9 mo starting to whimper at night

[Comtessa]

My DD (almost 9 mo) has started doing something weird the last couple of weeks and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? She sleeps well for most of the night, waking 2-3 time to nurse and going right back to sleep. But, around 4 or 5 in the morning, she starts to toss and turn, whimpering or even crying loudly in her sleep. She doesn't wake up entirely, but she often won't settle for an hour or more. She doesn't usually want to nurse at this time, though I always offer the breast first - usually she'll try to nurse for a second, then roll away and start crying harder. Sometimes a pacifier will calm her again, but often she'll just start up again anyway.

We cosleep, and the noise wakes up both me and DH, but if I get out of bed to walk and soothe her, she'll often wake up completely and want to play. If I lay in bed with her and soothe her, she'll just keep whimpering and crying intermittently - like every 2-3 minutes - for an hour or more, then fall into a deeper sleep again until 8 am.

What is going on with her? Any suggestions? DH and I feel like zombies after 2 weeks of this!!

[mamalove1]

Perhaps it is gas or teething. My DD does it too when she isn't feeling well. And the wakefulness sounds like teething. Hope you get some sleep. Have you tried gripe water?

[voxana]

My 9mo has done the same thing from time to time. Actually he also did it as a newborn and always in the early morning hours.

In his case I think it is an upset tummy and gas. Here's what helped: a lactation consultant suggested that I remove all cow's milk products from my diet. After a week of no cow's milk he stopped having trouble in the mornings. Now I can sometimes eat hard cheeses or yogurt with no problem, but if l consume straight milk, he has the turmoil the next morning. Maybe that could be your problem....but if this is completely new, perhaps not...?

Another time my ds acted that way when he had a one week bout with constipation (from eating lots of cheerio-like finger foods (wheat free).

Did anything change in your or dd's diet? Have her bowel movements changed at all?

[BlackSheepPDX]

It's possible she needs to potty. What kind of nighttime diapering are you using , and do you have any sense of when she wets at night? (this coming from an ECer's perspective) If you're at all willing, you might consider trying to let her potty at that point and see if she just doesn't want to be wet and is feeling a full bladder and resisting it for a while.

[maguvet]

my son is 8 months old and has always had fussy digestion. 4-7 am is the worst time for him. he will often cry until he farts (big!) then settle back down, but sometimes only for half an hour or so. it doesn't always wake him up, but it sure wakes me up. the worst is if he's constipated.

[babygirlie]

my 9 month old also does this! she flops around like a fish out of water. I'm unsure to let her cry it out or what. As it is we are still not sleeping through the night. Sometimes if I tuck her against my tight so she can't flop around she is swaddled by my arm and settles down. I guess it could be her teeth. She has at least 4 now. She really learned how to roll over sufficiently lately. I mean she could always do it but now she just rolls and rolls and I can't trust her alone in bed anymore.

[justKate]

Any milestones lately?

New foods?

DD (12 mos.) does something similar--she'll sort of wake half-way up and cry or whimper, then go back to sleep. Sometimes on and off for a long time. Sometimes ending in a BIG fart like a PP mentioned. I mean like a grown man chili and beer fart. :Puke

The last few nights she's yelled "mama" at like 9:30, but when I check on her she's asleep. Hmm... It is a big world to process out there. Maybe her little mind is just taking it all in and trying to sort through it at night.