help with my 8 month old screaming all night

Nicole - posted on 08/13/2012

I totally agree, I have four children the first three were great sleepers but my now 8 mth old has majo anxiety issues and has been a bad sleeper from day one. I've been to pediatrician and he said she's healthy, not to let her cry it's not good for them. I had a sleep specialist come into my home to try control crying it made her worse . I just have to face the fact that she wakes up every two hrs during the night for comfort. She has two to three maps a day for 40 min at a time but I don't think that's why she dosnt sleep at night. I'm pulling my hair out as I have three other children to attend to which dosnt often happen. Good luck I think we all just have to face facts that all babies are different and it won't last forever it's just nice to know I'm not alone!

Keta - posted on 01/12/2010

It might be separation issues. When I was preg with my 2nd my 1st would not stay in bed for a nap. I layed on the floor so he could see me untill he fell asleep(sometimes I did too) This didn't last for long. My boys are now 8 and 6. I still sometimes sit in their room at night to make sure they go to sleep. I get tired of yelling.

Karen - posted on 01/12/2010

Is she eating enough during the day? Is she teething?My son who is 16 months old sometimes wakes in the middle of the night because he is hungry. Try oatmeal or rice mixed with banana's at night. 3 Meals with lots of snacks during the day and my son sleeps like a log sometimes unless he has a tooth coming in. Hope this helps.

Dee - posted on 01/12/2010

Quoting Krystie:

She tends to only have one sleep during the day of about an hour and a half. And that is usually around lunch time. Then she keeps herself awake all day even if she is tired. I did think maybe she was in pain and would give her some paracetamol but it doesnt tend to help much. I'm wondering if she is afraid of the dark? Can they think that much at only 8mths? She is very aware of everything for her age. I have noticed she has started to wean herself of my feeds. She will only have three to four feeds in 24hrs, sometimes even only 2. Thank you for responding so quickly. Also she seems to just want me in the room with her making me think it is a behaviour thing more than anything else. :(

You might want to try mixing some rice cereal with formula or breastmilk ( a quarter to one ratio of cereal to milk) and giving it to her, in a feeder bottle, at bedtime. In the words of my grandmother (when I, too, was near hysteria from lack of sleep) "Feed that child! She's hungry!" Sometimes milk just isn't enough to sustain them thru the night.

At 3 months my daughter was taking 24 oz of formula a day and waking in the night hungry for more. I began feeding her the loose mixture of cereal and formula twice a day, in the morning and again at last feeding before bedtime. She also started in on baby food by 6 months and was eating some things from the table by 9 months.

I know all these new young doctors say don't start feeding til 6-9 months, but I have to say that going "old school" and following grandma's way really worked. And who's to argue with a woman who gave birth to 5 of her 6 kids at home on the farm. They all grew up strong and healthy, as my own daughter is now at age 16.

Another thing you can try is to not put her to bed too early. Mine was an early riser (before 5am) until I started putting her to bed at 10pm. Then she slept until 6:30-7:00am. A radio playing very softly might also soothe her and take the place of actually having you there with her when she wakes in the night. Sometimes just the sound in the room can offer some comfort that she's not totally alone and ease her back into sleep.

Good luck and I hope you and your daughter can both rest soon.

Emma - posted on 01/08/2010

hi krystie im not sure how helpful it is but i have been reading about a lady called dana obelman who specialises in babies and childrens sleep routines. it may be worth looking at if you just google her you can look at what she does.

good luck

emma elliott

Emily - posted on 01/08/2010

One of the things we do that works well, instead of playing soft music we play a rain CD that is strictly just the sound of rain. It almost sounds like white noise and is actually quite soothing. We also taught our son to fall asleep on his own by giving him time to cry and going in to soothe him for a minute or 2 no more, we wouldn't pick him up though just rub his back or sing or both, and then waiting longer between, waiting no more than 10 minutes each time. After only a couple of weeks we didn't have to go in anymore he fell alseep in the first 5 minutes.Not all parents believe in this but it worked for us.

Lynn - posted on 01/07/2010

her allergy ended up being gluten

Lynn - posted on 01/07/2010

I am convinced my daughter's colic as an infant was due to food allergies that we were not aware of. She was breastfed and got fussy after dinner time. Try eliminating foods and see if it helps. SURE wish I knew then what I know now.

