What can I do to help my daughter sleep good at night again?

My daughter will be eight months next week, and she has always been alert/nosey since she’s been born. But that also has made it hard for her to be put to bed because she is so tired, but she wants to keep being involved with everything around her. This past week though, it’s been the worst. She hasn’t gone to bed any earlier than 1 is. She also hasn’t been taking her usually naps. She lays down for only two naps, and if you’re lucky, she will stay asleep for an hour each. She’s tired you can see it, and she always is rubbing her eyes. I have tried laying her down and waiting a few minutes, and then when she gets back up, lay her down again. I’ve tried holding her to rock her and white noises, but nothing seems to faze her with that. She knows how to crawl, and lately, she’s been standing up hanging on whatever she can, so when I lay her in her crib, she hangs along the edge. The sleeping toys I can’t give her anymore because she just plays with them and laughs. This morning I didn’t know what to do so I tried the crying it out (I hated it) I got a shower, and it was a good 30mins or so, and the whole time, she just cried and kept getting louder. When I went to get dressed, I laid her back down, and she got right back up. Also, I change her every time she gets up, and she always has a bottle although she has two teeth, so the doctors said to try to get her not to need a bottle at bedtime, so the sugar isn’t just sitting on her teeth, but if she won’t have a bottle she is crying. When she finally does get to sleep, she will wake up at five and stay up for another hour just be back up within 2 hours for the day. Any advice to help her sleep?

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Is she on any type of schedule or routine? My LO had this same issue until we set up a schedule. Wakeup, eat, play, nap. The first couple days, naps didnt work too well. I’d lay him in his crib at 9:30am, and if he played, so be it. If he cried, I’d wait about 3 minutes, calm him down, then leave. Cry again, wait 5 minutes, calm him, then leave. I increased it in 2 minute increments until he would fall asleep. If he didnt, I’d go get him at 10:30 (about when morning nap would be over) and eat, play and try again with another nap at the specific time of the schedule we wanted to set. It’s been 2 weeks, and it’s like clockwork now. We both know what he wants and what he needs, at each specific time. It took a LOT of trial and error though.

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How about a white noise machine or one that projects lights on the ceiling with music? Is she teething? Could she be in pain? Maybe try Tylenol or Motrin to see if that’s the issue? Warm baths with lavender oil, lavender diffuser? Maybe a teething toy in her crib with her would help.

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I would try a few things.
One, at 8 months the babies I watch only need one 2 hour nap. I make them stay up until nap and after about a week (of pure hell crying/fussiness/etc.) they start getting the hang of it.

Also, I’d start doing a routine before bed every single night. My son was a tough sleeper and what really helped was a routine every single day, the same exact way.

Also, if all else fails I sit by the babies cribs until they fall asleep. I don’t engage or get them to stop (cause we all figit our own way before bed) and just wait until they fall asleep. I did the cry out method with my daughter by singing the same volume while she was crying and when she stopped and when she fell asleep. Because I was nervous just leaving her alone in the room (that weird panic attack that while they’re crying something is happening :woman_facepalming:) I could watch and make sure she was safe, while maintaining my sanity.

And girl…sleep is soooooo hard. Everyone’s routine is so different so just keep at it and you’ll get it!! #positivevibescomingyourway
#youredoinggreat :grinning:

If she has teeth try feeding her some solids. It will help fill her up. She might literally just be hungry! Baby rice, apple sauce, puréed veggies. Etc. she’s growing, and solids might help put her to sleep for a while especially after she’s full

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In our house we turn off all the lights after teeth are brushed and pjs are on. We leave it off for about 20-30 before bedtime and everyone cuddles on the couch. It helps our girls wind down and start getting tired. Then we go to bed and read a book by flashlight.

As for naps, I started to let me daughter nap in the living room. She is nosy too and wouldn’t fall asleep in her room, in the quiet.

