Co-Sleeping 13-month old - I'm exhausted!!

It sounds as though you’ve tried all the main options and probably more. Frequent waking is within the normal limits of what little ones will do and some families just have to get through it however they best can. Do make sure she has enough activity during the day to be good and tired at night. At the same time, stress hormone releases from distressing situations during the day can cause poor sleep. (Do other caretakers respond quickly to her cues?) I assume you’ve also tried toying with a later bedtime. What about breastfeeding mom’s caffeine intake, including chocolate?

Teething pain can certainly be a cause of waking. Breastfeeding is a natural pain reducer through the sucking action, skin-to-skin contact, and the hormonal releases. A pacifier can provide some of this and is worth a try if you haven’t already. Chewing on something icy or the application of a little numbing lotion or clove oil can also help. The problem is that these all provide only temporary relief and so may not reduce waking. More chewing and some gum massaging during the day might reduce night pain.

Motion is a wonderful pain reliever. Before I figured out most of my son’s colic triggers, I found he’d only nap in my arms or on my back while I remained in constant motion, or in a moving car, a vibrating chair, or an electric swing. The latter of these don’t sound much like natural parenting but there are plenty of historic versions of these and there’s something to be said for sanity. I was lucky that his having an open bar at night (comfort nursed most of the night) allowed us both to sleep well together though it created quite a yeasty nipple challenge for me.

If she wakes with a yell, has signs of gas, loose stools, or rashes, I would consider whether a food intolerance could be causing her pain. You can try removing all traces of cow or goat’s milk from your diet and hers, including any whey or casein (milk proteins are the chief offending ingredients, not lactose). If you see some improvement but not enough, you can try removing other suspect or common allergens or try a full elimination diet.