Nora - posted on 01/07/2010

What has changed in her life lately? If it is a different diet, it could be food sensitivities or allergies. Or perhaps, there is a major change in routine at home? It might take a little bit of detective work on your part.

Laura - posted on 01/07/2010

She may be starting to cut teeth. Sometimes it can take months. My babies tend to cut teeth while there sleeping. When they wake up more then usual and they seem upset I assume they may be in some kind of pain and try a dose of infant Tylenol (acetaminophen) or infant Ibuprofen. You could just try a dose and see if it helps her sleep better. You could also try the Graco Sweetpeace Soothing Center which has been a lifesaver for us and our baby.

Cheri - posted on 01/07/2010

it sounds like a food allergy to me. take things out of her diet one at a time starting with anything made with flour or wheat products. also be aware that removing food from her diet might, depending on what it is, cause withdrawal like symptoms. go with dairy products next as those two are the most common food allergies. good luck!

Melanie - posted on 01/07/2010

She may be overly tired. My daughter crys when I put her to bed if she is really tired. Maybe after dinner give her a bath and put her to bed a little earlier? Good luck : )

Juliana - posted on 01/07/2010

Is she teething? Maybe she's hungry? Try feeding her...my 7 month old started doing the same but I think he's teething....i have topick him up and it with him in my lap while I hum...i do still offer the breast to comfort him....sorry, wish I had somehing more helpful...i feel for you, I'm exhausted too.

Dana - posted on 01/07/2010

I've read the other advice given and I don't agree with cereal bottles. Baby can choke. Also an 8 month old should never eat major solid foods. Never give an 8 month old a biscuit. OMG. If your baby is now eating baby food, you should have her checked for acid reflux. My baby had it and there is medicine that can help.

Dana - posted on 01/07/2010

I just went through this. She may have gas. Get some baby gasX sold at CVS. Is she getting enough to eat? Maybe she is still hungry. Have you ruled out diaper rash or ear infections? My baby had Colic and she did the same thing. The doctors told me she did not have it for weeks and finally they agreed with me. I started giving her a formula called Nutramigen. Within 12 hours the screaming stopped. This formula is expensive but if you are on the Wic program they will give it to you at no cost. You just have to get her doctor to write a prescription for it. Call your local Wic office. They are there to help you.

Genevieve - posted on 01/07/2010

Well she either is affraid of something, looking for attention, or really does have something wrong with her. You may have to entertain having her sleep with you for a little bit until she feels comfortable in her own skin again. Other things to consider are changes in routine or immediate environment. My son did this for a while and it was simply a matter of not getting enough affection from me because I am a working mother too.

Colleen - posted on 01/06/2010

Hi Krystie. I have a friend whose daughter was and is still like that (she's just turned 4). She insists her mom lies with her when she goes to sleep and she flat out refuses to go to sleep otherwise...including her afternoon nap. It's rather distressing if we go for dinner there as my friend has to disappear for about an hour to soothe her daughter to sleep otherwise she just screams and screams till she sometimes vomits. She even tells her mom that if she doesn't stay she'll vomit (total manipulation in my book). Following that she continues screaming until she gets her way. I once overhead my friends mother comment that my friends eldest daughter was just as bad?! This makes me think that it is therefore definitely related to a behavioural thing and my friend may be too soft to her own detrement. Because I would hate this to happen to you, I would suggest nipping it in the bud right now. If there is nothing physically, mentally or diet related then I would follow Christine's advice of "Mommy Rules" and why not give everyone a set of earplugs? ....at least until the screaming stops and your authority is resumed. Re-assure with lots of love but make your stand now while you still can. It does sound terribly cruel but sometimes these things must be done for the good of the entire family and not just one. Goodluck.

