8 month sleep regression?

[lazymummy]

I am just about to lose my mind here. DD has been a great sleeper up until the last few weeks, she started waking at 1/2am hungry (she's breastfed) which she hadn't done for months.

This has now escalated to going to bed nicely at around 6.45pm, sleeping for about 1-2 hours then waking up SCREAMING hysterically, whereupon I usually have to feed her again to settle her. She will eventually go back to her cot but quite likely wake again in the night.

I don't think she's teething, and she eats plenty of solid food during the day.

I know there can be a sleep regression at around this age (8 months) but when does it end? Do I get tough with her or just ride it out?

[Moffgal]

Has she any teeth yet? Could it be those?

[helpimfalling]

Agh sleep regression! You think your in a routine then baaammm your not! It's a killer I so sympathise! I can remember it but not how long it last for etc ( I always forget these things)


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[lazymummy]

Has she any teeth yet? Could it be those?

No, she has 6 teeth already and doesn't seem to be teething at the mo.

[Shoppie]

I think this may be one of those where everyone handles it differently. I'm not a cry it out parent, but once they are over 6 months I broadly speaking believe they are capable of going through and if they are not ill/ teething etc then you *can* sleep train them i.e they are able to understand what you are tyring to get them to do. Is she pooing etc normally? Eating close to her bedtime could it be digesting food? Basically in your shoes I think I'd be trying to eliminate any logical cause, and if I couldn't find one I think I'd deem it a habit she's got into and do some sort of controlled crying, depending on what you can bear! (when I get to that point, and I did with both boys but not yet with DD) I will leave them to cry for 5 mins, then cuddle and shush, then 10 cuddle shush and just repeat.

[lazymummy]

She's done her 'go to bed/wake an hour later' routine tonight, then I tried to put her back to bed and she is screaming like nothing on this earth. She stops every time I pick her up, and starts every time I put her down...

[Shoppie]

It certainly sounds like habit. Could you try leaving her just for a few minutes to cry? When I have done it, I have found the first night I have been picking up and putting down ridiculous amounts, sometimes worse night 2, but never worse night 3, often starts to turn the corner and then rapidly improve. I do appreciate, as I said, that every parent is different and some would leave to cry much longer others not at all, but my reasoning was that disturbed sleep isn't good for them either so cruel in the short -term to have bouts of 5 - 10 mins crying BUT long term better

[lazymummy]

I would do it with no qualms BUT she just screams sooooooo much it is ridiculous. She goes rigid/red in the face/shakes etc. We're talking literally hours too, no matter how many times I pick her up she just becomes hysterical at every put down, aaaaaargh!!!

[lazymummy]

Sorry Shoppie, don't mean to keep on, she's just driving me bonkers!

Has your DD settled now?

[Shoppie]

Hmmm so she just wants picking up, not feeding? Have you tried just leaving her?? I did this once with DS1 which if I'm brutally honest is what convinced me I'm not a leaving them to cry person but I know I've read on other threads that some people find their kids get more confused by being picked up and put back down and settle better if they just stay well away? I don't honestly know what else to suggest, surely she's too young for night terrors, but you can't have that every night!!

My DD went down fine tbh once she had a cuddle and her thumb, I'm a bit worried she'll get dehydrated or something but am assuming (hoping??) she'll wake me for milk if she really needs it!

ETA can you think of anything you have changed? Time of her tea? Amount of carb late on? Just trying to think what might be causing it!!