Night terrors

OMG. Baby having a night terror is NO FUN!!!!!

For the last two days PS has refused an afternoon nap. From what I've read this usually doesn't happen til 18 months or so? So she has been going to bed super early, like 6:30. Monday night she slept 6:30pm-5am silently, then woke up and slept in with Daddy til 7:30. Last night she went down at 6:30 and was SCREAMING at 8. It took 15 mins of us doing everything we could possibly think of before she stopped. She looked so scared. I checked her temp (97.8) and gave Tylenol just in case something was hurting but my gut says she was scared.

Evidently achieving new milestones (verbally here - like 5 new words this last week) can bring on nightmares/terrors. And DH tells me he had them as a kid. Yuck!

Anyone have any experience with this?

It worked again

One night of sleep training and she is back! The night in question involved a 12:45am wake-up - I went in twice to calm her down but didn't pick her up, and she cried for 15-20 minutes before lying down and going back to sleep. Every night since she's slept 9-12 hours straight. This morning until 5:40 even! I'm so proud :-)

I hate coming up with blog titles.  Anyone else?

Hubby is taking Fertilaid - who knows if it really helps at all or not but it can't hurt.  We still need to make an appt with the urologist but haven't gotten around to it.  Seeing as I am still breastfeeding quite a bit I'd be surprised if I am even ovulating so we are not in a super big hurry.

Holidays were good - we travelled for 2 weeks to see DH's family, then my family came to us for a week.  Truthfully the holidays are just stressful with all the travel required.  I LOVE seeing family but I would love to just celebrate Christmas in my own house.  Unfortunately both of our families are in different states so that is not feasible.

Pipsqueak got a bad cold/cough which is still lingering - the snot is finally clear though, yipee!  A few days there she was up for hours overnight hacking.  Her ped said it was viral and went ahead with all of her 12 month immunizations including the 2nd flu shot.  Her stats were good - weight was 21 lbs 7 oz I think, 2 months ago it was 20 lbs 14 oz.  I was concerned at first but I guess it is normal for weight to slow down or even decrease at age one.  She is still 50th percentile in weight and head and her height has gone to 70th percentile (30 in.).  Tall girl!

Her sleep habits SUCK right now.  When we stayed at my in-laws in December she was in a crib in our guest room - she is a light sleeper so every time we coughed or snored she would wake up crying and end up in bed with us - where she would sleep fitfully hooked to my nipple.  When we got home her cold and cough started and she was waking up covered in snot and coughing MULTIPLE times a night.  Now as her cold is wearing off she is waking 1-3 times a night crying - and nursing much to my chagrin.  Not that I mind the nursing I just know that feeding her in the night may make it harder to break the bad sleep habits.  SO I've decided tonight is the night.  My plan (devised from me and Pipsqueak's history and frantic middle of the night google searches of 'my toddler keeps waking up at night what do I do?') to retrain the princess is:

1. Naps aplenty today.  Well rested baby = better sleeping baby at night. A few days ago I tried out a one nap day and it backfired for 48 hours of fussiness.  I've learned my baby still needs 2-3 naps a day even if the afternoon one is quite short.  So far today she woke at 4:50am, napped 7-7:30am, and napped from 11:20am-still asleep now (an hour and 45 minutes in).

2. Bedtime as early as she wants it.  Usually she is ready to go down between 6-7.  Sometimes though she gives us the cues that she is ready for bed around 5 and we usually push her through until at least 6.  Again, overtired baby is not good.

3. Bedtime ritual can include nursing, rocking etc. but put baby into crib not fully asleep.  We usually do good with this one.

4. If when she wakes up in the middle of the night go comfort her by patting her butt, inserting the paci, making 'shhh' noises, but no light, no eye contact, no talking.  Leave the room when she settles (or at least partially settles) and close the door.  If when she begins wailing again wait 5 minutes to re-enter and attempt to calm her again.  Wait 10 minutes the next time, then 15 (GOD help me if it takes this many tries).  Continue until baby asleep/calm or baby reaches freak out/apocalypse mode.  Then rock baby but DO not offer breast (BE STRONG WOMAN!).