Julie - posted on 01/06/2010

hi my son did the same thing, i took him 2 hospital several times before they got me to try anti reflux milk and it worked he was heaps better. you can get it from most places it is called AR milk and is in a pink container

Karla - posted on 01/06/2010

My son Rorry was going thru the same thing as your daughter, we have found that he is still lactose intolerant.. we have cut out the dairy and he now sleeps thru the night. We did some research on the different types of poops that babies have and the poops that my son was having were due to lactose intolerant.. since we have taken the dairy out, his poops have been normal and he's much happier and he sleeps so much better now. He was sleeping maybe 4 hours a night.. not in a row though.. broken hours.. so i was up all night with him. I was on the verge of a breakdown as well.. once we discovered this problem, i have been getting the much needed sleep and as well as him. It was brutal. My husband goes to school so he couldn't take over during the night as he had to get up at 6:30 to get ready for school.



Try it for a week of no dairy for her and see if that helps.



Oh and we also bought a fish tank to put in his room.. seems that the sound of the pump running is soothing for children.. white noise..that seems to be helping as well.. keep us posted and let us know how things work out for you. I wish you the best of luck

Cara - posted on 01/05/2010

Have a sleep study done for night terrors. I found out that my baby was having them at a year old !! My sister took her daughter to a chiropractor at 18 and 1/2 months and the child slept her first night ever that same night and has been sleeping every night since. Before that she ever only slept 5 nights. Good luck!

Elizabeth - posted on 01/05/2010

what time is she taking her naps, and when are her last feedings???

Mel - posted on 01/05/2010

Quoting Krystie:

Quoting Christine:

Have you tried giving her a bottle of cereal with a lil fruit mixed in at bedtime. This way her belly is full. She may be going through a growth spurt and just may be hungry. If her hiney is dry, she has been snuggled, bathed, and is warm then thats what i would try. Also at this age she may be cutting some teeth. Rub baby motrin on her gums. I hope this helps.

Hi Christine,

 

She has a very healthy appetite and she actually eats a very big dinner....shes eats more than her 2 year brother at the moment lol. Also when I try to feed her milk from me when she is upset at that time because I thought she was hungry she just screams louder saying Nooooooo mum!!!!

I have tried from a bottle too thinking maybe she just doesnt want to do the hard work and she just plays with the teat. I thought also that maye she is teething but there is no sign of any teeth coming in, her gums are not hard, she isnt dribbling everywhere etc. She doesnt even have one tooth yet :) . Easier to feed though. Thanks for you help I do appreciate it.

Hi Krystie

I'm not sure whether you've solved your problem but maybe if she's eating heaps, she has over eaten and has a tummy ache???

also, this CD did wonders with my boy (albiet when he was much younger). it might be worth a try. http://www.soundsforsilence.com.au/

cheers

Mel

Betty - posted on 01/04/2010

Is there a possiblity that she is lactose intolerant? My daughter is using formula. He had a hard time burping and would be fussy. Someone had given her a soy formula and she noticed a huge improvement on burping and fussiness. Find a Shaklee (vitamens) distributor in your area. They will be able find information for you that will help!

Leslie - posted on 01/03/2010

at 8 months she is finding your button. she knows if she cries you will come to her. try this. let her interact with you & the other kids just before dinner. feed the older kids first if you can. about an hour & a half before her bedtime, feed her well. after about 1/2 hr, give her a nice warm bath..after the bath let her play a little more. warm a bottle, & let her take as much as she wants. make sure to interact with her all the while. in short TIRE HER OUT..give her her favorite snuggle toy, try a little classical music in her sleep chamber..it worked for my twins. they are 30 years old now. it also worked for my grandson...he is 11 now..get daddy involved..let me know what happens

Nadia - posted on 01/03/2010

Hi Krystie,

My daughter went through a similar phase, and it's called Separation Anxiety. It's best to let your baby sleep with you in your room until the phase subsides. She needs to build up her confidence again sleeping on her own. With my daughter, I give her a bath before bedtime and a relaxing massage with baby oil and nurse her to sleep. If she starts screaming, we take her out for a carride and she goes straight to sleep in the car. The ear pulling right before bedtime is telling you that your baby is sleepy, and is really not anything to do with an infection. Please DO NOT give your baby paracetemol if they are not having a fever!



Are you a stay at home mom? If yes, then try to get her to nap more often during the day so that her mood improves.

Paula - posted on 01/03/2010

8 months is the perfect age for separation anxiety to kick in. My grandson started this about that time. I am lucky enough to be able to take the time to lay down in the extra bed in his room for a short while until he falls asleep. With my own children we co-slept. Hope you find something that works for you.

