13 month old *still* not sleeping - Page 3

[Jend1002]

Originally Posted by carmen358 

Wow, is it ever challenging to be gluten, soy, dairy, meat free (did I mention that we are raising DD vegetarian?). I've gotten very creative with my cooking and have made a bunch of snacks, etc. for the freezer so it's a bit easier. I really, really hope she isn't allergic to all 3. I have images of her on playdates or at kids' parties and not being able to share in any food :(

Wow!  That IS challenging!  When I was breastfeeding, I had to be soy, dairy, and meat (well, not had to be with meat...) free and it definitely cut my nursing time shorter than I would have liked.  I felt like I was starving and I am far from creative when it comes to cooking.  My son (at 2 1/2) has completely outgrown his sensitivities.  We were never quite sure which one (or several) of the foods was responsible for issues but he can and does eat all of the above now and he also sleeps fairly well now as well.  Especially since the majority of the teething is over.  I am only telling you this because maybe your DD will be able to share food at those parties in the future!

It's great that you are seeing results with your diet changes.  Being motivated by extra sleep is sure helpful too!  Have you tried probiotics?  They definitely helped with DS's digestion but I do know that it is really hard to find dairy-free probiotics.  It's something to consider though.  We were able to give DS goat's milk as long as he was taking probiotics, when we were no longer breastfeeding.  Although if your DD has an allergy, obviously goat's milk wouldn't work!

[carmen358]

Originally Posted by staceychev 

Wow... it's so heartening to read this thread. My almost 1-year old slept through the night from about 3 weeks until about 5 months, and hasn't slept through the night once since then. I was online researching gluten-free for myself today and came across a link where someone mentioned how much better they slept since going gluten free and I thought I'd try it with DD. It's been great reading about your experience--it gives me yet another reason to try it myself! I hope everything continues to go well.

Good luck! My DD never slept through the night but we did used to get 5-6 hour stretches every night. Let us know how it goes for you! I bet there are lots of people interested in more experiences with this!

Originally Posted by Jend1002 

Wow!  That IS challenging!  When I was breastfeeding, I had to be soy, dairy, and meat (well, not had to be with meat...) free and it definitely cut my nursing time shorter than I would have liked.  I felt like I was starving and I am far from creative when it comes to cooking.  My son (at 2 1/2) has completely outgrown his sensitivities.  We were never quite sure which one (or several) of the foods was responsible for issues but he can and does eat all of the above now and he also sleeps fairly well now as well.  Especially since the majority of the teething is over.  I am only telling you this because maybe your DD will be able to share food at those parties in the future!

It's great that you are seeing results with your diet changes.  Being motivated by extra sleep is sure helpful too!  Have you tried probiotics?  They definitely helped with DS's digestion but I do know that it is really hard to find dairy-free probiotics.  It's something to consider though.  We were able to give DS goat's milk as long as he was taking probiotics, when we were no longer breastfeeding.  Although if your DD has an allergy, obviously goat's milk wouldn't work!

That's great that your son has grown out of it! My niece was lactose intolerant when she was a young and has also grown out of it. She always did fine with soy though. We do probiotics every day. We are currently using Nature's Way Children. I emailed the company and they said the product is gluten free (of course) but may contain trace amounts of dairy or soy. Any idea if that is a problem if DD does have an allergy??
 

[carmen358]

I thought I'd come back and post an update as DD and I have reached a month of being soy, dairy and gluten free. What a difference in our nights!! Except for the fact that she is currently teething her 2 year old molars off and on (break through already!!) we have not gone back to the 15-45 minutes wakings at all. In fact, last night she slept for 6 hours and cuddled back to sleep rather than sitting up and screaming! She has at least 3 hours stretches pretty much every night with longer stretches some nights. The biggest difference is the screaming.

Diet update...I just introduced yogurt and hard cheese for both of us the last 3 days and there doesn't seem to be any change in her "good" sleeping the last 2 nights. I will go a few more days with just dairy and then introduce soy when we are having it (we don't eat that much of it but do eat some). I had some soy (wheat free tamari) yesterday. I'm afraid to introduce gluten back to her but will do that as well in a week or so (I will not be going back to it) just to test because I don't want to deny her just because I can't eat it (DP is able to eat it no problem).

I'm guessing she either has a gluten intolerance (like me) or she has just "grown out" of whatever was causing her to wake so often for 6ish months.

Another unexpected outcome...I lost 7 of the 20 lbs I was hoping to lose before ttc #2 ;)

Now, if only she can go to bed at night without me laying with her! Yes, I'm asking too much I know :P

[Tattooed Hand]

I'm thrilled to hear that you are both getting more sleep and that your DD is feeling better so that she's no longer waking up screaming! Hurray!

Go carefully introducing stuff back in. With my DD, I try to eat the food first for 3 days, then wait 3 days and if I see no reaction, only then do I feed it to her. The reason is because some things she can tolerate through my milk but not directly, while some things she cannot tolerate through my milk and the reaction is FAR worse (at least for us) when she has those things directly. We aren't gluten free, but we are wheat free because I am wheat intolerant and either she is, or she is just for now. But her reaction to wheat is so much worse than mine. So be careful. Also, I suggest trying it first yourself because for instance, DD can tolerate soy through my milk, but not directly. If I had fed it to her right off the bat, I might not have known this and so might have restricted my diet unnecessarily. Also, just FYI, everything I have read and what the doc has told me is that usually it takes about 6 months of avoiding a problem food to heal the gut. Chances are, if she couldn't tolerate gluten through your milk, she cannot tolerate gluten directly after only a month of avoidance. But maybe I am misremembering your dilemma with it...