Oh I hope this works and that it only takes a night or two to get back my sleeps 11-12 hours a night child!!  Last night she went to bed at 6:30 (cried herself to sleep after I rocked her, nursed her and did everything in my power to soothe her - she kept screaming as soon as I put her in the crib.  I think she was over tired because she napped like shit yesterday- it only took like 8 minutes of light crying but it killed me).  She then was screaming at 11:30 and DH rocked her back to sleep, she woke at 3:30 and I nursed her back to sleep, then she was awake at 4:50 for the day.  NOT OKAY!!!!!  I really am used to getting up early so I can live with a 4:30/5am wake up but that's got to be after some straight sleep.

Man I didn't mean to have a post dedicated to sleep AGAIN but isn't funny how when you're exhausted that is all that matters?

Mommy's bad night

Pipsqueak slept ok last night but I didn't...well she slept a good amount just not at the hours I had hoped for.  6:10pm-4:20am.  With just small fussing that didn't require intervention in between.  I, however was miserable.  I slept 8pm-12am and then had nightmares/panic attacks/restless leg/something.  I kept just falling asleep and then hearing her cry or imagining her falling out of her crib.  I finally woke my husband up at 2 and told him if I didn't get some sleep I was going to have to be admitted to the psych ward.  So he sent me to the guest room.  When she woke for the day at 4:20 (man 4:20 used to mean something way more fun...) he woke me up. We laid in the guest room nursing. When I went to flip her over my hand touched poo. Major blow out all over the bed. At this point I laughed.

She then napped from 6:15-7am.  Just long enough for me to fantasize about napping.

So how do I get her to sleep later in the morning?  Keeping her up later doesn't seem to help at all....although we have only kept her up until 8pm here and there, not on consecutive nights.  Any ideas?

Ramblings

First snowfall yesterday!  Pipsqueak loved it (I know this because the good mother that I am I took her out in it dressed in only pjs and danced around).

Thanksgiving was awesome - my family came here and we ate, drank, watched movies and played Wii all weekend.

TEETHING has recommenced.  That pic of her ghost teeth should have been a big flashing neon sign saying "OMG IT'S ABOUT TO GET SO BAD".  She is fussy, clingy and sleeping poorly.  She had been doing 12+hours in her crib at night - not now.  2 nights ago was the worst - she slept 7pm-12am then cried.  I could see she was still lying down and crying quietly so I let her fuss on and off for about 45 mins then got her.  I nursed her, rocked her, and put her back down.  45 mins later she was SCREAMING.  I was so tired by this point that I brought her to bed with me and she nursed on and off til morning.  Ahh the good old days.  Last night she slept 6pm-3am straight without fussing which was a huge improvement - BUT then was screaming so I nursed her again and put her back down in the crib awake.  She settled herself down and went to sleep.  But was then awake and dancing/crying at 4:45.

I am blaming the teeth.  Her top two middle ones are both about 25% pushed through and there are several other white bumps on her gums.  I think once the major drama behind them is over we will have to do a little sleep training update.  And by 'we' I mean Daddy - it is just too hard for me - if I go to her I have to nurse her.  But I DO NOT want her to get used to a nighttime feed again.  She is almost one for Christ's sake!!!

I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Ahhhh

11 hrs straight asleep in her crib. She put herself to sleep and hardly fussed at all. I got 9 hours. I feel like a new woman!

Best. Night. Ever. - Night 2 of 'sleep training'

I did a lot of research (a.k.a. googling yesterday) about sleep training.  The thing I read that made me most happy is to tackle the night first, then move on to naps.  While sleep training it is best that they get good naps and are well-rested.  So yesterday she took her first nap in her crib for about an hour and half.  Nap 2 in the afternoon was in my lap on the couch - two hours.

