Recently restless and moaning throughout the night

My muchkins have been pretty decent nighttime sleepers, though we have always battled early wake-ups (6am or earlier). We try not to go to them until 6:30am and they generally spend that time happily chatting away. Bedtime is between 6:30 and 7pm, depending upon what time they wake up from their one nap which starts just before noon. They sometimes sleep just 2 hours (bad days!) or sometimes over 3 hours (good days!).

But, the last week or so has been awful for nighttime sleep. It has been getting progressively worse. They are really restless from 1am onward...sometimes they amp up to full-blown crying, but most of the time they are just really restless and moaning. Last night, DS moaned off and on between 1am-3am. I finally went in around 3am to see if he had a poopy diaper...nope. I rolled him back over and covered him up...seemed to work. But, then DD started moving a lot and so I went in again, covered her back up and told her night-night. She started repetively banged her legs on the mattress, mostly moaning but never really crying. I went in AGAIN (which I hardly ever do!) to see if she had a poopy diaper...nope. I then covered her up again, gave her a kiss and then left. We listened to another hour of leg banging and moaning before she fell asleep. And I slept a total of 4 hours last night...I am running on fumes here at work.

So, can anyone help? Would you quit going in if they aren't crying?? We hear them over the baby-monitor making noise and that wakes us...I keep thinking if I go in and make sure there are no poopies, they aren't too cold, they aren't too hot, they aren't standing up, they aren't (insert whatever here), then they will just fall back asleep and we will all be happy. Maybe I am making it worse by going in?

I don't know what I am looking for in terms of advice. I just want them to cut those dang molars/eye teeth that I swear they have been working on for the last TWO months (I am tired of using that excuse around my husband and nanny). And DH wanted to know if there was a 14 month sleep regression DD is also finally learning to walk, so I know that can mess with good sleep patterns.

Any insight? Words of wisdom? Commiseration??

(sorry for the long post)

 

Could it be teething? Mine get really restless when they are teething (and those molars are just awful!). My DD was doing something similar to this a few weeks ago where she'd just cry for no reason we could discover. After about a week of waking all of us up, she gradually started doing it less & then it finally went away. Hopefully, your kids will go back to being good sleepers very soon!

 

It could be their molars. Have they had a cold recently? If so they might have an ear infection.

My one guy has been waking a lot at night as well. I took them in for their flu shot today and she said he had some congestion in his nose and told me to give him some claritin or zyrtec before bed. His nose has been running, but it was not constant and last night when I went in to check on them I noticed he was sleeping with his mouth open. He may have allergies.

Even when they cry, I don't go in there for at least 5 minutes. In that time they can usually go back to sleep by themselves.

You can try giving them motrin or tylenol tonight at bedtime and see if that helps.

 

Yes, my guys do this as well sometimes. It doesn't often escalate to full-blown crying, so I usually let it go. I do have to admit that some nights after an hour or so of of moaning I will turn the monitor way down. I figure if they actually wake enough to really cry I'll be able to hear them without the monitor. :blush:

 

I would suggest turning off the monitor or maybe just down A LOT! Maybe go in after they've been crying for about 5-10 minutes to check for peeing through their diaper. I have to say my boys RARELY have a poopy diaper upon waking up.

Could they be dreaming? One of my guys at times will full out cry and then nothing. . .

I haven't ever heard of the 14 month sleep regression, I'll have to look that one up!
Good luck!

 

Okay...so far the consensus seems that if they are just moaning, I probably don't need to check on them. A co-worker said that in her book, "moaning = teething."

We haven't had anything resembling a cold...so it's unlikely an ear infection. Good thought, though!

And as far as giving Tylenol, for whatever reason my DH (who is a scientist!) thinks there needs to be major signs that they really need it...like vigorous gnawing on fists or near-tantrums before bed. To be honest, there are times when I just give it to them without mentioning it to him...maybe tonight will be one of those nights, too.

 

I´d give the meds and see what happens. I had a really rough night a few nights back and swore I wouldnt have a repetition of it as I have 8am classes to give & was ill myself! For the last few nights I´ve been giving my LOs Ibuprofen at dinner and it´s helped a lot. Both my LOs have had new teeth come in this week and have a touch of a cold (runny noses, slight cough). I also started putting them in their sleep sacks again and the nights have been soooo much better. GL!