13 month baby keeps waking up in the night! Help! | ExpatWoman.com
 

13 month baby keeps waking up in the night! Help!

39
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 00:00

My 13 month DD keeps waking up in the night crying non-stop and she doesn't go back to sleep until I breastfeed her. We weaned her from a pacifier 2 weeks ago ( first 2 days she cried and then we didn't have any trouble).

I'm still breastfeeding (atleast till she is 1,5 y.o.). she nurses 2 times during the day which is at 12 noon then she sleeps and at night right before she goes to bed.

I appreciate if anyone can share their experiences. I want to avoid breastfeeding at night when she wakes up as it may cause teeth decay and for many other good reasons.

Thanks in advance!

74
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 16:56
Here's a link about the question whether nighttime bf is linked to tooth decay. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/tooth-decay.html For many reasons it's not a great thing to continue with nighttime feeds when the baby seems old enough to sleep through. But causing tooth decay doesn't need to be a major concern.
2782
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 15:14
Actually apparently BF to sleep can cause tooth decay, if the baby falls asleep on the boob with milk in their mouth, I was reading about this recently. Just wondering if the waking to be bF every few hours is since you took the dummy away or was the same before. If it is new then you might be better to give the dummy back and wean it again at a later date. How often is the waking? it is pretty common for a baby that age to still be waking for 1 or 2 feeds especially when BF. I have a rule with DS that he gets a maximum of 2 nightfeeds and I try to stick to just one. It is habit more than hunger but thats not to say after 9 hours sleep they wouldn't be hungry or thirsty especially in this heat and with the AC.
74
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 12:01
sorry to jump the thread.. however, a midwife told me that this less nap time in the day does not equivalate to them sleeping longer at night... in fact, if you let them sleep more in the day, they will sleep more at night.. I don't know..i have no specific timetable for DD for nap times, when she's tired, she will sleep.. the only thing i'm strict about is her bed time which is at 7pm... :D Agree with the daytime sleep: less daytime sleep does not equal more nighttime sleep. It can actually cause the baby to sleep worse at night because of overtiredness. BF during the night does NOT cause tooth decay! Unlike juice or cow's milk breastmilk contains natural anti-bacterials which ward off those evil caries bacteria. However at this age she should not be hungry at night anymore, so I guess it's more of a soothing issue. Did you try putting a sippy cup with water in her bed? Mine wakes up and is thirsty. She will drink around 1/2 cup during the night. I think it's because of the dry AC air in our bedrooms. Also consider that teething might be an issue, which causes some kids to wake up. Has she ever slept through the night? How does she go to sleep at night? Are you able to put her down when she is still awake? Can she fall asleep by herself? I can highly recommend the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. It was recommended on this forum a while back and worked wonders for DD and me. It's less about a strict routine than Gina Ford. It focusses more on watching out for cues of sleepiness and teaching your baby to self soothe. Self soothing is a key to good sleep. There are different ways children learn this. Some just "get it" at one point, some need to be taught. It can be rough (with CIO or other methods) but is worth it in the end. Uninterrupted sleep is so important, not only for the parents, but also for the baby itself.
784
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 11:08
sorry to jump the thread.. however, a midwife told me that this less nap time in the day does not equivalate to them sleeping longer at night... in fact, if you let them sleep more in the day, they will sleep more at night.. I don't know..i have no specific timetable for DD for nap times, when she's tired, she will sleep.. the only thing i'm strict about is her bed time which is at 7pm... :D
152
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 08:33
My hero for help with babies sleeping/feeding etc is Gina Ford of "The contented little Baby Book" fame. I believe she is well known in the Uk, but I was put onto her when I moved from Sth Africa to Singapore with our "impossible" new born daughter - this book saved my life, and now with number 3 (2 months old) on her system, we are all sane and doing well. not much help immediately, but recommend her books Good luck getting it sorted Completely second that... I have followed it since my son was 6 weeks old would have gone insane without it :) Although I also believe that her routines might not be for everyone even then I would recommend reading her sleep guide or contented little baby book. There is much more to her methods than "Cry it out" for which she is known.You dont have to follow her routines but just understanding her basic idea behind the routines could be used as general guide. Her book might help you understand the possible reasons your daughter could be waking up...maybe too much daytime sleep. not enough solids, or not enough solids at the right time of the day..etc Actually MomOfTwins has posted an excellent reply, I dont know if she follows Gina but those would be the exact same questions I would be asking myself, if my DS would start waking up in the night.
557
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 00:22
Try shortening her afternoon nap a little - do not eliminate it as she is little and will still need that nap for some time. She should nap no less than 1 1/2hr and no more than 3 in the afternoon. She should sleep around 10-11 hours at night. What is her last meal of the day besides nursing? Do you nurse before or after the meal? Does she nap in the morning? Does she have a bedtime routine? Does she have new teeth coming? Is she already walking?
254
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 00:14
My hero for help with babies sleeping/feeding etc is Gina Ford of "The contented little Baby Book" fame. I believe she is well known in the Uk, but I was put onto her when I moved from Sth Africa to Singapore with our "impossible" new born daughter - this book saved my life, and now with number 3 (2 months old) on her system, we are all sane and doing well. not much help immediately, but recommend her books Good luck getting it sorted
 
 

ON EXPATWOMAN TODAY