So Kendra's been waking a couple of times (actually 3 - 5 times every night BEFORE 12!) the last two weeks or so.
The first couple of nights we rushed to her as we normally do to prevent the screaming from waking Connor.
When she'd only have 20 - 30 ml (one ounce), I finally twigged - she was not waking due to hunger.
The next night we'd wait (hard though it was) and hear if the cry was genuine. We found that sometimes (a lot actually) she'd simply scream out in her sleep and when we got to her cot she'd be fast asleep.
(the other night D was asleep, I was on the computer and she cried out 4 times, all of which was not a genuine wake-up cry)
Other times she'd cry like her little heart was breaking. Once we got to her, she calms down - it's like she just wants hugs in the middle of the night! As I write this, it sounds a bit like Kendra "working us" but I don't want to just dismiss it as drama queen tendencies LOL
Any ideas?
Do/ did your kids ever do this?
P.S. South Africans, do your cot bumpers have ties on the top and bottom? I am about to FLING theirs into the bin because the ones I have only have ties on the top and it looks SOOO untidy - driving me BATTY!
P.P.S. I realise cot bumpers are a controversial topic. That may well be but I do have them and would like to keep them :)
A bit of advice from my ever brilliant nursing sister friend: Give her one of Natura's RESQ remedy pills crushed (or drops if you have)and one Nervitron (also Natura) crushed. Do this 3 times a day - the last just before bedtime. It helped for our 3 year old night terrors and again when one of my boys at about age one had the same type of crying in the sleep thing. I hope it works for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure babies don't have any dreams at this age... from what I've read, crying out suddenly is likely to be pain (eg from teething). Ours are starting to do this too, and I'm pretty sure it's their fangs coming through! Nice!
ReplyDeleteK is exceptionally photogenic :)
ReplyDeleteD sometimes wakes but it's so short lived she goes right back sleep. I used to rush into her and pick her up. I finally twigged that she'd nod straight back off. Maybe that's where K's at too.
Yeah, the cot bumper controversy. We have I think the world's highest SIDS rate here so they're taboo. I'm almost ready to put one in D's cot though - she keeps hitting her head on the bars - it must hurt.
Happy holidaying :)
We have mesh bumbers that velcro on the crib and they are messy to. Yes, kids have nightmares - she's a little young for it but mine started a a few months ago (mostly Ned). We just don't go to him because we did the first few times and he was already back asleep when we went in. You know I think you need to stop feeding them in the middle of the night - when you wake up do you have a snack? :)
ReplyDeleteWell I am a mom of 11 month year old twins. They have slept through the night since 5 months old, we keep them on a tight schedule. They go to bed at 7pm and sleep til 7-8am. I got advice from another friend of mine who also had twins and our pediatrician. They both said from 6 months on you need to let them cry if they wake up. Its like you have to teach them to go back to sleep on their own by just letting them go. Most babies will make noises throughout the night or even wake up, move around and eventually go back to sleep. It has to do with REM sleep, you can look it up. One will get used to the other crying. Trust me, I always had one who slept and one who didn't.
ReplyDeleteI am positive that my girls have dreams! They, especially Mackenzie, do the short crying out that you mention. I will also admit that at least 3-4 times a week, one or the other of them wakes up crying in their sleep, and I will go get her rather than let her get herself all worked up. I don't sleep with a monitor on anymore, so by the time I hear them, they are awake (it's not just the short cry). I will go in and rock her for a few minutes and she goes right back to sleep. I don't mind doing that...it feels like they need my comfort!
ReplyDeleteAround 10 months, A & M also seemed to go through a period of separation anxiety. It was really the first time in several months we had trouble getting them to go to sleep or stay asleep without us. Hope that helps! Don't feel bad about snuggling that baby a little if she needs her mommy! : )
Can't help you on the crying out thing but on the cot bumper thing... we have the cot bumper from TreeHouse and it has ties at the top and the bottom.
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a fabulous holiday!!!
S does exactly the same thing, and I too jump up to put the dummy in his mouth, as I don't want him to wake up S. I don't know if he is dreaming or as A puts it having "night-frights"! I think it could also be pain from teething.
ReplyDeleteP.S. My cot bumpers have ties on the top & bottom, but I am forever straightening them, as when the nanny changes their sheets, she doesn't bother to tidy the bumpers, or tighten the knots! Caren
I've not seen many bumpers tie top and bottom, other than hand made ones. I don't do bumpers. Though my sister likes them and fixed up the school room baby bed with them. I've sense taken them off, as she couldn't see over then and was so much more content if she could see everybody and what was going on in the room.
ReplyDeleteI feel like babies do have dreams. And some can have nightmares. But conventional medicine says a LOT about babies that I beg to differ with - just don't get me started!
Sometimes it is pain - gas bubbles in the tummy, teeth, growing pains.
LaRue sometimes screams out at night too or even during naps. Every baby is different, each have a different personality. Some need tons more holding and physical contact than others.
Two books that helped me with "every kid is different" is the 5 Love Languages for Children. The other one was something like Personality Insights for Mom's.
Great insights on how to tailor your parenting style to best work with your child. For instance, I discovered that Kendra is an outgoing people person (an I in that book), the life of the party person. I'm a task and data person. (a C). Very opposite. Vannan and Joel are both reflective people persons - just like Tim. The ones that DO and are just THERE when you need help. So here I am, a "no touch" personality, with 5 kids that are all very touch demanding to feel loved! LOL
Time for supper. I've got 9 kids to feed. Vannan cooked! Horray! Course, I told her it was her turn.