I started back at work about 3 weeks ago, full-time, and my husband is staying home with the baby. The baby (8 months) did sleep exceptionally well, through the night, 12 hours at a time, for months before I returned to work. She was a dream to put to bed in the evening. We hardly EVER had a problem with her. Now, however. . . About every second to third night she either refuses to go to bed (wants to hang out with the big people, which is fine because she's typically not grumpy or fussy), or goes to bed and wakes up 2-3 times in the night. When she wakes in the night, sometimes she is inconsolable and cries for 20 minutes. Other times I can just nurse her and she goes back to sleep.

I think she misses time with me and closeness with me. She won't eat for my husband during dinner, if I'm there, and she cries when we go for an evening walk and she goes in her stroller (but she's fine during the day with my husband). So, I've started putting her in a carrier for walks and carrying her around the house as soon as I get home from work, and basically stay by her side all evening. This has been improving her disposition in the evening, but the sleep is not necessarily improving.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm TIRED. I'm up at 5:30 for work and don't get home until 6. Bed is often at 11, so waking baby is not helping!!!