up four or five times at night...i felt like he was a newborn again! i found that condensing his naps into one afternoon nap helped him sleep a lot better at night. it wasnt easy to eliminate the morning nap, but it ended up being worth it. now he will still occasionally wake up and cry for a minute or two but usually goes right back to sleep.

Smudges*Mom

Belle--knowing that it is a phase helps. And, we are, potentially, half way there. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Cera--he is taking one nap a day now. At about the same time he started waking up at night, we switched to one nap because, with two naps, Grant had a really hard time getting to sleep at night. I think that these are two separate issues. . . I hope! Thanks for responding!