Last night I could tell she was getting tired at 6:30 pm (always goes down early when she has 2 naps - with 3 naps shes up til 9 or 10).  We went up to the nursery.  I nursed her, then rocked her while humming. She was asleep in about 10 minutes.  I rocked her for a few more minutes and put her down. Over the next few hours I heard her fuss momentarily, saw her flip over and stick her butt up in the air (cutest thing ever-see pic below), but never cry.  She didn't wake up crying until 3:45!!!!!!  That is the longest she has ever slept - 8.75 hours straight!

I went in and picked her up (I guess we can't call what we are doing cry it out exactly, more like fuss it out).  She was crying and had been asleep longer than she ever had so I nursed her and rocked her.  I put her down before she was completely asleep though.  And she fussed and rocked while holding onto the siderails for only about 2 minutes before she laid down and PUT HERSELF TO SLEEP!

My husband was mad that I nursed her because we really want to end the night feeds but nursing once at night sure beats 6-8 times a night which had been her norm recently!

Obviously I know our sleep drama is not over completely, but we are sure making strides.  She and I can both do this, if we get off track at some point we just have to jump back in.

Well we did it

A little Cry It Out.  At 10+ months I think it must be less harmful right?  Let the night-weaning begin!

Crib at 9pm
Woke at 12am - cried on and off for an hour - hubby went in 3 times to comfort her but not pick her up.  Just stroked her head and patted her butt.  He said she went from standing at the rail screaming, to just swaying back and forth fussing, to silently swaying, then laid down and went to sleep.
Woke at 6:45 - I nursed her and rocked her.  She fell asleep in my arms and I tried to lay her back down but she cried so we got up for the day.

Where was I during the night cries?  In the guest room, a unisom and a beer in my belly, with white noise drowning out the crying.  I highly recommend this.  9 hours straight of sleep.  My body is in shock and awe.  My brain feels alive for the first time in MONTHS.

Tonight it is my turn.  I plan on wearing a high neckline tight top to disallow access to the ladies.  Wish me luck--I am definitely not as strong as my husband so I hope I don't buckle.  BUT even if I suck at it at least we know she is able to put herself to sleep - she is just stubborn and likes our help.

SLEEP

The one and only thing I have been consitently worried about, the only thing that makes me cry, the thing that stresses my marriage and my ability to be a good mother - sleep.  Or lack thereof.

I'm sure it's my fault.  I think my husband thinks that.  I am fairly certain my in-laws think that.

We exclusively breastfeed (in case you missed my novel on the subject yesterday!).  The first few weeks into the first few months the experts recommend feeding on demand.  It's good for the baby and good for your supply.  That means if the newborn wants to nurse every hour all night long you do it.  I actually handled this pretty well.  I mean every newborn is up all night right?

My struggle is our 10 month old nurses 2-3 times a night still.  Or like last night - 6 times. SIX.

My mom said she is probably going through a growth spurt, she just learned to walk and is getting a new tooth and that disrupts sleep and makes them seek comfort.  Ok yes I know that is a possibility.  But it has been going on for 2+weeks now.  AAAAHHHHH

From birth - 6 months she slept in bed with us all night every night, and actually took almost all of her naps in our arms.  She would wake up anytime we laid her down.  I didn't really mind and neither did my husband.  We put the glider in the living room and would watch tv on mute with subtitles while she slept.

At 6 months something changed and she wouldn't wake up when laid down.  ALLELUIA!  She was able to be put in her pack n play for naps, sometimes even her crib althought that seemed to be more difficult.

Starting at 9 months we got her in her crib for most naps and in her crib for the first shift of the night.  Usually from 8/9ish-12/1ish.  Almost always a 4 hour stretch.  When she wakes up crying I bring her to our bed, nurse her, and she used to sleep until morning.  Lately I bring her to my bed, she nurses and falls asleep, and then tries to nurse every hour or so.  Last night I slept with my breasts both hanging out and she snacked while I slept.

