10 Month Old Baby Waking Frequently at Night

I have read the other responses and it is always good to know others are in your shoes. My daughter is 2 1/2 and DOES NOT sleep through the night. Concerned I asked her pediatrician if something was wrong cause my 17 y/o and 10 month old don't have issues sleeping 12 hrs!! I was told that she is just one of those kids who doesn't need alot of sleep. Literally we let her stay up until 9/ 930 at night put her down (cause we have to be up at 5am) and she wakes at 4am asking for breakfast. When she was younger we feed her a bottle and the pediatrican stated to try water cause she was only waking out of habit from breatfeeding but she is actually HUNGRY! My daughter has a routine too so just try your best to create a routine that works and know that it will pass

SLEEPEASY SOLUTION has me on my knees singing it's praises! (This is as close as I've ever come to idolotry! HAHA)
I have a 10 month old son who has NEVER slept thru the night (until 1 week ago thanks to this book!) My daughter was a good sleeper from 3 months on, so I was totally lost as to what to do with my little man!
I tried Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solution, Baby Whisperer, Happiest baby on the block, combos of things that worked with DD when she had some troubles...NOTHING WORKED! If I let him cry, he'd just go and go and then gag. I could not do that to him. "Cry it out" seemed so inhumane and a form of abandonment...NEVER! Well, never say never, I've learned (AGAIN). Fast forward many weeks of trying The Sleep Lady Shuffle (helped a bit) and I was frantic. DH is deploying for a year and not home now, I have a 3 year old, and I had not slept in over 19 months (I get insomnia when I'm pregnant). Out of desperation at DD's story time, I found this book that claims results in less than a week. I bought it and started that night. Yes, it does involve some crying and a routine at night...but it was SO much easier than I thought, especially since it's written by 2 moms who feel your pain and know the battle between your emotions and your sanity! It's like having someone talk you through each night, with a shoulder to lean on. Well, I expected some major tears...and got ready for night 1. We did our "routine" and I put him in his crib sleepy...and left...and he was PISSED! He cried and yelled. I checked on him in 5 min. for 30 seconds and he was still really ticked off. I went to check on him for the 10 min check, and all was quiet. He went to sleep!!! Less than 15 minutes of crying, and NO vomiting! He slept until 7am!!!!!
Night 2...5 minutes of crying then slept till 7:30! Night 3, no crying...he protested as I put him in his crib, then he smiled as I gave him his binky and blankey and he went to sleep till 6:30am! We are on night 6 and since night 2 he has had no bedtime crying at all! He sleeps thru the night! I could even take my cough medicine!!! (I was afraid to take it before because I knew I had to be up several times!) This hasn't helped as much at naptime, but they let you figure out what works for you and so I still help him to sleep and his naps are still short.
This book also addresses nighttime feedings/weanings/co-sleeping, etc.
I think it's similar to Ferber techniques, but with SO much more support and empathy and a much easier read.
Good luck to you and check out "Sleepyplanet.com"

My son is almost 11 months and like yours, he still does not sleep through the night. Jackson wakes up every 3-4 hours, atleast. He still wants a bottle a couple times a night. When he is teething, he wakes every hour. This being up every hour happens often to us (Jack now has 6 teeth) and can last for several nights in a row. I find that Tylenol helps him get more sleep. It sounds to me like it may be teething sometimes - but not for two months straight. It may be that he is taking advantage of the fact that you come to him whenever he cries. My son does this too so I try a quick pat on the back and recovering of his blanket, maybe a pacifier and then I go back to bed - if he fusses I ignore it and while the first few times he may have fussed for a few minutes, now it only lasts a couple seconds because he knows I won't come back. I keep my sons crib in my room, if he wakes up and cries I first wait a minute to see if he stops, then if he doesn't, I reassure him I am there and give him a pacifier - if he continues to cry I give him a bottle, if he takes it all is well - if he chews the nipple but doesnt suck I know he is teething and I give him some tylenol and sometimes take him to bed with me to help him relax until the tylenol kicks in. I also check his diaper and change him if he is wet. Good luck to you, I know how exhausting it can be being up all night with a baby. : )

Hi! I think your problem stems from the lack of a bedtime routine and not being home for naps. He sounds exhausted, and I'm sure you are, too! If I were you, I'd put him down super-early after a bedtime routine (dinner, bath, book), don't pick him up during the night (go in and pat his tummy or back if you have to), and make sure you're home for regular naps. If he's over-tired, it will take him a few nights/days to get back on track. You might have to let him fuss a little - I'm not talking about letting him CIO to the point he's gagging, like someone else said - but let him learn to put himself back to sleep without your help. He needs that skill. I second the recommendation of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child - great book. Good luck!

