Change in Infant Sleeping Habits (long, but could use some BTDT advice!)

I feel like a bunch of us are going through this right now. I just read summer's CIO thread - I bookmarked it - thanks.

Jake is only 5 mos old, but his sleeping habits have changed. The swaddle is finally gone, and I think that is part of our issue...although this week has been the roughest of them all...for Jake, who has always been a solid sleeper/napper.

Now he needs to be rocked, when the back hits the mattress, or even 30 mins later, he is up. Sometimes a binky will do, but other times he is wicked. I'm trying not to just run in there, but he is young.

So, what gives?

Is it a phase?
Is he testing us?
Not to mention the itchy little face due to ezcema.
Do we start CIO to help self soothe along? I fear bad habits.

Lastly , and b/c I have learned that sleep begets sleep, naps have bee shorter and less frequent. Do I need to teach my mom, who is our day care, CIO?

Thanks for listening...could use some advice or to hear other stories.

Re: Change in Infant Sleeping Habits (long, but could use some BTDT advice!)

Hmm this is tough. I'm not sure if you should try CIO yet since you just took the swaddle away...maybe it would be too much at once?

Do you think he is teething? My DS (now 6.5 months) recently had a few very off days and sure enough two teeth popped immediately following.

They are so much more aware at 5 months...he could be testing you. My DS has such a fake cry...but he's so darn good at it I have to go in because he sounds terrrible! But I walk in and there he is laughing and giggling because he got his way. This is where CIO would come in and if you are comfortable doing it at this age, give it a shot. Consistency is definitely key though...so if you decide to do it, do everything you can to stick with it.

HTH!

Re: Change in Infant Sleeping Habits (long, but could use some BTDT advice!)

I think it may be his eczema more than anything. Some babies are kept awake with itching, some never bat an eyelash. What are you doing for that? i was using cortisone and aquaphor which works great for one of my boys and didn't even touch the patches on the other-I had to start using derma smooth.

It could also as Katie said, be teething. Does he have his hands in his mouth constantly? Drooling? Take clean hands and run your fingers over his lower and upper gums-any sharp spots> He's probably teething. I use Hylands teething tablets and it its bad tylenol and if its really bad I use Motrin.

Re: Change in Infant Sleeping Habits (long, but could use some BTDT advice!)

Thanks -ladies.

We were just at ped - he is not teething yet.

As for treatment of skin, he is now on a prescribed mositurizer (what a diva ) 3x a day. In btwn, we use acquaphor. Nothing helps like the steriod cream he was on, but we're only allowed to use that if its really bad.

just thinking...maybe I'll put mittens on him at night?

Message edited 6/12/2009 12:50:58 AM.

Re: Change in Infant Sleeping Habits (long, but could use some BTDT advice!)

My 4-month-old is having similar sleep issues at night. It's really a nightmare. She doesn't go down until 10:30 pm on a good night. Last night she screamed for an hour and finally fell asleep around midnight. I can't figure it out. Thank goodness I nurse her and can put her on the boob to calm her down. She just won't fall asleep easily at night & it's driving me nuts!