Sleeping FAQ: 6-9 Months – Settling/Sleep Associations

My 6.5mth daughter has always needed help in getting to sleep. She has now started to wake every 2-3hours throughout the night and is unable to resettle herself

Until about a week ago my 6.5month daughter slept through the night from about 6:45pm through to 6:30am. She has always needed to be put to sleep and finds it very difficult to resettle herself. This is not through the want of trying. Now she goes down at about 7pm and then wakes up 2-3 hours later screaming, we go in to check on her, reassure her and she goes to sleep again, this then repeats every two hours all night until about 6:30am when she wakes to start the day, she is bright eyed and all ready to go, you wouldn’t think that she has been awake half the night. I have tried milk feeds, cooled water, adjusting sleeping positions etc. But now am finding it very difficult to cope with doing day to day activities due to my lack of sleep. Is there any reason why she might be waking so frequently? What can we do?

My daughter feeds at 6.30am 8ozs formula, 7am 2tbsp porridge with fruit puree, fingers of toast.

11.30am, 2-3tbsp protein savoury, petit filous or fruit. 3ozs water from beaker

2.30pm, 3-4ozs formula.

5pm, 2tbsp carbohydrate such as couscous, rice, pasta or potatoes, rice cakes/fruit chunks depending on hunger.

6.30pm 7-8ozs formula

She naps at 9.15-9.45am, 12/30-1pm, 2-2.30pm and 4.30-4.45pm. She settles at 6.45pm.

Look for all the possible reasons why your daughter has suddenly started to wake through the night:

• If you have had any change in circumstances at home or nursery she may be more unsettled.
• If she is beginning to teeth she may not sleep so well for a few nights and be disturbed by her painful gums.
• She may be beginning to move around her cot more and so disturbs herself knocking into the sides.

Also, at her age your daughter is just becoming aware that she has a separate identity from you. This can cause anxiety because she has realized you are able to leave her. As she relies on you to help her get to sleep she will scream if she stirs when she is in a light sleep and finds you are not there.

If you feel that your daughter is waking because of recent events or upsets in her life or you have noticed that she is clingy by day, wanting to be picked up more, then find ways to help her feel more secure. Until she is able to crawl take her with you when you move from room to room by day rather than leaving her behind. Play plenty of “peek a boo” type games which will all help reinforce the idea to her that just because someone disappears from sight, they still do exist and will reappear again.

If she does not yet have a comforter of some kind, find a small toy which she can hold close to her and will learn to associate with falling asleep. Some babies prefer to take a muslin to bed, or a small “blankie”. If you feel that she is beginning to show signs of separation anxiety then see if she would like to have something of yours tucked in beside her. A tee shirt which you have slept with will have a familiar smell and could help to comfort her.

A baby who is troubled by teething will shows signs of discomfort by day as well as in the night. If you think that teething may be the cause of your daughter’s restless nights then ask your doctors advice as to which medication would be suitable to use. A teething baby will not settle straight back to sleep when reassured as any medication offered will take at least twenty minutes to be effective. Although teething can cause problems for a few nights it is unlikely to be the reason for repeated night wakings which continue longer than this.

If you feel that your daughter is moving around in her cot more, trying to turn over or getting stuck in uncomfortable positions, there are several things you can do.

As long as she is using the lightest weight sleeping bag [0.5tog] you can tuck her in securely using a light sheet stretched lengthways across her and secured down the cot sides with rolled towels. If you are using a heavier weight sleeping bag and it is quite long at the bottom you may be able to tuck it under the mattress at the end of the cot. Both ways should prevent her from moving around too much.

If your daughter is rolling over onto her front and getting stuck, unable to get back onto her back, then practice rolling with her by day. Once she is able to roll well both ways then you can let her find her own sleeping position. Until she is able to do this you may find you have to help her reposition herself several times a night. Once your daughter can reposition herself whilst in her cot you may find she continues to cry in the night, as she is used to your presence to help her go to sleep. This is the time to address any underlying problem of sleep associations.

If you feel you would like more help with getting your daughter used to falling asleep alone and learning to resettle herself look at Gina’s Complete Sleep Guide. It may take some time to teach her how to settle alone as your daughter associates falling asleep with you being there, but it is worth trying to do this now before more serious sleep disturbances and problems arise. There are links on the website to a sleep clinic or your health visitor may be able to put you in touch with one in your own locality.

Lastly, repeated waking in the night could be an indication that your daughter is sickening for something. It may take several days for this to appear but watch her for any signs such as going off her food, a rash or temperature.