Emma - posted on 01/03/2010

Our daughter is 9 months and went through a similar stage.

It could be more teething or seperation anxiety, apparently around about that age they begin to be aware they are alone and night and dont like it!

Try to wear her out during the day and still try and get her to have a morning and afternoon nap, it actuley helps them sleep better at night.

Give a nice bath before bed, make sure she goes to bed with a good drink inside her, she wont settle if she is hungry/thirsty.

We got a projector that you clip on the side of the cot that plays bedtime music and projects a picture onto the celing to help get baby to sleep also we got a pooh bear toy that you put in the cot that plays music and baby can cuddle this definetly worked the best, toys r us sell them its called Fisher-Price Winnie the Pooh Lullaby Soother its excellent, highly recommend!

We always put a dummy in when she goes down but make sure we take it out when shes asleep or she lays on it in the night and wakes up!

If she cries we just keep on going in and put the dummy back in dont talk or make a fuss though and repeat until shes asleep.

When it was her teeth we rub teething gel on her gums and then put the dummy straight in it helps sooth the gums.

Also another tip, try putting something in the cot with her that smells of you and your partner, this will help if its a seperation issue, if she can smell you it will calm her, try a teddy bear or blanket.

Its probably a phase, I know its frustrating but hopefully it will be over soon!

Goodluck x

Natalie - posted on 01/03/2010

My daughter wakes alot during the night. She doesnt scream as such but im literally in and out of bed like a yo-yo all night. Iv put it down to teething as she hasnt yet got her teeth but as soon as i put her dummy back in she'll stay quiet for a few minutes or even up to half hour then she starts crying again. Your little one may even be a little hungry or thirsty. Try making a one off bottle for times when she really won't settle, good luck and I sympathise for you as this one is only my first and you have 3 others to cope with whilst feeling tired xx

Louise - posted on 01/03/2010

Hi Krystie,

You poor thing I fully understand and can relate to your situation. I wolud defenatly get a second opinion but I would start with reducing her Lactose in her diet it's quiet possible she may have an intolerence but it may only be more noticeable after eating certain foods. Also another thing could be she may be experincing growing pains my niece suffered terriably with these when she was young. I'm guessing you already considered the how many a nap's a day question so I'm not even going to ask. I wish you all the very best of luck and if I can help min any way dont hesitate to ask honey. xx

Toni - posted on 01/02/2010

i have had a daughter who has been that way since birth, i cant not remember a whole night sleep. its hard and i have done severlt hings to try asnd settle her, i hd a proffesiona nanny came over at one time and sat with me while we did the dinner routine, her suggestion was that m daughter was still very hungry. We feed her at her normal time and then gave her some thing more to eat a little later gave her a barth in between and the helped her to settle, we put the heard of her bed on bricks so she is lying at an angle and she is heaps better now ( at 2 ) it could be colic too. try these things my daught has not ever slepted the night throu but she is a 1000 times better that before. We are now waking 3 times anight insted of sleeping in the hair with her in my arm. Good luck and sending yu a whole load of sleep angles. Hugs

Michelle - posted on 01/02/2010

I'm not an advocate to the CIO method. Babies cry for a reason. Are you BF or FF? It could be something you're ingesting (foods, meds, etc) or it could be the formula if you just switched something there. Also, it could be teething or an ear infection they missed. It's also possible she needs more attention from you right now due to hitting a milestone & changing her sleeping patterns. It could be anything, but I wouldn't go by one doc saying there's nothing wrong. There's obviously SOMETHING wrong. I spent most of my first son's life saying that & now 3 years later I finally have docs that agree with me since he's had testing done & they found something. Hopefully it doesn't take you that long to find out why she's up all night crying.

Susan - posted on 01/02/2010

She is probably just teething. Give her someTylenol. Not to sound awful, but if you take her out of the crib, she is going to learn that crying = Mommy coming to get me. If you let her cry it out, 3 days she'll be done. It's tough, but worth it!

MATTIE - posted on 01/02/2010

well since, u work i found that they just want u to spend time with they..and if she is in day care while u are at work, she might sleep during the day.. there fore she isn't ready for bed when u are..u say, u have 3 other children beside's her if they are older let them play with her and then they can wear her out and she will want to sleep..if that doesn't work spend a little time with her just the 2 of u that way, she willl feel ur close to her.. and she might go to sleep..it worked for my 2 boy's... hope this help's u good luck and god bless..

