My 6 month old wakes constantly after being a good sleeper

by Sam
(UK)

Question: My baby has been a good sleeper for a few months. He usually goes to bed between 6.30 and 7.30pm, and wakes from 7am to 6am usually. Sometime he would wake once/twice for a dummy and went straight back to sleep.

He had a mild cold 2 weeks ago and since then he wakes constantly (can be every hour or half hour at the worst). Sometimes giving him his dummy and comforter works and other times he screams until i cuddle/rock him.

He has also started trying to sleep on his side and seems to wake when he rolls back. I've tried teething gel and calpol and they seem to work for a bit but not long.

I don;t know if hes teething, hes still ill, the rolling is waking him up or hes just being a pain lol! Help!?

Heidi's Answer: Dear Sam,

It's not easy to say just like that if it's still from the cold, or if it is teething, the rolling, ...

Probably it's even a combination.

First of all, check for signs of teething and use some of the simple (but efficient) teething remedies for relief.

You may also find helpful ideas on the baby cold page.

A well-fitting sleeping bag can help with the trouble from rolling over.

Other than that, your best bet right now is to stick to the habits and routine you had when putting him down and getting him back to sleep if he wakes.

Of course also keep night awakenings short and boring: when you intervene, don't switch on any light don't interact more than necessary, don't hesitate to put him back ...

You could experiment a little with his nighttime bedtime, sometimes a shift back or forth of 30-60 minutes can change the whole night. And keep naps during the day regular and consistent, that helps as well.

In all, it feels to me like a minor phase that will pass without much difficulty if you keep relaxed and stick to the good habits you had, combined with relieving any discomfort (teething, cold, ...) as much as possible

Good luck!
Heidi