Teething 7 1/2 Month Old Not Sleeping

Updated on March 23, 2008
B.W. asks from Louisville, KY
11 answers

Bryston started teething a couple of weeks ago. He has not been too fussy, but sleeping through the night is NOT happening anymore! My husband has gotten in the habit of picking him up and/or letting him fall asleep on his (my husband's) chest. Same thing for when my parents have taken care of him...all of a sudden I am hearing how they have to "rock" him to sleep or bring him to bed with them. I by no means KNOW what to do, but it seems like rocking him for 30 minutes to one hour and/or taking him to our bed is providing way too much stimulation. What do you think? What should we be doing of a night? He is literally waking up 4 or 5 times now, and if you pick him up for one second, he is back asleep. Put him down, wide awake. HELP?!?

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! First, I did switch to Children's Motrin upon suggestion, and that does seem to work a little better...I also put a couple of washclothes in the freezer, and he now knaws on them constantly! I am going to buy the teething tablets today. He actually slept until 5:45 am today, which was wonderful! And the other night I simply went in, patted his belly, hugged him, and he went right back to sleep. So, I did tell my parents and my husband that although I didn't want him in pain, screaming/crying his little head off, I didn't think we needed to jump at taking him out of his crib. We agreed that we would try the least distracting methods first (quick hug/cuddle, patting the belly, soothing sounds)...if he still seems in pain, then we would rock him. It was great to hear everyone's opinions...Thank you!

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K.M.

answers from Raleigh on

BW, try the teething tablets, they go underneath the tongue and have really been a big help to us.

KJ is 6months but already working on the 2nd ttoth, and boy this has been an experience like never before....only at night too.

They are over the counter and very effective.

Good Luck to you!

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A.E.

answers from Louisville on

My 21 almost 22 month old son loves to sleep with us. I don't really like it b/c I'm afraid to hurt him but he loves to snuggle and cuddle he always has especially when he's sick. When he was teething I bought some baby orajel and rubbed it on his gums and I would put his teethers in the freezer. I wouldn't completly freeze them but get them really cold and he would chew on those things forever. Always have one or two in the freezer while he's chewing on the other one. About him sleeping or rocking him..my son will sometimes sleep thru the night other nights he wakes up alot. Sometimes I just have to bring him to my bed, rocking doesn't work for me, he loves all the pillows and loves snuggling up with me or his dad. Some kids just want that extra loving and cuddling time with someone special until they fall asleep. If I sit with him in the chair he will fight going to sleep but If I lay down with him in my bed usually he's aleep within 5-10 minutes. I think evey baby goes thru this stage. I wouldn't worry about it right now.

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T.C.

answers from Nashville on

I agree with Hilarie. Your son needs to learn how to soothe himself back to sleep. I think he's gotten used to people rushing into his room at night when he cries. It will be hard (I did this with my son) but you need to let him cry it out when he wakes up in the middle of the night. The first night will probably be the worst. Once he learns to soothe himself back to sleep EVERYONE will sleep better. Good luck.

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T.S.

answers from Hickory on

Hello, oh, yes, the teething! He is not too fussy, but won't sleep through the night? You might want to try the homeopathic remedy Chamomilla. It is the premiere remedy for teething and will settle a baby down quickly.

Check it out at:
http://www.1-800homeopathy.com/baby.html

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E.O.

answers from Charlotte on

I am in TOTAL agreement with Chastity. My 16 mo. old daughter has had the worst time teething and currently has 6 molars coming in now. You would think that having them come in all at one time would be great but they're taking a long long time. She' been teething constantly for 10 months now and there hasn't been one night since she's been born that I've haven't gotten up with her. Most nights it's been 5 or 6 times. Now it's gotten down to 2 or 3. As aggravating as it gets because of lack of sleep, I know it makes her feel so much better. (There have been nights when I've cried just as much as she has!) I would rather me be a little deprived of a little sleep than her be deprived of the one thing that makes her feel like nothing else. ME! There's nothing in the world that can replace a mothers touch. So hold your son and know that you'll never get these times with him back...even if you've pulled all of your hair out by the time he's back to sleeping through the night!!

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K.W.

answers from Raleigh on

Have you tried a night routine. I was not adviced that a baby should have a bath everynight, but the nights that he has try using the calming baby wash and I've heard that the baby massages may help. You could try the teething rings about 2 to 1 1/2 before bed or the baby toothbrush. They fit on your finger about a knuckle length and have small brisles that message the gums. The most important thing is for you to be settled as well as the atmosphere for him. But again sounds like you have a very laid back little boy. I wish you the best of luck.

