11 Month Old Doesnt Sleep!

You can let her cry it out, sneak in to rub her on the back for a few minutes, but not pick her up or anything. Though I wonder if maybe she has an upset tummy, perhaps a milk allergy or something? It often is more upsetting at night b/c they are laying down for long periods of time.

Perhaps you can get better advice here:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070100.asp

Also, around this age, children start to wake more frequently b/c they are more aware, getting frustrated with trying to walk and such. It's actually a milestone for night waking to reemerge at this time in their little lives.

Is she teething? And no she will not get up at 6 that often unless something is going on. Has there been any changes in her life? I do not let my cry it they 15 and in down I due with number 6 in 8 days. That is just me though a crying baby at night needs attention many others do not agree with me but it works for us.
She could be in major growth spurt developmentally wise or physically that could also mean she needs a connection to you during the night. there many reasons a baby wakes at night you wil figure it out. Good Luck!
J.

Maybe she's not getting enough to eat at night. (I don't know what your feeding schedule is or how much you give her)..that would be my first thought. When my daughter was around that age, she started doing the same thing, so I started giving her a whole jar of meat, half a jar of veggie, half a jar of fruit and let that settle for about 30-45 minutes and then give her 8oz of milk. Bedtime was at 8 and she slept til 8 or 9am. It was like clock work. If she did wake up during the night, I would make sure she wasn't wet or soiled her diaper, and let her lay back down and soothe herself back to sleep. I did let her cry it out but not "really cry and scream". She would whine or fuss for a good 30 minutes or so but would end up going to sleep. But for the most part, if my daughter woke up during the night, she was more than likely sick. :) Hope this helps.

Is she getting any new teeth? Check her mouth. If so, a little Tylenol before bed might help until the pain is gone. Good luck!

I don't really have any solutions for you, but I did want to let you know that it will get better! My son (who will be 4 this week) was a terrible sleeper at that age. He woke up every 3 or 4 hours without exception. I was still nursing at the time, so I usually just nursed him back to sleep, even though I *knew* he wasn't waking due to hunger (it was just the easiest way to get him back down). As a matter of fact, he didn't sleep through the night at all till right around his first birthday - and a week later he came down with RSV and was hospitalized, which threw off his new sleeping-through-the-night schedule for another 2 months! However, right around the 14 month mark something just clicked, and he's been an awesome sleeper ever since! Now he goes down by 8 (and sometimes 7!) and sleeps till around 7, with a 2 hour nap in the afternoons. So hang in there!

This may sound strange, but she could be overtired. Our oldest did this same thing - he went from sleeping all night, plus several naps a day, to waking 3 or 4 times a night, and I read somewhere he might be overtired. So we tried moving his bed time earlier by just half an hour, and that amazingly stopped him from waking up 3 or 4 times a night! It seems counterintuitive, but it really can work. We tend to take away naps or keeps kids up later when they don't sleep, but that will actually just make things worse.

When we were trying to get our little one to where she would put herself to sleep (instead of being rocked and already asleep when we was put in bed), we did the "just let her cry" thing, with a little variation. Once she starts crying, wait 5 min. Then have the parent who is not the primary caregiver - in our case, my husband - go into the room and simply tell her that you are there, and that you love her, then walk out. Don't touch her, or anything else , just the reassurance that someone is there. Then, double the time between visits each time. In other words, go in at 5 min., then 10 min later, then 20 min later, etc. The 1st night, she needed the re-assuring 3 times before she was asleep, the 2nd night twice, and the 3rd night once. After that, she went right to sleep on her own. She does occasionally wake up on her own during the night (she's about to turn 3 now), but she goes back to sleep by herself - usually without any crying. We usually only notice if we're still up.

Maybe this would help your little one. she may be looking for that comfort when she wakes up by herself during the night. Just an idea... good luck!

I can't help you, but it sounds exactly like my daughter who is now 14 months. She has gotten worse instead of better w her sleep habits. We have tried tylenol. We have tried feeding her more in the evening. I just ordered a sleep sack for her to sleep in bc a friend suggested maybe she is cold. I have no idea. Just wanted you to know you are not alone.

Some kids just are not good sleepers! There is no one-size-fits-all solution for kids. All of my kids were up 3-6 times a night until they were about 18 months old. By the time they are 2 or 3, they sleep just fine and with complete independence. Some children really just need to be reassured and to feel secure in order to be comfortable and sleep well. As babies and toddlers I think the most important thing they learn is that their parents love them and will always be there for them if they need them. Confidence and independence naturally grow from feelings of security.

I suggest reading "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. She offers a variety of tried and true methods that do not involve letting your child cry it out, but that will help them to be better sleepers.

Hang in there. I know that when you are not getting good sleep yourself, it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. But this phase will pass. I don't know anyone who regrets holding, loving, and comforting their children.