Baby Sleep Help - Natalie's Response

Mum Zone's resident Sleep Expert Natalie of Sleep and Settle is available to answer some of your questions about settling your baby and more.

Topics include: Sleeping and settling, moving from bassinette to cot, cot to bed, breastfeeding/formula, solids, floorplay for babies and play for toddlers/children, wrapping/sleeping bags/dressing baby, behaviour/tantrums, what's normal? bedroom environments, music, lights, entertainment, mattresses, mattress protectors, sheets, unsettled babies and the 0-12 week afternoon arsenic hours, reflux/colic, teething, worms, toilet training, night terrors/nightmares, the older child issues 5-10 years and single parenting/separation/divorce.

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Reader's Question

I have a 10 month old baby boy who has been sleeping through the night since he was 4 months old. We had been fairly blessed until he reached 8 1/2 months and decided he wouldn't do that anymore. He is up roughly every three hours and I have tried controlled crying but he screams for over an hour (that's all I could take before I picked him up). He does get a little cuddle but can also be patted to sleep while still in his cot. I just don't understand how his very strict routine turned so crazy and interrupted. How can I help him self soothe again without having to listen to him cry for hours on end?

Natalie's Response

Hi,

It can be very confusing when your baby who was sleeping through starts with the night waking. Frustrating too. Let's explore the possible reasons.

Consider the following:

• Is he teething? Teething can be very painful for some babies and a reason to wake in the night! Think about how painful the last tooth ache you had was. I recommend Hylands homeopathic teething tablets and Neurofen liquid (lasts 6-8 hours) needs to be given with food.
  
  
• Is the day sleep interfering with the night sleep? 9-12 month olds are generally up by 7-7.30am, morning sleep starting around 9-10am, afternoon sleep starting around 1-2pm, bedtime at 7pm despite the night you had the night before. If you change the routine each day to compensate for the night before you will always be playing catch-up instead of planning the day to improve the night.
  
  
• Is baby earning their sleep? Very active floor play in between all sleeps. Encourage the crawling and cruising on the furniture. No TV, walkers, jolly jumpers or strollers before the two day sleeps.
  
  
• Is baby eating well? 9-12 months, solids are now the priority and 'meals' and the milk feeds are the 'snacks'. If he is eating a balanced diet including fresh, protein and processed foods in each meal and at least two milk feeds in 24 hours your son is capable of sleeping 7pm-7am. Generally at 9 months babies need three milk feeds during the daytime, at 10 months two milk feeds and at 11 months 1 milk feed. If this milk feed is a breastfeed it can be continued as long as you wish. Formula is not needed after 12 months.
  
  
• Is baby too active in the bed? I would encourage a sleeping bag for all sleeps and a sheet to firmly tuck your baby in with in the cot. A serene, dark sleeping environment and no entertainment in the room. Background noise is appropriate to cover the phone during the daytime. If crawling in the cot no blankets are needed, just the sheet tucked in tightly. Choose the layers of the clothing and the weight of the sleeping bag for warmth.
  
  
• I don't recommend controlled crying. I would encourage you to find a gentle self settling strategy that you are comfortable with. It is wise however to acknowledge that changing over 10 months of sleep habits will not happen overnight or without your intelligent, sensitive baby protesting about the changes. I find it takes the babies 3-7 days to forget old habits and learn how to self-settle and lots of consistency and persistency. As the adults we create the good and not so good habits and it is out consistent application of the new routine that helps the baby understand the new routine.
  
  
• I can help you further. If you would appreciate a plan outlining 5 simple steps to helping your baby sleep well and offering you choices in settling strategies to suit your baby and family please see www.sleepandsettle.com.au Please see the changes as a process and expect 3-7 days to achieve your goals.

Happy sleeping,

Natalie

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The opinions expressed on these pages are of a general nature and are by no means a substitute for professional advice. Therefore neither Mum Zone or Natalie Ebrill of Sleep and Settle are liable for any actions pertaining to the use of the supplied information.