Sleep issues - sooooooooooo tired!

[HanoiHelle]

Camilla Marie's sleep - which was never great - has gone totally awry the last 2-3 weeks. She wakes up every 1.5-3 hours and each time it takes longer and longer to put her back to sleep. She will not let her daddy do it; she just screams until I take over. This morning, at 4:30 after having walked around with her for 45 mins, and after having gotten up with her 3 or 4 times already since 8 pm, I just had it (also had to get up at 5:30 to catch a 8 am flight) so I put her in the middle of our bed, put my hand on her, rubbed her gently, and sang to her . . . but I let her cry and didn't pick her up as she wanted. She cried - hard - for a little while then fell asleep again. She slept without a stir until 7:30 and woke up happy (says her daddy). This is not really CIO, is it???

We have gone through some big changes lately – (1) I was gone for 8 days in May; (2) being gone meant stopping breastfeeding not on her schedule; (3) she’s gotten some teeth on the side even though she only has 5 front teeth, so we didn’t really know she was teething; and (4) I have started a new job which – right now – is pretty stressful, occupying my mind a lot . . . Also, soon we will try to move her into a real bed. The bed will be in our bedroom, but the idea is to go to her when she wakes up instead of her coming to us.

Thoughts, ideas

[ShannonandDel]

I am sorry, I have no suggestions, but if it makes you feel any better, you are doing exactly what I would do in the same situation

[Karen + Greta]

I dont think it's cio at all.  We end up cosleeping every night, anywhere between 9  and 2.  When G gets really cranky, I kinda think, "No crying, you are in bed with us, so no complainin'  " 

Sounds like CM has plenty of reason to have some issues right now, but she's going to get back to a better pattern....sometime!  That's what I keep telling myself at least    Actually G just started taking some naps by herself, hasnt done that in over 2 months!  We're all in this together 

[skeettafic]

I wouldn't call that CIO at all.  You were right there and she knew that.  It sounds like she was mad but not alone or unsure of what was happening so I think that was fine.  Jocelyn is the same way about DH doing things at night.  She just screams "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" at the top of her lungs until I get her and then its hit or miss as to when I can get her back to sleep.

Last night I actually did let Jocelyn cry in her crib for a while last night because she woke at 4 asking to watch TV!  Ummm...NO!  I tried rocking her and she threw the world's biggest tantrum.  After trying to calm her down (unsuccessfully) I finally put her in her crib and told her I was going back to bed and that I would be back when she was ready to sleep.  She was PISSED and she screamed and hollered for about a half hour until she stopped her mad cry and started her "I really am tired and want to go back to sleep" cry.  Then I was able to get her to sleep and back in bed in about 10 minutes.  I obviously hate letting her cry but there is no reasoning with a tantruming toddler at 4am so I didn't know what else to do (always open to suggestions!).

A couple of months ago we decided that if Jocelyn is just in her room playing and mad because she wants us there then we would let her cry.  I was so afraid that I was letting her CIO but everyone here reminded me that our babies are very well attached to us now and they know that we are coming for them when something is wrong.  It is a totally different thing to say to a toddler that it is night time and time to sleep so we aren't playing then to tell a 6 month old that he or she should be asleep because that's what we want. 

[HanoiHelle]

Thanks for your support. It is GOOD to know that one is not alone with these issues. Didn't really think it was CIO . . . Hoping for that better pattern soon!!!!!! Actually, last night CM slept really well waking up only once and not insisting on getting picked up. Is this it???

TV at 4 am, that I would not go for either! I think you are right . . . it is different to tell a 19 month old that there's no play time in the middle of the night, even if it means a bit of crying.

Hoping for more sleep for everybody! 

[jnezmama02]

No, I don't think you're CIO and I think this is just a rough patch that will get better soon. Also, I agree w/ Jessica that there is a big difference between letting an infant cry when they obviously are hungry or have an emotional need to be held, and a toddler throwing a tantrum (and thus crying) b/c they're not getting a toy, show, etc they want. At this age, it is our job to establish boundaries..tv in the middle of the night is not ok. I think you both are doing a great job!

Oh, Helle, so glad it got better last night. Yeah!! 

[HanoiHelle]

Thanks, Hope. I hope you are right when you say it's just a rough patch, but I think you are right. Last night was OK, not great, but OK. Camilla Marie woke up once before I went to bed (I picked her up and she went back to sleep right away), and stirred a couple of times later on, but didn't wake up. Around 3.30 or 4 she did wake up but accepted lying next to me in bed without being picked up. She didn't go back to sleep for real, until around 5.30, and then woke up at 6.20. Not too bad, I guess. Somebody said somewhere on this board, that this is also the age when they start to have more vivid dreams, and I think that's part of it, too.

A month or so ago, she had a patch where she would wake up at 5 am every day . . . that passed. So, maybe, this will get better, too.