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D.G.

answers from Fayetteville on

I have a 6 month old daughter and she is teething bad. You can go to walmart or mostly any pharmacy and get something called hurricane. It's expensive but it is very much worth what you pay for it. Especially if u can get a good nights sleep.

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L.M.

answers from Fayetteville on

hi mom, first get B. on back on your schedule. tell his dad and other care takers what is allowed and what is not allowed. if they refuse to commend your efforts then let them know that other arrangements will have to be made. children are cuddly and loving but they are not blankets, we cannot put them away when we are done with them. understanding what they want when they want it and how they will accept it will bring order from caos. after nighttime bath give a joint massage, this usually helps keep them down. GOOD LUCK!!!

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H.K.

answers from Huntington on

Babies need to learn to go back to sleep on their own. We all (even adults) wake up in the night but we are so used to just going back to sleep that we don't usually remember waking up. If your baby wakes up crying and someone immediately rushes in to hold, rock, nurse, whatever him he won't have the opportunity to go back to sleep without the help of someone else. It is okay to let him cry for a little while (not hours) it won't hurt him physically or emotionally. I know how hard it is to listen to your baby cry and not go in to comfort him, but it is best for HIM. I would look at the clock and wait 15 minutes. If he sounded like he was winding down I would just stay away. But if he was still crying I would go in and gently place my hand on his tummy to help sooth him for a minute and then leave the room again - no talking and no lights - those will make him think it's okay to be wake. Eventually, he will fall asleep. It's a rough night so make sure everyone else's bedroom doors are closed so baby doesn't wake up the whole house. This should take 3-4 days and if you're consistant with it, it will work! My son goes to bed at 9pm and usually wakes up 12 hours later. If he does wake in the night I get up and close our bedroom door so my husband doesn't wake up too and I just let my baby cry. He goes back to sleep within minutes!

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C.B.

answers from Owensboro on

Listen! Ask your mom to give you some old remedies. My old remedies isn't by a doctor. I think!
1. Dip your finger in a whiskey bottle, get it wet, rub it on your baby gums, and that should do the trick. If not try some baby-orgel to rub on it.
I know it may seem kind of stupid but works sometimes. I might not have kids but I do have neices and nephews though and it worked on them. That's old timey remedy. People today don't use them. I do. Sometimes!

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C.

answers from Charlotte on

After reading other people's posts, my suggestion is going to be a little different. Why would you let a baby who is in pain cry it out? When I read those words, my heart sunk! Maybe I am just a different kind of mom. I can understand letting a baby do a little crying if you know they are just fighting sleep or being stubborn, but to let them cry knowing the reason why (and that reason is pain), I just can't understand! Have you tried a dose of Tylenol or Motrin and/or teething tablets before bed. We use the Humphries teething tablets and I really like them. If baby can't keep them under his tongue, you can disolve 3 tablets in a tsp of water and pour it on the area where the teeth are coming in.

Sure adults can put themselves back to sleep, but they can also get up, take some Advil, get a glass of water, and go back to sleep. Babies cannot do this. I believe that sleep (and self soothing) is a developmental milestone like sitting up, crawling, walking, etc. We don't force our kids into doing these things, so why do we feel like we should force our kids self soothing? Each child will get the hang of it...some sooner than others. Personally, it doesn't make since to me.

If you are serious about laying the baby down awake to put himself to sleep, do this when baby isn't hurting. Even adults can't go to sleep when they are is pain. Seems unreasonable to think babies can who don't know whats going on with their body. Teeting, illnesses, etc. or a time when baby needs comfort doesn't seem like the right time. But, when this isn't an issue anymore, then try sleep methods if that is your style of parenting.

Personally, I rock my son to sleep every night. Usually only takes me 10 to 15 mins. When hes out, I lay him down. He wakes up usually once a night, and I'll either rock him or bring him in bed with me. Other nights, he sleeps til morning in his crib. I think a combination of methods works best, not just one, depending on what's going on with baby!

Also, one more thing. Teething (and all of the extra solber that comes with it) can bring on ear infections! These are also very painful for babies. I would make sure that you are also not dealing with a painful infection as well! When my son has ear infections, he is up multiple times a night...like 4 to 6 times per night! And trust me, I know about infections. We just got tubes after 8 infections in 4 months!

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