Anyway, I hope things continue to go well!

[carmen358]

Thanks for the tips! Unfortunately I spoke too soon! The night after posting here we had two bad nights again....so I don't think dairy is going to fly :( Last night was better now that I've cut it out for both of us again. Maybe I went too fast in giving it to her.

[carmen358]

I thought I'd take some time and post an update here (3 months later). I often wonder what happens when I read threads on here that just kind of end without a resolution of sorts.

I continued on with the elimination diet and while we sometimes saw some results I think the 6/7 hour stretches for a few nights were a fluke. We didn't go back to the 30-90 minutes but we never really got past the 2-3 hour stretch again. And the waking up screaming started again. We went to a pediatrician who said testing wasn't accurate for allergies and that what we were doing was the best way to test and deal with it.

Fast forward and I decided to stop drinking caffeine. We were getting ready to TTC again and I was feeling a bit off so I cut out my tea and coffee everyday. DD started sleeping 4 hour stretches every night for about 2 weeks. I decided to try nightweaning (DD is 18 months old now) and basically we have just cut out one nursing session (which only lasted maybe 2 minutes anyway) and now we are all sleeping at least 6-7 hours at a time. I have NO idea if caffeine is/was/could be the problem. It could also be that DD was just ready to sleep longer. We have just introduced some goat's milk yogurt and some lactose free cheese and so far she is still sleeping well. I'm hoping it continues!

So, there you have it. After 10 months of sleeping in 30-90 minute stretches (she slept long stretches for the first 6-7 months too) it looks like we might be changing it up over here. I can't believe I survived lol

Eta: We are currently trying for #2...crossing my fingers I get "a sleeper" this time ;) But if not, at least I know I can live through it!

[crayfishgirl]

Originally Posted by carmen358 

Just thought I'd update something. Someone suggested I try white noise for DD...I had her on my lap in bed last night and was listening to some on youtube (rain type white noise) and DD fell asleep without nursing! I tried it for her nap today and tonight at bedtime and she fell asleep both times without nursing. Her nap today lasted just under 2 hours and she didn't wake up the whole time (I sat with her but that is still a huge change for her!). It seems so strange to me that something that simple could help so much! Not sure what will happen tonight. I didn't leave it on all night last night and won't tonight either. If this keeps up I'm going to try her in the crib in our room for her naps.

Of course, now I'm all paranoid having googled and read about the possible language delays with being exposed to white noise as an infant...

I haven't read through all of this thread, but two things.  First, my DD was a horrible sleeper and would wake frequently and need soothing/nusring back to sleep (although she was high/is high needs during the day).  Gradually she slept for longer and longer, and when we night weaned at ~18 months (I was pregnant and it was uncomfortable and I needed sleep), she slept mostly through the night.  About a month ago, she started sleeping through the night, in her own room.  It does get better (although I'm still the only one that can soother her when she gets up in the night....if my husband goes in she completely freaks). 

Second, regarding the white noise and language.  Do not fret over it....Fiona has listened to white noise for sleeping all of her life (when she was small, it had to be super loud in order for her to sleep) and she has the vocabulary of a 7 year old, conjugates verbs correctly, and speaks in the appropriate tense.  I know an anecdote isn't data, but she's learning language from you, and if you're too tired from being up all night then you're not going to be the best teacher you can be. 

[crayfishgirl]

Annnnnd, I just read your update.  Glad its working out!

I just had my second, and he's a sleeper!!!  Its so outside what I know I'm still neurotic about it...is he sleeping too much?  Is he self soothing because we're not sufficiently soothing him?  Honestly, I wish we were going to have a third because I think I'll be really good at this whole motherhood thing by then!

[Filiz Dolar]

1.  It'll past dont worry :)

2. Dont feed her dinner right before bed, nursing is fine, but no dinner, she could have reflux

3. Eliminate what you think is causing her gas

4. Try to let her sleep with her head elevated a little

and 5.  Shes probablly teething still... i have the same 'sleep routine' and my son wakes up all the time when hes teething to the point where sometimes ill fall asleep with him nursing and wake up and he still has boob! (ouch lol) but mainly as I think we have all learnt as mothers is we have to be patient and it will eventually pass.  

Hang in there and good luck!

Keep us updated

[indigosky]

Harvey Karp, of Happiest Baby on the Block fame, recommends white noise through the night for at least 12 months, and during all naps. We did that (including in our own room when DD was sleeping with us -- we burned a CD of white noise and played it on continuous loop) -- I forget how old DD was when we phased it out -- but she slept better than most babies. I say, if you see an improvement, use the white noise!

I just Googled the study about the delays, and from what I can tell, there was a single study using baby rats that has never been duplicated, and the rats were exposed to white noise "continuously" -- I think that means all day and all night! I wouldn't jump to conclusions that a little white noise starting during sleep ONLY at 13 months causes a real risk of harm.

DD did begin to speak later than average. But now she's 3 1/2 and has TOTALLY caught up and is a smart chatterbox of a kid -- I see no evidence that she is behind any other kid her age, and wouldn't be surprised if she's ahead of many. We had her hearing tested as a toddler and it was perfect.

[Filiz Dolar]

I just read you update too (lol) I'm glad things worked out well congrats :D