My daughter is almost 10 months old has been sleeping like a champ for the last 5 months or so. For at least the last 4 months, we have been able to put her down in her crib and leave and she'd babble (maybe fuss a tiny bit) for a while and then go to sleep. Over the last week, she has started to immediately start sobbing the minute we put her in her crib and will cry for anywhere from 5-15 minutes (sobbing) before she quiets down and fusses herself to sleep. If I have to go into her room for any reason and she happens to notice me, she'll start it all over again. Is this the start of separation anxiety? What's the best way to handle it - should we just keep our routine up the way we always have and wait for her to readjust? Any insights are welcome!
Thanks to everyone for their input! It seems as though it may have been a teething issue. A couple days after this started, she cut a tooth and after a couple nights of tylenol, she is back to normal. She isn't sleeping quite as long as she was (she's now getting up at 7-7:30 instead of 8:30ish) but the sobbing has stopped...for now! :) Thanks to those who confirmed what I thought, which was not to vary the routine, but to stick with it. I'm glad I did.
I'd love to see some of the responses you get as my 8 month old DD is doing the same thing. I *think* she needs to be awake longer now. I notice her naps are also getting shorter. I am going to try it tomorrow in hopes that it works!
I'm going through the same thing! My son slept in his own roon, through the night at 2 months old. Then at about 9.5 months, started waking half way through his usual 3 hour noon nap. Talked to the doctor and she thought it was night terrors. Said he'll grow out of it and just be a trooper in the meantime. Well, it then turned into crying before his nap and before he was put down at night. With a 2 year old daughter (and my MIL and FIL live with us), it's difficult to let a baby scream while others are trying to sleep. So I would let him fall asleep in my room first, then put him in his bed. Now, he starts waking through the night. Spoke to the doctor again and she said to let him cry it out. A screaming kid with grandparents in the same house? YEAH! They thought I was torturing my own child. None-the-less, I told them to mind their own business and continued to let him scream in 10 minute intervals until he slept. It's been 4 days and his cries have gone from TERROR to just whining a minute or two then sleeping. He sleeps through the night but still wakes after about 1.5 into his day nap. Still in the early stages but definitely improving. Since this was posted almost 2 years ago, can you give us an update on what worked for you and how long it took? Thanks!
I think separation anxiety is a good possibility, especially if she is showing signs of it during the day as well. It could also be a sign of a developmental leap, like learning to crawl or walk.
In my opinion, you should keep the routine as is, and if she isn't absolutely hysterical, just let her be until she falls asleep. 5-15 minutes of crying isn't too bad. And she is ultimately falling asleep on her own, which to me is an important thing to maintain. This sleep disturbance should only last a couple of weeks.
Also, expect another sleep disruption around 13 months of age, which will also last about 2 weeks.
FYI, I base my advice on my experience with my 14 mo daughter. She also was good at soothing herself to sleep and sleep through the night from about 3-4 months of age, with no help from me. She had similar blips in her ability to fall asleep and stay asleep around 9-10 months and at 13 months.
Good luck!
My first piece of advise is to not go in the room for any reason. Get whatever you might need from her room before you put her to sleep. Second, don't worry. 5-15 minutes is not a long time to fuss. I often go by the 20 minute rule. If they can't put themselves to sleep by 20 minutes or they are screaming than try to soothe them, otherwise they are fine. Also, my 2nd child had a very hard time with teething around that age, maybe she is hurting from teeth. Good Luck!
Hi R.. My son went through the exact same thing at 10 months. He had terrible seperation anxiety and is actually still pretty bad during the day. I can't leave the room during the day without him going nuts! I did figure out that if I took my night shirt off in the moring and layed it over his crib sheet and removed it at night he slept a little better because he had my smell in the crib if she has any blanket or stuffed animal that she likes you do it with that instead. We also started using a cd of ocean waves as white noise to block out noise from our dogs and older son. Keep your routine the same and have a lot of quite wind down time before bedtime. good luck.
I feel your pain! My son went through this same thing around this age also. He had always been a good sleeper then one day naps became a huge problem. I know that this is not what you want to hear but it will go away just as easily as it came and there is not alot that you can do. I would put her down the same way that you have been and if she starts to cry you have to let her do it and get through it. Don't go into her room or be where she can see you because it will just start the process all over again. I would tell myself if I just go in and rub his back I know that he will settle down and go to sleep, guess what it never worked and it would just make him cry harder when I felt. I finally listen to the advise from my sister and stayed away. The first day was SO hard, the next day was a bit better and within a week or two he was back to sleeping the way he always had. Just hang in there it will get better. promise
She could be getting a tooth or maybe going to reach a milestone,i guess when they are about to learn or reach a milestone the sleep pattern is interupted.....does she walk yet?My son did that around 11months,but now hes back on track,i put him right down @ 8 and he sleeps till 7:30ish.So i guess i would keep up the consistancy and let her fuss it out(if you can stand it)(i hate hate hate listening to him cry it makes my belly turn)Anyway good luck and she will be back into it soon!!(i hope)LOL
I think you are right on target with your routine and you should keep it up. Our daughter went through the same thing, both at bedtime and waking up in the middle of the night. She had been a great sleeper from 3 months on, until 9-10 months, when she went through a phase just like your daughter's. It is very possible that it's separation anxiety and what worked for us was consistency, consistency, consistency. I would avoid going into her room until she is really asleep, if seeing you sets her off. It helped us a lot to know that she had no concept of time, so all the crying, which seemed endless to us, was something that was not going to scar her. In babyland, 5-15 minutes of crying, as terrible as it is for the parents, isn't all that much! Just keep up your usual bedtime routine and this phase will pass.
Hi R.,
It's very possible your little girl is entering into seperation anxiety. Try not to worry too much- it's a phase that will pass,and it means she is growing and learning,and attached to you in a healthy way! It can be a bit of a stressful time though ,and can definately have an impact on her ability to go to sleep easily. Now is not the time to change your routine-just stick with it,and try to minimize any other changes in your daughter's life for the time being as well.Since it seems to upset your girl more if you go in to check on her,try to avoid this and let her soothe herself to sleep as long as she's not too upset.You might spend a few more minutes tucking her in before leaving her room,and reassure her verbally with words to the effect of -"You are safe in your cozy bed,and you will feel so much better after a good night's rest. I love you,and I will see you in the morning, after I rest too." I know it sounds a little hokey,but it's amazing what little ones can understand, and it's worked for other children and families I've known! Here's to a good night's rest for your whole family, L. S