Dorothy - posted on 01/02/2010

Sounds like for some reason she is fighting sleep. I'd take her to DR. & see what they can do. Aso, not that there is anything wrong with her, but also, have you pressed on her ears, tummy, just different parts of her body to see if she cry's more. I did that with my kids when they were little & they cried a lot, than I coud let Dr. know. I'll ray this is just a phaze she's going through.

Jessica - posted on 01/02/2010

I would also try gas drops (Mylicon) in case her tummy is hurting, and if this doesn't work try teething tablets in case she's teething. My son is 19 months old, and I learned with him when he went through periods of crying like that it was usually his tummy or he was teething. Since he couldn't tell me, I found these 2 things to be really helpful because they are both organic and can be given often, so if I gave one mistakenly and that's not what he needed, it was still ok. I hope this has gotten better for you, I work full time and have been through this too so I really feel for you. Just know, it WILL get better and she will start sleeping through the night again!

Wendy - posted on 01/02/2010

Quoting Andrea:

look for a book at the library called being babywise..by Gary Ezzo. I've used it for two babies and it was rec'd to me from a mom of 3...i used it and loved it.

oh praise god, we used this book as well & our 17mth old boy is a fantastic sleeper & loves his bedtime, i just hope this is what her baby needs,

Wendy - posted on 01/02/2010

Quoting Kelly:

Try skipping some of her naps during the day, Especially late in the day. If she starts to doze, play with her and keep her active. Check with the person that is keeping her while you work and make sure her naps are not too long or too many. If she seems to be in pain or that something is truly wrong. Get a 2nd opinion from a different doctor.

just be careful when keeping baby awake as this will not change her night time sleep at all it will just make it harder for her to fall asleep as she will be now over tired, this is a misconception is does not work. im not sure what the problem is a we dont know her routing during the day . i agree with nap times being too long when baby is older & the transitions are different  but ur baby still needs at least 3 naps during the day. Has she been sleeping well before this? & has there been any disruption in the home just make a checklist of the changes that may have been going on when this started, not sure if this helps hope ur baby settles soon for urs & her sake, it must be awful for the both of u

Good luck :)

Peta - posted on 01/02/2010

maybe trying the chiropractor, it helped with my daughter also i changed her formula.

Amanda - posted on 01/02/2010

They have them on the NZ website Trade Me so try the Australian/US equivalent Amber Teething Necklace ;-)

Marie - posted on 01/01/2010

It seems like you have gotten a lot of responses. I have had similar issues with my almost 2 yr. old. I, too, have severe issues with sleep deprivation. My son had a sinus infection that wasn't apparent in the form of a runny nose, but the drainage was causing him to have a sore throat. Recently he has had nose trouble because of the heater, and we started using a humidifier that seems to help. Also, I have started using an oil diffuser with lavender oil, and that seems to help. It might also be that your little one is more aware doesn't know how to process the new input. We still have sleep issues, and my parents have told me that I was the same way. I hope you find a way to get some sleep; I know how difficult it can be.

Jen - posted on 01/01/2010

My daughter is 14mos now and she did that at 9 mos! I gave her warm baths and oatmeal at 7pm and let her stay up until 8:30.. Good luck

Lee - posted on 01/01/2010

HI Krystie

I would look at silent reflux - it can be very painful and a good indicator is if you lie them down for a sleep, they wake up almost straight away, or they go to sleep in the pushchair (because they are not flat) then wake up when you put them into bed. both my kids had this as babies one silent reflux and the other was the projectile vomiting one! Start maybe by raising the head of the cot/bed a few inches. also, you can get Gaviscon for kids over the counter - this worked a treat for our son with the silent reflux.

Good luck as i know what its like - we went 3 weeks undiognosed with NO sleep in that time!!

