Night-waking - how do you handle?

We moved into a new house a couple of months ago and were finally able to get our LOs in their own room. Since then, they've been sleeping 12-13 hours every night, without a peep.

Every once in awhile (maybe once a week, max, apiece) one of them wakes up in the middle of the night, anywhere from 1am - 3am. What's the best way to handle this? Truthfully, I'm lazy, so I just bring them into bed with me and let them nurse. After nursing for 10-15 minutes, I put them back in bed, and they are usually quiet. However, I'm almost positive that they are NOT hungry. Once in awhile, they don't even want to nurse (especially DD), they just lay with me for a few minutes and then quiet down, and either they fall asleep, or I put them back in their crib and they talk for a few minutes and go back to sleep.

I usually try to wait 20 minutes up to an hour, if they are just talking and not really crying before going into get them. They're not dirty and nothing seems wrong - they are just awake.

Should I wait longer, like over an hour, with them talking/fussing? When I leave them in there, it seems to get worse, so I am always hesitant to leave them much longer than 30 minutes, especially because I'm afraid they'll wake each other. In reality, they rarely wake each other up, but I still worry.

They are probably just having trouble learning that trick of going back to sleep after they wake up. Should I just try the old techniques of soothing, singing, patting their back, or whatever, but leave them in their crib? They are going through a stage right now, though, where they get very upset if they want you to pick them up and you don't. If they see me come into their room, they expect to be picked up.

 

Ugg, we've been dealing with a similar problem with Brandon. He had been STTN for about 1.5 months, then occasionally (once a week) he would wake between 12am and 2am for no apparent reason, and we would give him a little 4 oz bottle. Well this now seems to be a constant pattern as he has done this same thing for the past 4 nights in a row :headbang: Initially I just try to pick him up and cuddle him, which works for his brother's occasional night wakings, but that never works for Brandon and he starts getting very feisty and loud. So we just pop a bottle in his mouth to hush him up before he wakes his brother. After that he is usually not totally asleep but very drowsy, so we just put him in the minicrib in our room (with his brother still in the nursery) and Brandon fusses for maybe 5 minutes before going back to sleep.

I guess we are going to have to do CIO with Brandon when he wakes, which is something I have long dreaded. Not because I think it will harm him at this age, but because I figure he will wake up his brother and then they will both cry for a long time keeping DH and I up longer than we would be if we gave him a bottle. Maybe instead of letting Brandon CIO in his crib in the nursery, we'll get him up and bring him to our room as usual, but let him CIO in the mini-crib? Would that work good enough to break him of his night waking habit, as long as we don't give him a bottle?

ETA: Please answer the OP's questions first, as I didn't mean to hijack this thread

 

I am also curious to hear pp's advice on this issue because one of my LOs started waking up between 2-3am recently after STTN for the past month. I too have been "lazy" and just take her into bed with me when shushing/patting and the paci don't seem to work and I don't want her crying to get to the point where she wakes up her sister. They are in a co-sleeper next to my bed so it's that much easier to just reach over and pick her up. She will calm down and go back to sleep in the crook of my arm. Ideally I would like to break this pattern so look forward to hearing what others have done in this situation.

 

I go in, check and console them for a minute or two, without picking them up, and leave. I DO NOT return during that same wake-up, or it makes the crying worse. After 2 nights, the wake-up at that particular time would stop. If they seem to be in pain, I will give Tylenol and/or teething tablets at that time.

 

i don't have an answer but it could be wrose, my nephew would sleep walk in the middle of the night and pee on the coffee table or in a corner somwhere in the house abd that waas when he way about two.

 

The best way to deal with it, is to go in consol, then leave. Don't pick them up. You can go in afterward, but wait 5 mins, then 10 etc. My oldest had issues, and that is what I did. He went through it again at about a yr, and I let him CIO. We had 2 rough nights, then he was back to sleeping his nights. Good luck

 

Just wondering why you think there is a better way to handle it? SInce it's only once in awhile- if it doesn't bother you that much, why not continue as you are? Perhaps they just need reassurance in the new environment that you are still there if they need you. Mine are 6 months and still nurse 2-3 times a night. It's rare that they nurse longer than 10 minutes and they also usually go right back to sleep. If I am extremely exhausted I will nurse lying down and let them sleep next to me. It's not always the most comfortable for me, but DS2 in particular seems to need this for a few hours every so often, so I don't mind. ALthough I have an achy back in the morning, I do love that he finds snuggling up next to me so comforting. They are getting big fast so I enjoy these moments while I can.

 

Thanks! This was a great perspective. I think I do feel like this when it happens most of the time. I guess I was a little concerned that if I do let them nurse, we'll regress, and be back into the pattern of waking 1-2 times per night. I'm always tired anyway, so I relish my sleep when I get it. You're right, though - these are my last babies and I see every day that they are getting bigger, so I probably should enjoy it.

Thanks to the other posters, too - I'm not sure which way I will go, but I loved the replies!