how, what and why?

[spanner7853]

I have a baby who is 18 weeks old and used to sleep through the night from 6 weeks. He has over the last month started waking in the night again. I have tried cuddling and putting back down, dummies, baby massage before he sleeps etc but nothing is working. I put him on solids 2 weeks ago and he still has milk etc. Anyone having the same promblem or any ideas as to how I can get him to sleep all night again. tia x

[cruella]

Really don't have the answer, apart from the fact baby could be teething early.

[spanner7853]

he has been dribbling and everything seems to go in his mouth but when i feel his gums there is nothing there. my other 2 kids didn't have teeth until they were a year old an never had any problems with pain etc. it unfortunately seems to be from when he had his 1st lot of injections.

[cruella]

Check he does not have a temperature.
It might be an idea for a Doctor to see him if he is not too well.
There again could just be babies being babies.
If in doubt see your Nurse of GP
Hope he is okay. x

[lnknprkbabe]

maybe try giving him a more filling milk too before bed. i used the comfort one by cow and gate and my son slept all night from that after having the same problem.

[andrea81]

All above are good advice. Also in my experience, my son was a good sleeper to begin, and then stated waking 2 / 3 times a night. It must have stared one night for a perfectly good reason, but it became a habbit. He then got used to me giving him lots of attention to get him back tot sleep.

The best advice for this, is to give as little attention (very hard I know) and make him understand that it is still sleep time! Don't allow him to rely on you to help him settle or the habbit will be harder to break.

[spanner7853]

thanks for all your answers. I dont think he is old enough for the comfort milk yet but will look into it. As for the comforting thing to get him back to sleep I have tried the rubbing his back etc but I am so tired I tend to give up and put him in bed with me which I know is bad. I would do the controlled crying but I have older children that need to go to school so they wouldn't appreciate it. I wouldn't mind if he had never slept but going from sleeping all night to waking 2 to 3 times a night again is a nightmare. ;(

[naflharrison]

my son is now nearly 2n half and has been through he is perfectly fine, probably teething but i would say try not to lift him to much during his night time waking as he will come to expect it. it does a baby no harm to cry for a while and gentle settling without lifting is a lot better for them. i learnt that with my son as i would lift him to comfort him but he expected to be lifted everytime after that. its difficult but going in giving comfort and then leaving the room is better for you both. he will soon learn how to fall asleep by himself. my son still sleeps 11 hrs a night at his age. good luck

[naflharrison]

sorry that message went up squiffy. my son did and sometimes still does exactly the same. controlled crying is the only way and dont worry bout waking the pother children as this worried me when i started the controlled crying thinking my sons crying would waken my daughter but she didnt hear him at all. i think they get used to hearing the cry that they block it out in their sleep!

[spanner7853]

I found the answer. I was giving him a dummy over the last month and every time he woke and it wasn't there he was yelling. So my solution :- don't give a dummy before bedtime. Has slept all the way through again for the last 4 nights. ;)