Lee

Kelly - posted on 01/01/2010

Well Krystie, I am a massage therapist. I strongly suggest massage and specifically Cranial Sacral Therapy(CST). This is a very gentle type of massage that works with the fluid in the spinal cord and that cushions the brain. This is great for babies who had some struggle getting out of the birthing canal, or babies who were born by c-section. Good Luck to you. WE will keep you in our prayers! Remember to take care of your self too.:)

Elaine - posted on 01/01/2010

My daughter took her 6 week old to her Chiropractor and found he had shoulder and head pain from jammed neck and shoulder from birthing. he will have several treatments now because the muscles will pull it back out because it has been so long. The Chiropractor used an activator and told her to position him differently when she nurses and also be careful not to pull his arms like when she takes off or puts on his shirts. He is much quieter now. She also has some healing oils she rubs onto the sore spots. Poor baby. All this time it was just needing adjustments. A baby can tumble and hurt his neck and back so I would find a good Chiropractor or Accupuncture/Accupressure person. good luck

Amy - posted on 01/01/2010

I don't have all the information, but from what I read you said she eats a big dinner at night. Does she only cry when she is laying down? Or also when you hold her upright or at an angle? My youngest son, who is now 2 1/2 had kind of the same problem. When he was laying down he would cry a lot, but when I picked him up or layed him with a firm pillow under the top half of his body he would calm down. He also ate everything he could get his hands on. He always seemed hungry. We found out later that he had GERD. Basically heartburn/ acid indigestion for babies. We also later found out that he is lactose intolerant. He was on medicine for about 6 months for the gerd, It really worked but then I noticed he threw up all the time after he ate or drank any dairy products. I took him off ALL dairy and after 2 days he was fine. He now only drinks lactose free milk and can eat small amounts of cheese, yogurt, ice cream. He doesn't throw up anymore. If I were you I would look into the GERD if she only cries when laying flat. Actually if it is bad enough if she has it it could hurt when she is upright too. Also try not letting her eat so much before bed. She might just have a tummy ache from being so full. Also, it could very well be that she is over tired. My 2 year old will stay up all day and be extremely hard to get to sleep at night because he is so tired. He gets really winy and cries a lot. Most times he won't even try to sleep unless I lay with him. Hope I helped a little or at least gave you another angle to try.

Karlene - posted on 12/31/2009

I do agree with the other Moms about the gripe water - however enusre that u give it with a little luke warm water. Secondly have u explored the possibility of teething being the reason for her screaming.



If your Doctor gives the ok try the teething ge "Baby Anbesol" should be avialable over the counter. - check with your Doc.

Krystie - posted on 12/31/2009

Ok I have gone back to trying controlled crying. I dont think there is anything wrong with her she just wants to be in mums arms. This is because everytime I go into her room she stops screaming and starts whining mm mm mm mm with her little hands going saying pick me pick me up. Then when I just give her the dummy and roll her on her side and rub her back she starts screaming because I didnt pick her up. She is on a full toddler diet, she eats pretty much everything my 2year old does including biscuits. She has also started crawling recently and very quickly started pulling herself up on things. I spend the whole time I have with her sitting next to her playing on the floor and she climbs all over me. Also whenever I do leave the room to do something and then come back, it doesnt matter who is playing with her if she sees me she starts to whinge and tries to jump to me! So last night I tried controlled crying method. She kept screaming until she finally fell asleep about 3am, then she was up again at 4am screaming. This time I only went in there once, gave her her dummy and rolled her on her side, rubbed her back saying softly ' bedtime charlotte' . She screamed another half hour and then slept until 10am!! Yay!! Hopefully it works a bit better tonight. Lucky my 10yr old is a deep sleeper lol

Andrea - posted on 12/31/2009

look for a book at the library called being babywise..by Gary Ezzo. I've used it for two babies and it was rec'd to me from a mom of 3...i used it and loved it.

Gina - posted on 12/31/2009

Hi Krystie,

My daughter used to have the same problem she had colic it ran on her dad's side of the family. I would give her camomile tea diluted down. I fould out part of her problem was constipation and gas build up. Her doctor gave her a bottle of medicine for constipation. I used very little of it. I pumped her legs up to her tummy and down to help her pass the gas. she would eventully calm down back to sleep. soon she out grew it when she was fully off of formula and the brest milk.

Heidi - posted on 12/31/2009

I used to just go in and comfort them. Calm them down and reassure them you will be back. It takes a few restless nights of doing this, every few minutes, but they will soon realize you are nearby and will always be back ...:)