I think I know what I need to do.  Try to get her to stay in the crib all night long.  I wouldn't be adverse to letting her fuss/cry a little when she wakes up to see if she will get herself back down but the second she wakes up she jumps up, dances back and forth while holding on to the side, and yells.  That is not restful behavior.

Tonight I am going to try to just rock her back to sleep and get her back into her crib when she wakes at about midnight. The problem is I'm lazy and have never fully wakened myself in the night to soothe a baby - co-sleeping means I have comforted her half-asleep all these months.

I guess I don't really have any questions, I just wanted to vent.  I don't want to set my daughter up for failure in sleep habits in the future.  We have made HUGE strides - she can sleep by herself.  She cannot soothe herself to sleep however.  I never did the whole "put them in the crib drowsy but awake" thing.  I tried it the other day and she jumped up and laughed.  Is she going to be damaged from this?

Mostly I want to hear stories about your struggles.  Misery loves company and I need some.

I just told the abbreviated version of this to a friend at work and she told me all her kids slept through the night at 8 weeks.  Umm yeah, that is very helpful.  Thanks so much.

Please tell me that 7 months is a normal time for a growth spurt? Last few nights she has been eating several times. Last night:
Fed at 9:30
Fed at 12
Fed at 2
Fed at 6:30
Not ok.

And oh dear lord this heat. Will it ever end?!?!

Luckily we leave for vacation to Washington state tomorrow - high 59 there today! Woohoo!!

Advice please!

Sleep - besides the reflux (which seems to be under control thank the Lord) this has been our biggest frustration.

Pipsqueak has never liked sleeping alone.  From day one she never slept longer than an hour or so when laid down by herself.  When we roomed in at the hospital she cried in her little plastic bassinet almost constantly.  At home we used a bassinet, a pack and play, and tried a snuggle nest (BIG WASTE OF $50!).  By the end of 2 weeks I was so sleep deprived I was falling asleep in the rocking chair with her in my arms.  So I brought her to our bed.  My husband was against it but I HAD TO GET SOME SLEEP.  And it has worked mostly.  Breast feeding is much more convenient when you have your baby right there.

Naps have always been a struggle.  She will nap for 2-3 hours if you hold her, but put her down (while she is sound asleep mind you) and you get anywhere from 5 to (rarely) 45 minutes.  So for many months I resigned myself to holding her while she slept.  This is ok but prevents me from getting anything done.

She absolutely cannot self soothe at all.

We tried cry it out a couple nights ago.  I never thought I would try it but we are getting desperate.  Every 10 minutes we went in and stroked her head, replaced the paci, told her we were there and quietly stepped out.  She was in her crib, snug as a baug, fed, burped, dry, and in a dark room.

SHE WAS PISSED.

She screamed almost every single minute and after an hour and a half we gave up.

Just now I let her cry for a half hour trying to get her down for a nap and she screamed the whole time.

I am not attempting sleep training to try to get her to sleep through the night (although I just read a blog of quads sleeping 12 hours straight at 4 months and damn near killed myself out of jealousy) i just want her to gain some self soothing practice.  I mean DAMN.

Any ideas??  The Dr Sears advice is get them completely asleep before you lay them down.  I've tried it.  She is completely out and limp limbed and everything and still she wakes up minutes later screaming.  I've tried CIO and all it seems to do is traumatize her.  Last evening we let her kinda sorta cry some but every time she woke my husband would stand by her crib, stroke her hair, and kinda help her soothe back down.  He repeated this like 8 times in an hour.

She is waking now every day at like 5:45am.  She used to sleep til 11am.  She still refuses to go to sleep (even in our arms usually) before 9 or 10.  So only like 8 hours at night (and also waking up 2-3 times to nurse in the night).  Then yesterday I refused to let her nap anywhere but her crib.  She probably cumulatively got only an hour of sleep ALL DAY after only 8 no- consecutive hours of sleep at night.  THIS IS NOT HEALTHY!

ALL ADVICE WELCOME!!!!!!