Mothers and parents I need your help please!

I know that I have not posted in months but I have been busy with life. Any way my daughter is almost 1 and I am having some troubles that maybe the people of BYC can help me with. Its worth a try....


She is almost 1 and has always had trouble sleeping at night. Always wakes up 2-5 times every night and rolls around and is restless the rest of the night. We are starting to think insomnia because we have cut out all sugar and make sure she is wore out and tired before laying her down. But not overly tired. After laying her down about 2 hours later she wakes up and starts crying till someone picks her up and gets her back to sleep. Lay her down in her crib and about 5 mins later it happens all over again... When she finally does get back to a restfull sleep it only lasts an hour and then the same routine all over again. This is an every night thing and I am not sure how to deal with it. Her doctor says at 1 she should be sleeping threw the night but there is nothing she can do because she is still so young. Does any one have any tips on how to get her to sleep better or threw the night?

Has your doctor checked her sinuses? I ask because I have a difficult time sleeping without waking, I fall alsleep breathing through my mouth, as I cannot get enough air through my nose because my sinus passages are very tight. During the night I wake because I have begun breathing through my nose and am short on air. Most often this is accompaned by a small, short lived headache that goes away once I breath deeply through my mouth again.

Her doctor did check because of my family history of allergies. They are fine and she sleeps with her mouth open all night. That's why we think insomnia. But we just cant get her to sleep in her crib and are not really big on the cry it out method.

Sleep is habit as much as anything. You want to establish good sleeping patterns and it is never as straight forward as it sounds. My advice, for what it is worth is this. Have a strict routine of bath time, book, bottle/breast and bed. Do this at the same time every night. Once your baby is asleep, making sure she is not over hot, or cold, leave her. If/when she wakes in the night, go in to her, do not switch on any lights, do not speak to her. Lay her down again and settle her without any communication. Keep doing this and eventually, she will realise that there is nothing to be gained by waking up and will sleep through. I am assuming that during the day she is getting plenty of play and eating well. babies get thirsty and I know it sounds obvious but make sure you offer her water as well as milk. Some people say that heir baby went through the night from 6 weeks old, but none of mine ever did and I can sympathise with you. Just stick to the routine and all will be well. Good luck to you.

I would pursue seeing an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor and have them check it out. I was never told by a regular doctor that I had a problem with my sinuses until I went to an ENT for my tonsils and was told my sinuses were terrible! He said "I could have a heyday with your sinuses"! I did have a tubinate reduction done with alot of improvment, but it is still far from a "normal" persons's sinuses. The fact she sleeps with her mouth open is a big red flag to me.

If she checks out good on the sinus issues I agree with Newfoundland's advice. Of laying her back down over and over again with no communication.

newfoundland said:

Sleep is habit as much as anything. You want to establish good sleeping patterns and it is never as straight forward as it sounds. My advice, for what it is worth is this. Have a strict routine of bath time, book, bottle/breast and bed. Do this at the same time every night. Once your baby is asleep, making sure she is not over hot, or cold, leave her. If/when she wakes in the night, go in to her, do not switch on any lights, do not speak to her. Lay her down again and settle her without any communication. Keep doing this and eventually, she will realise that there is nothing to be gained by waking up and will sleep through. I am assuming that during the day she is getting plenty of play and eating well. babies get thirsty and I know it sounds obvious but make sure you offer her water as well as milk. Some people say that heir baby went through the night from 6 weeks old, but none of mine ever did and I can sympathise with you. Just stick to the routine and all will be well. Good luck to you.

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Her bath is at 8 then she gets a bottle and down for bed. It has been the same since she was born. When she was around 3 months old she would sleep all night without a problem. Then around 5 months or so she started this and it has been gradually getting worse. I have just been doing the same thing you said. Settle her and try again. I have messing with temp in the room and music or no music. None of it seems to make a difference.



gg706- I can not take her to an ENT with out a referal and her doctor will not write her one becuase she does not see the need when she can not find a reason to send her...

I have never had a doctor deny my request for a referral. Good Luck on whatever you decide to do.

I did almost exactly as Newfoundland recommended. it took possibly 2 nights and they realized I wasn't going to pick them up or interact with them.

I have friends who have children that still get up in the night, and get into bed with mom and dad at age 8 or 9. The only child that has ever slept with me after weaning is my youngest since he gets croup and I need to know if he can breathe. As soon as he's better he asks if he can go back to bed.

newfoundland- I did exactly as you said. Laid her down and walked away. It took 2 hours for her to go back to bed in her crib but she did. I hope this does not take to many more nights. It was hard listening to her cry and then run away from me when I walked in to lay her back down...