Bedtime the past three, four, heck, I don't know how many nights, has been awful.
I'm not sure what is going on, but tonight we have begun the troubleshooting process.
Burkley has always been a good sleeper. He's never slept through the night or anything crazy like that (ha!), but since about three months old, he's never really woken up during the night. Let me explain.
We cosleep. He sleeps cuddled right up next to me all night. When he tosses his head back and forth and does this subtle little grunt, I know he needs to nurse. Since about four or five months old (I forget), he's been doing this every 4-5 hours during the night, resulting in nursing 2-3 times per night. We begin the bedtime process (storybook, Bible story, prayers, all with Daddy and me) around 8:00 each night, sometimes earlier if he seems tired. Then, Daddy would leave, we'd nurse, and he'd doze off. I'd lay him in our bed and come downstairs for some time with the Hubs. When we'd get tired, we'd come up to bed. Maybe around 12:00 or 1:00am, Burkley would toss his head back and forth a bit (he's a solid sleeper, and at seven months old has never rolled in his sleep or moved positions really at all), and need to nurse. Then he'd do that again around 4:00am. Then, he'd wake up around 7:00, we'd lay in bed together playing and whatnot, and around 7:30am, we'd fall back asleep till 8:30-9:00am. Totally awesome. We were all well-rested, and I was sleeping much more than most moms I know!
But, this week has been a different story. A crappy story. And I'm not sure why.
The past few nights:
8:00ish: per usual, do bedtime routine
8:30: he'd konk out, after fussing and crying during his nursing (which is unusual)
9:00: wake up crying. screaming. arching back and seeming to be writing in pain. I go up to console him back to sleep.
10:00: repeat.
11:00 repeat.
12:00 repeat.
Okay, you get the picture. This goes on all. night. long. Some of the wakings are soothed by nursing, but it was getting painful after the second night of nursing almost every hour.
I know he is not getting good sleep, and hasn't now for several nights. He is also not napping well, if at all. Today he took one two-hour nap. That's it. He usually naps four times a day, for anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
So, at the risk of seeming like a scientist, I've decided use the scientific method to determine what's going on here.
1. Identify the problem:
Burkley is not sleeping well, which is unusual, because he's slept well for months.
2. Do research:
I have done some research online and in some books to find out what could be causing this and what possible solutions are out there.
3. Construct a hypothesis:
Okay, well, for this one, I have several questions, based on my research.
* Is he hungry? We are doing babyled solids...maybe he's not eating enough?
* Is he too full from his solids? Maybe he has indigestion?
* Is it more teeth- or the same teeth coming in more?
* Is he not tired? Should we cut out a nap?
* Is he overtired? Should we start bedtime earlier?
* Is it separation anxiety (which in my research, I read happens around 7-months of age during the night, when the baby worries about you not being there).
4. Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment:
Well, since I have many hypotheses, I did several experiments tonight.
* At dinner, we offered him more food than usual, and he ate most of it.
* We started bedtime at 6:45. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning, so we went for it.
* By 7:00, he was konked out.
* By 7:30, he was up screaming. I went up to rock him and try to soothe him. He continued to writhe, seemingly in pain.
* He kept rubbing his teeth/gums, which made me think it was indeed his teeth that was causing the problem. I brought him downstairs to get a teething ring from the freezer. He chomped on it enthusiastically.
* We went back upstairs for some Tylenol. :/ (I prefer not to use meds, but his amber teething anklet is currently busted and down on the end table in the living room).
* 8:00 I nursed him (again!) and rocked him to sleep.
* 8:30, he woke up screaming/crying again.
* Rocked him back to sleep (again). And laid with him again.
5. Analyze data and form conclusion.
I blame the teeth. I think they are the culprit of my poor guy's lack of sleep.
6. Communicate your findings.
I called my hubby to tell him what was going on.
And I am about to go string those darn amber beads back on a new string of elastic, because these bad nights of sleep started the night that bracelet busted, so I'm going to assume it was actually working.
By the time I finished this blogpost, it's 9:10pm. He's been asleep for a little over a half hour. I'm hoping he stays that way for a loooong time. I'll keep you posted!! (I know, you're on the edge of your seats waiting to find out what happens next!)
On a lighter note, we've got a new trick, folks! Toe-sucking!
I'm not sure what is going on, but tonight we have begun the troubleshooting process.
Burkley has always been a good sleeper. He's never slept through the night or anything crazy like that (ha!), but since about three months old, he's never really woken up during the night. Let me explain.
We cosleep. He sleeps cuddled right up next to me all night. When he tosses his head back and forth and does this subtle little grunt, I know he needs to nurse. Since about four or five months old (I forget), he's been doing this every 4-5 hours during the night, resulting in nursing 2-3 times per night. We begin the bedtime process (storybook, Bible story, prayers, all with Daddy and me) around 8:00 each night, sometimes earlier if he seems tired. Then, Daddy would leave, we'd nurse, and he'd doze off. I'd lay him in our bed and come downstairs for some time with the Hubs. When we'd get tired, we'd come up to bed. Maybe around 12:00 or 1:00am, Burkley would toss his head back and forth a bit (he's a solid sleeper, and at seven months old has never rolled in his sleep or moved positions really at all), and need to nurse. Then he'd do that again around 4:00am. Then, he'd wake up around 7:00, we'd lay in bed together playing and whatnot, and around 7:30am, we'd fall back asleep till 8:30-9:00am. Totally awesome. We were all well-rested, and I was sleeping much more than most moms I know!
But, this week has been a different story. A crappy story. And I'm not sure why.