Following. Sounds like a baby with fomo… just like my lo. I’ve tried everything. Routine (bedtime & daytime every night all day same routine for 9 months) wake times, shorter naps, 1 nap, white noise, solids, a little cry it out, rocking to sleep (he hates it), struggle cuddle. He’s 11 months today and it’s getting better but there’s still some really rough nights.

My daughter was a ROUGH sleeper, especially with naps. I would call it a good day if I could get her to nap for 40 minutes. What time are you trying to your daughter down at night? Cause for us we were starting our bedtime routine late (9pm) and when “witching hour” hit we were doomed. I moved bedtime to start at 8 and then at 7. After about 3 days she magically started taking naps closer to 2 hours and bedtime was a breeze! I would look at what time your daughter is waking (mine has been up like clockwork somewhere between 5-6:30 nearly every day since she was born) and at 8 months I’d put baby down for the night between 14-12 hours before that.

That aside, I’d talk to your pediatrician. There is soooo much that could be happening that we (as commentators) have absolutely no way of knowing (teething, developmental stage based on gestational age(development totally varies in that first year based on due date- mine was 4 weeks early so we saw things common at 4 weeks after “expected”), colicky, gas/other tummy issues, illness, etc). Your pediatrician may have good recommendations specific for your daughter.

I recommend that after dinner you slow with all the stimuli write down a warm bath darken the windows no music no loudness even though TV if you can handle it try a storybook everything that can be calming might help these are only a few things I know it might be more in-depth than that but you can always start with

She may be hungry give her baby food and get her into a routine also do quite activities about hour before bed Tim helps her calm down

Consistent sleep times and a sound machine. Leave it on during the day for a week or so in whatever room she in to get her used to it then start using it in her room when she sleeps. It blocks out other noise from the rest of the house too so you can have a life without fear of waking her. :grin:

Try taking one of your shirts that has your smell on it and wrap it around her

Umm, it’s called teething and growth spurts, your child is constantly changing as her body does, having an extremely alert child is a blessing, she is gifted and also very sensitive to stimulation. You need to change to accommodate her, not the other way around. Also, does anyone ask their pediatrician or a doctor for advice or is the new thing to ask strangers on FB who couldn’t possibly begin to know you, your child, your environment, or the whole story behind any of these really intricate questions? Ask your pediatrician, every life and soul is different!

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Oh how I know this feeling. My daughter was 6 months taking two 15 minute naps a day. I tried everything. Nothing really worked. The only thing that really worked as she got older was throwing in the towel as far as naps were concerned. She at least slept a little better at night. 3 1/2 years later, most nights she wakes up once and then goes back to sleep. Some kids just don’t require as much sleep as others. Hang in there mama!

How about bunting… I don’t know if that’s the right word. As natives, we wrap our babies in a blanket do the the arms are closed to their bodies and/or put them in a cradle board. It worked for us.

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All of my granddaughters were rocked to sleep before laying them in their crib. I would turn out the lights, except for a night light, and put on some music turned down low. Covered them with their blanket and rocked. I would sing real low with the songs that were on. As soon as they were asleep, then I put them in their crib. I think by having the lights out and little to no noise, that took away those stimulations to help with relaxation. Now some nights we rocked for 45 minutes, some only 15 minutes. Always worked. I did that until they were 4 years old!

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A good warm bath before bed… I let my daughter play with toys inside the bath for at least 30-45mins, giving her a little massage while im putting lotion or oil on her, give her a bottle with PBS kids on and she’s out in like 10-25 mins… Goodluck to u mama

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My son is a year old and still not on a sleeping schedule he goes to bed pretty late but thats because i do. I would try laying in bed with her with the lights off and maybe try some lullabies. Or i know if you give her a nice bath and make sure she has eaten good that should help her sleep better

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Try this I put my kids on it for 1 week just to get them into a sleep routine and it works I had the same problem… It’s herbs it’s healthy and it’s for children I only used it for 1 week and they into a sleep routine Melatonin syrup

My daughter did this for 2 yrs until we found out she had fluid on her ears. After getting tubes she gradually settled down.
Just a suggestion to check into.

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Try lavender oil rub it on the bottom of feet