It's like we live in the same house! Our 8 mo old daughter has done practically the exact same thing. Only difference really is that she has been in her crib since 4 mo and on a bottle. But naps are short-home or not, eating solids is on/off, etc. Depending on her naps she goes to bed at 5pm or at least always before 7pm. We do have a downtime prior where we snuggle in the rocking chair and she takes her night bottle. She then sleeps at most 5 hours, wakes for a bottle, sleeps another 3-4, up again for a bottle and then sleeps until 6ish for her am bottle.

It could be teething. But my guess is it is the comfort thing. I think part of why our daughter still wakes up is 1-she is still hungry-at least for bottle 1..but also because it's a comfort to her. My guess is he is just wanting mommy. And that's ok-he will outgrow it...our son woke once a night for a bottle until he was 15mo and then just stopped. BUT I kow that is a long time to get broken sleep.

Have you tried letting him cry it out at all? I'm not a fan, but I have found that when I first put her down if she cries it doesn't last more then 20 minutes and then she's out. So maybe you just need to give him a little more time to fuss. Once he figures out you're not coming right away he may settle in more easily on his own.

I am not far out of this stage with my youngest son (he's 18 months) so I know how you feel. I just got him consistently sleeping through the night recently. We've definitely been where you are! At 10 months there are A LOT of factors that might be affecting his sleep - most of which you mentioned. Teething, developmental milestones, attachment to mommy, transition to crib, etc.

If he's not eating, then clearly he just wants your presence for whatever reason. If you are comfortable soothing him, then keep doing it. You may start building habits you don't want to though. He really should learn to self-soothe to become a good sleeper.

I would set some goals - like say I'm not going to him unless it's been X amount of hours since he last ate, or something like that. Four hours seems reasonable for a baby his age. Then in between those times, let him figure out how to get back to sleep without your comfort/help. Some moms aren't comfortable doing this, but it really does help a child learn and grow into a good sleeper.

Good luck! I think it's very normal for a child to go through stages like this! My boys sure did :)

K

He needs more sleep and he needs a predictable routine! He's old enough to be sleeping for at least 8 hours at night. You'll have to let him learn how to sleep on his own. Honestly, you're lucky he's happy because the poor little guy sounds like he's exhausted. Have you ever been soo sleep deprived that you become 'wired' and toss and turn all night?
Buy a copy of "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" It's a wonderful book written by a sleep expert that explains the pros and cons of all the sleep training methods and what to expect at different ages.

If he's tired by 6, then put him down for the night. Sleep begets sleep, and the more well rested he is, the better he'll sleep for you.
Good luck!

I have an idea-but you're not going to like it-because it takes work and is difficult to implement. Everyone wakes up during the night. We grownups have a sense of the time-roll over and go back to sleep. When a baby sleeps with the parents, or is rocked to sleep, or is nursed back to sleep, he doesn't develope a method to "self soothe" and, therefore, when he wakes up-he doesn't know what to do to get himself back to sleep-someone has always provided the method. I am not critizing, in any way,what you have done-I, too, have done this-with the first of my five children- I think it is a primative survival technique on the part of human parents, so as not to die and orphan small infants. Anyway, put the baby to bed, and he will learn how to get himself to sleep and what to do when he wakes up at night. This is generally achieved over a period of three of the most gut wrenching nights a parent will experience until the baby is in high school. There is a lot of crying involved-that usually doesn't involve the father-who, by the way, should spend those nights anywhere else but home. The mother, however, should not be alone during this time-she needs massive support and someone to talk her out of going to get the baby. You can keep going in the room and giving him reassurance-lengthening the time in between trips-but do not pick him up. This is so hard-I can't even tell you-but after about three nights-you will be able to put the baby to bed and he will figure it out and he will feel great the next day-as will you! God bless you-and best of luck-you can do this!

Sleep is a habit. He is waking up and then wanting mommy because you have conditioned him for this in order to sleep. To get him to sleep, you need to break the his waking pattern/habit.

My 10 month old goes to bed at 6. People think I'm nuts, but he sleeps then till 6, with one feed around 4. He should be sleeping 12 hours a night.