The past few nights:
8:00ish: per usual, do bedtime routine
8:30: he'd konk out, after fussing and crying during his nursing (which is unusual)
9:00: wake up crying. screaming. arching back and seeming to be writing in pain. I go up to console him back to sleep.
10:00: repeat.
11:00 repeat.
12:00 repeat.
Okay, you get the picture. This goes on all. night. long. Some of the wakings are soothed by nursing, but it was getting painful after the second night of nursing almost every hour.
I know he is not getting good sleep, and hasn't now for several nights. He is also not napping well, if at all. Today he took one two-hour nap. That's it. He usually naps four times a day, for anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
So, at the risk of seeming like a scientist, I've decided use the scientific method to determine what's going on here.
1. Identify the problem:
Burkley is not sleeping well, which is unusual, because he's slept well for months.
2. Do research:
I have done some research online and in some books to find out what could be causing this and what possible solutions are out there.
3. Construct a hypothesis:
Okay, well, for this one, I have several questions, based on my research.
* Is he hungry? We are doing babyled solids...maybe he's not eating enough?
* Is he too full from his solids? Maybe he has indigestion?
* Is it more teeth- or the same teeth coming in more?
* Is he not tired? Should we cut out a nap?
* Is he overtired? Should we start bedtime earlier?
* Is it separation anxiety (which in my research, I read happens around 7-months of age during the night, when the baby worries about you not being there).
4. Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment:
Well, since I have many hypotheses, I did several experiments tonight.
* At dinner, we offered him more food than usual, and he ate most of it.
* We started bedtime at 6:45. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning, so we went for it.
* By 7:00, he was konked out.
* By 7:30, he was up screaming. I went up to rock him and try to soothe him. He continued to writhe, seemingly in pain.
* He kept rubbing his teeth/gums, which made me think it was indeed his teeth that was causing the problem. I brought him downstairs to get a teething ring from the freezer. He chomped on it enthusiastically.
* We went back upstairs for some Tylenol. :/ (I prefer not to use meds, but his amber teething anklet is currently busted and down on the end table in the living room).
* 8:00 I nursed him (again!) and rocked him to sleep.
* 8:30, he woke up screaming/crying again.
* Rocked him back to sleep (again). And laid with him again.
5. Analyze data and form conclusion.
I blame the teeth. I think they are the culprit of my poor guy's lack of sleep.
6. Communicate your findings.
I called my hubby to tell him what was going on.
And I am about to go string those darn amber beads back on a new string of elastic, because these bad nights of sleep started the night that bracelet busted, so I'm going to assume it was actually working.
By the time I finished this blogpost, it's 9:10pm. He's been asleep for a little over a half hour. I'm hoping he stays that way for a loooong time. I'll keep you posted!! (I know, you're on the edge of your seats waiting to find out what happens next!)
On a lighter note, we've got a new trick, folks! Toe-sucking!
 |
| even while swimming! |
 |
| and while lounging on the couch |
 |
| and just playing on the floor |
(Hugs) mama. It's so hard when they're this little and can't tell you exactly what's going on. I swear by our amber, too. As with any sleep or developmental stages, once you get used to it, it will change.
ReplyDeleteAnd those toe sucking photos are adorable
Yes, the confusion! It is so perplexing when we are trying so hard as The Mommy to do everything to meet our baby's needs and then something happens that we just can't seem to solve with love!
ReplyDeleteLet me offer this from my Diary of a Mother of 4 Little Ones (ha ha ha):
1. Consider offering Camilia for teething. It is a homeopathic remedy that has worked for my little Julian who has been totally miserable about his teeth.
2. Consider the possibility that it is food-related. Don't offer anything starchy or acidic for a few days and see if it improves. Also no grains or protein or dairy (which you probably aren't offering anyway.)
3. Even though he isn't a newborn anymore, make sure he burps before you lay him down after nursing. Just holding him upright on your shoulder for a few minutes should be enough to release the air bubble.
4. It is possible that he is exhibiting signs of GERD (reflux) where his little belly produces too much stomach acid and it burns his little esophagus. Keeping him upright to sleep will help or you can consider a prescription for Ranitidine.
Hugs to you, Adrienne! I have absolute confidence that you will figure it out! Your son is SO LUCKY to have such a compassionate mommmy!
@ Zoie, thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDelete@ Patti, thanks for the tips. I have his amber necklace on him now, so I hopefully by tonight we can determine if it's teething or belly problems. I have been giving him minimal amounts of grains and dairy, so I will try cutting back on those or cutting them out altogether if this continues. I had also wondered about reflux. Thanks for your input!
A big tell tale for reflux is the smell of his burps -- they are acidic smelling, for lack of a better word. Very off smelling. VERY. 2 of my 3 kids had reflux and the smell was awful. Have you considered an ear infection? The symptoms can mimic teething and after so many nights, plus being fussy during nap time, I'd wonder. Being put horizontal often makes the ear pain worse. Squirt some breast milk in his ear while you wait to decide what you want to do. I know you know breast milk does all sorts of crazy-good things so that didn't just sound crazy-weird, right?
ReplyDelete@Kim, Thanks! No, that didn't sound weird at all- I'm about squirting breastmilk wherever I can! Haha!! However, since we restored the amber necklace, he's been doing so much better! We're back on track now. Once in awhile if I try to lay him down too soon after eating solids, he still seems have some tummy troubles, but with a sip of some Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, he settles right down and falls asleep. :)
ReplyDeleteon a different note...what kind of cloth dipes do you use?
ReplyDeletePrefolds and a cover! My favorite covers are Flip, but we also use Econobum and Fuzzibunz. They all work fine and are pretty cheap! :) I am working on my submissions for the Freedom of Cloth Carnival in July for NPN, where I'll explain more! :)
ReplyDelete