Please reassure me that this is a phase

[Ecoden]

LO's sleep is still terrible. She's 5 months now and she's been up every 30-120 min at night (usually on the low side of this) for over a month. Tonight she went to bed at 7:30, woke up at 8:15, 8:30, 8:45, 9:20 (which is right now) and will likely continue to wake in some similar way the rest of the night. Last night we coslept and that was much better but she used to sleep with one night waking in her crib. We put her down drowsy and everything but still wakes up crying. Her naps are also crap, never lasting more than 30 minutes no matter what we do. I feel like I'll never sleep again and this will never end.

 

[Amalee]

It will end. They grow, and just when you think you can't deal with it for one more single night, it will start getting better. We've just gotten through a 3 or 4 week binge of not sleeping more than 90 minutes straight at night, even with him pulled into bed with us. We didn't change anything, he just all of a sudden had 3 or 4 days in a row with just 1 or 2 wake ups. No idea why it started in the first place, and no idea by what grace of god it finally stopped.

Do what you have to do to keep everyone in the house sane, whether it's cosleeping, rubbing his back for 5 hours, or sending the baby to grandma's for a night while you pass out at 8pm

 

[Button#]

It will pass, do what you need to do to survive. I had that never ending feeling with DS as well, but it did end and that's helping me keep it in perspective with DD.

 

[captainj1]

Have you tried using white noise? We have it on all night for dd and it helps her get back to sleep after sleep cycles. Has to be quite loud, we use an iPhone app. We also swaddle in a woombie although she's starting to roll back to front so I might need to move her into a sleep bag soon.

 

[Taurus8484]

Does your LO know how to self settle?

 

[mummy2_1]

Have u heard of sleep regression. It's interesting stuff. I Googled it when someone told me bout it
Happens every so often when baby hits certain milestones or growth spurts can last anywhere from few weeks to few months. Its where baby becomes more alert and active to learn on a night as their Lil brains are soaking up as much as possible. It does get better

We did Co sleeping in the end. Much rather some sleep then none

 

[JessyG]

It will pass. Trust me I am two years in and thought id never ever get more than a few hours of sleep again. Mine will still wake up now and again (usually only if she has had a nap!) but she now sleeps 12 hours straight at night more often than not.

They grow out of everything...and usually straight into some just an unpleasant (not always sleep related though thankfully)

You will get through it.

 

[Septie]

DS1 was always a terrible terrible sleeper (while DS2 had stages of good and bad sleep), unfortunately...So she may or may not grow out of it. But they say that babies that don't sleep are very bright. We used to joke about that when he was a baby, and it turned out to be very true in our case (he is multiple years ahead). But his baby months are a blur with respect to sleep (even as a toddler, he still woke up multiple times a night, and only slept about 9 hours total during the day - so he went to sleep and got up with us!!!)...He does sleep ok now at almost 6.

 

[Ecoden]

Thanks everyone! To answer some questions, we do use white noise and always have. I know about sleep regression but some say it passes and some say it doesn't. It doesn't seem like she can self soothe but we don't rock her like we used to and do put her down awake now so she can at least self soothe the first time. We just weaned the swaddle but it's made no difference whatsoever she sleeps the same with or without it. She's rolling so we can't bring it back. Getting up just a few times a night sounds awesome to me right now. This 8-10 times thing is insane.

My MIL is here helping now so we can get a break. I am just surviving. Thanks again for reassuring. I think as a FTM it's hard to truly believe it will pass.

 

[noon_child]

Thanks everyone! To answer some questions, we do use white noise and always have. I know about sleep regression but some say it passes and some say it doesn't. It doesn't seem like she can self soothe but we don't rock her like we used to and do put her down awake now so she can at least self soothe the first time. We just weaned the swaddle but it's made no difference whatsoever she sleeps the same with or without it. She's rolling so we can't bring it back. Getting up just a few times a night sounds awesome to me right now. This 8-10 times thing is insane.

My MIL is here helping now so we can get a break. I am just surviving. Thanks again for reassuring. I think as a FTM it's hard to truly believe it will pass.

What helped me with the 4/5 month regression was staying with her through the first few cycles (at that age they get adult sleep cycles for the first time so 45 min in to sleep rather than transition to Another kind of sleep they wake up, and then have to do it all over again). If you can catch the transition before she fully wakes then she can get in to the next sleep phase which is longer.

I would stay by the cot and when my LO even slightly stirred (anywhere around 30-45 mins in) I would be shhhhhing or singing, or laying on hands, whatever soothed her back to sleep. After a few weeks of this it was like she learned not to freak out at that point because it was a soothing and relaxing time.

During the phase when she wouldn't even settle in the first place, we'd just hold her for about 4hrs. Then she'd wake for a feed and usually after that was sleepy enough to be put in her cot. Every baby is different, you just do what you must to survive!

 

[Zinky]

It does get better.
DD's sleep went downhill from 10 months old - I was up 10 times a night with her - even if we co-slept.
I was a miserable wreck and thought it would never end.
But slowly things are improving. She is 2 on Friday and I am up 1 or maybe 2 times a night now, certainly better than before.
I really hope one day she will sttn!!!!

 

[broodymrs]

Everything is just a phase! As others have said, do what you have to, to get through it. When we stopped swaddling, we moved to sleepy wings which really helped. They're made in Oz but you can get them on ebay.

 

[ZooMa]

Good luck! That does sound horrendous. Could it be teething? Have you tried a bit of ibuprofen or acetaminophen an hour before bed to see if that helps her settle? Or, is the room temperature ok? My LO used to wake more frequently (though never as frequently as yours) whenever the above were true.