HELP! why is he waking so much, not sure if I can take another night.

[connorsmama]

Hello Mama's, just wanted some advice. DS is 2 1/2, we co sleep with DD 2 mos. He has always woken a couple times a night, I can handle that. Lately he is waking more than dd. He has been waking like 5-6 times a night. He usually wakes up yelling "I want noo- noo" and his arms and feet are flailing about. I find this very disturbing to be awoken by kicks. Not to mention if he really gets going he wakes dd up and I have two crying. I am a tandem mama, but find it very difficult to nurse 2 at night. I guess I have lost my patience, he wakes up more than the baby! I am a single mama so my sleep is precious and I have no help at night. He has also began sleeping very close to me, like right up tight to me. I tell him mama needs her space and move him over but it never lasts. I have just been searching for why he is waking so many times now. He is not cold, too wet, hungry etc. Any ideas mama's? I am awoken like 8-10 times a night! I have thought of night weaning but not sure if he is ready, he has a hard time waiting 1 minute for his "noo noo" and has a complete meltdown if I tell him noo noo is sleeping. Then, again I have two crying babes!:(

[Embee]

Give it time (before nightweaning that is) and hang in there.

The first thing I think about when DS is waking a lot at night is what's changed in his life or what could possibly be changing. DS is a milestone waker. When he's getting to the next new and exciting place in life be it walking or words, it is always preceded by lots of night waking for "nunny." Growing up stuff, needing that extra from mom. 2 1/2 comes with lots of those changes. Also, you mentioned you have a new baby around. Perhaps he's taking some time adjusting to sharing you with one more beautiful babe? I haven't experienced it first hand as I only have one, but I've heard this story numerous times from moms adjusting from one to two--a good friend of mine could have very recently made your post practically verbatim. Things got better as time passed.

The reason I suggest not trying to nightwean is because it's probable that the cause is emotional rather than environmental. And one more change (especially a big one like night weaning) could further tip this apple cart. Is your son farely verbal? Perhaps you could talk with him about his nightwaking during the daytime hours, maybe try to get behind whats going on and figure out someway to come to a solution together.

Sorry I can't be of much more help. Hang in there!

[sarahwebb]

I think it's ok to night wean if that's what you're ready to do. I night weaned DS at nine months, and he's slept peacefully through the night for the most part since then. We did have one period where night waking became a problem again, and I decided that getting out of bed, walking and rocking him was encouraging the waking. I stopped getting out of bed with him and just soothed him in the bed. He cried a lot the first few nights then began sleeping through the night again. He is twenty months old now.

Best of luck,
Sarah

[AmandasMom]

My dd, who sleeps with us and is now 3.5 years, used to do the same thing, until we found out she was COLD, even in the summer. So now we make sure to put her in long sleeves, and long pants before bed. Also, when nightweaning her at around 2.5 years, when she would wake up asking for booba, I told her it's dark out and booba's are sleeping, but she can have water, which I had next to the bed. She was upset for a few days, but thats all. Ocassionaly she will wake up now and ask for water, drink some and go back to sleep.