former sleep champ now a disaster

[Anonymous]

DD is 10.5 mo and used to be a perfect sleeper. Went down for her naps and nighttime with some books, some singing and rocking, and then down into the crib, roll over and go to sleep. Slept a full 11-12 hours at night. Then we went on vacation, including a 6 hour time change, and since we've been back (2 weeks now), sleep has been a DISASTER. She will not go down for her naps without crying for at least 30 min, during which we pick her up and rock and sing again. At night, she goes down ok but then proceeds to wake up literally every 30 min to an hour. She will cry and cry until we come and get her at which point, she puts her down on your shoulder and goes to sleep again UNTIL you try to put her back in her crib. Then the crying starts again. Every time we manage to get her back into the crib and she sleeps, it's only for that 30 min - 1 hour time frame.

I know we were really lucky before to have such a great sleeper, but I am literally going insane with this new behavior. Is it the vacation, is it the age, separation anxiety, jet lag, what....? We never did CIO before because DD seemed to sleep great by herself already - is it really necessary to get back to her prior behavior? She's also a bit sick for the last several days with a cold. Seems like everything's just coming at once.

Anyone experience this?

[Anonymous]

I'm (very) sorry to say that the same thing happened to us. We went to London for Christmas and New Year's when our DD was 9.5 months and she hasn't slept through the night since. I think it is a combination of being in an unfamiliar place, the age, the time change, constant teething, etc...she just got totally off her schedule and never relearned it. We haven't been willing to resort to CIO but it may be all that works in this instance.

The only thing you might want to double check is that she doesn't have an ear infection. If she's had a cold that is a good possibility, and it makes it really painful to lie flat, hence the constant waking.

In either event, good luck and I hope it works itself out soon...

[Anonymous]

Our 11-month old went through the same thing, and (knock on wood) it lasted for two weeks and seems to be over these last few nights. Not related to a trip, but similar story--used to be a great sleeper and then suddenly started waking up at least once during the night. We decided that it's either (a) teething--he seems to have a tooth coming in up top; or (b) he's learning a lot of physical things--pulling up, starting to walk behind push-toys, etc., and I've read that they often don't sleep well then. It makes sense--they're developing a lot, their brains are working overtime. It may not be the trip at all. I would ditto the PP, though, and have her checked out for an ear infection just in case.

[Anonymous]

My four month old is doing the same thing. We went to Grandma's house a couple of weeks ago in Florida and he caught a little cold on the plane, is teething (one already poked through, I can't believe it) and doesn't want to be swaddled anymore. The past two weeks he has been up every hour or two, cries, gores right back to sleep on your shoulder until you put him back in the crib and then cries some more.

The pacifier is helping to get him back to sleep while laying down....but as soon as it falls out....watch out!

I took him to the Dr. to check the ears, no infection. I guess we just have to wait it out?? I'm about to go out of my mind......