Traumatized after last night!

[Wugz22]

Someone tell me I'm not a horrible mother My 6 month old's sleep is horrid. She's up and down all night, and will only settle for a bottle. She still eats like 3 or 4 times a night on formula! But when she takes a bottle - she'll only sip an ounce and be done. So not really hungry - just comfort sucking. So I thought - Hey, if I can just wean her off these bottles she doesn't need, she'll sleep good! Easy, right? I gave her a 10:30 feeding but when she woke up at 12:30 (she goes 4 hours between bottles during the day, I know she can do longer than 2!) I decided to just rock her, hold her, whatever - get her back to sleep any other way but a bottle. It took TWO HOURS of fussing, crying, eventually screaming before she gave it up and fell asleep. She spit her paci out every time, wouldn't settle for the rocking chair or me walking around bouncing her - finally I crawled into her crib with her and just held her tight through the tears and she passed out. Should I just keep giving her these bottles she doesn't really need and get no sleep, or keep going? I know the first night is always the worst - maybe tonight she'll settle easier? I'm not trying to let her CIO or anything, why does it feel so horrible?!

 

[Willow01]

Firstly big hugs. You are not a bad mum the only thing you are trying to do is sort out a good sleep routine so you and you little one aren't tired ladies each morning. I remember my 6 months old sleep got better at that age as I introduced weaning and he was eating more filling foods rather than just milk. Have you started weaning yet? I got rid of the night bottle by introducing watered down formula milk and eventually it was a bottle that was just left in his cot if he wanted it. He was stuck in the routine of expecting milk at certain times and once he realised he wasn't getting it he stopped waking for it. If you haven't started weaning yet I would be tempted to carry on as you were, I would try to ensure she drank as much as she can before bed (maybe even a dream feed?) good luck

 

[sethsmummy]

Possible growth spurt Hun? My 13 month old still wakes through the night for milk anything up to 3 times but it's usually worse when he's growing or having a development leap

Don't feel bad your just doing what you feel is right for both of you. Controlled crying usually does get easier as time goes by xx

 

[Teri7489]

Big hugs, you are not a terrible mother. Its damn hard being up and down all day so dont blame you for looking for solutions to help you both get rest.

Could you try giving her cooled boiled water instead of milk? If she is just thirsty then maybe a little drink of water may help? Or even make her fed up of waking to just get water so will sleep past it waking only for milk when she is actually hungry (no way suggesting not feeding her if she needs it)

If it doesnt work could you try co-sleeping for a bit? Means even if she wakes you dont have to move to be with her?

Sorry i dont have the best answers, just thinking of things i done to help me dd. Just keep in mind the 6 month regression is horrific but it does pass. Just have to ride it out xxx

 

[george83]

I've been through this with all 3 of mine and never found a solution - hence why im awake at 2.15 in the morning with a screaming 10 month old. I've literally reached breaking point these last few weeks with ds2 and ds3 being awful sleepers and me having to survive on roughly 4 hours of broken sleep a night.

I've tried watering down formula with the intention of just getting it to water eventually but baby always knew when I had more water than formula in the bottle and would scream the house down for a fresh bottle. I've managed to swap the milk for squash now but ds2 still wakes at least twice a night wanting those.

I've never done it with ds1 or ds2 but my oh started bringing ds3 into our bed when he cried (at 10 months old his cot is still in our bedroom anyway so it's not quite such a big deal) but I personally don't like that and find that even though baby sleeps I don't so we're no better off. Last night I refused to get him out of his cot when he cried and just tried comforting him which led to him screaming for 2 hours almost non stop. Eventually he settled to sleep, tonight he only cried for 10 minutes and then settled himself to sleep. I hate leaving babies to cry but there's also no way we could carry on in the awful way we were

 

[x__amour]

You are absolutely not a bad mom.

Have you started her on solids by chance? We had a huge issue with DS around the same age just waking up but barely eating. Once we started introducing him with food it was a night and day difference. We would give him some banana or oatmeal before bedtime with a bottle and he started sleeping through the night.

It could honestly be anything but something to consider. HTH.

 

[Calitwins]

I just wanted to send big hugs. It's so tough when they don't sleep well, but you're doing your best...and you're doing great. Hang in there, mama.

 

[laura109]

Im having a rough time with my lg. she is one next week and the last two months she is waking early hours and can kick off for hours is we dont put her in pur bed. Ive made a post yesterday. It is so testing at 2am when your tired and the house is cold and all you want to do is sleep. As im with my lg all day im finding it stressful not having any space at the moment to think about myself. Some nights she wont go to bed either now so i loose my evening me time.

I guess you should just do what gets you sleep. If a couple of oz of milk works then its better than her kicking off. They do eventually give up feeds. My daughter chucks her dummy out the cot now too and when shes having a strop your up ever five minutes returning her dummy.

It could be teething. Could be abit of seperation anxiety. Its hard to know whats best to do. Sorry im not much help but your not alone. X

 

[AnonymousCAT]

Is baby getting enough day time sleep and going to bed early enough? I knew a mom who had a similar problem but baby was actually overtired at night leading to more frequent night wakings. They were putting baby to bed at 8-830. They brought bedtime earlier to 6-630 and baby slept through. Just a thought if you haven't considered it. Who knows! Babies are tricky little things!