My 3 1/2 month old has been waking at 5.30am several times lately - after sleeping through to 6.30 or 7 am for 3 weeks. So far I've always fed her - not sure if it's the 3 month growth spurt, so i've given here the benefit of the doubt. She fed but I'm not sure if she was really that hungry. One day she woke at 4.30am really hungry - (gulped for 20 mins), other days at 5.30am and the occasional 6.30 or 7. After the 4.30am wake up I tried feeding every 2 - 2.5 hrs for 2 days, thinking it was a growth spurt - but that day became a bit of a mess and I wasnt' sure if she took enough because she wasn't really hungry at some feeds. Now I'm not sure what to do about the night waking.
It all seemed to start after she started cooing. One morning she woke at 5am, cooed and talking to herself then she went back to sleep (I didn't go to her). The next night the cooing turned to more emotional sounding whimpering sort of coo-crying but not full-out crying. How long should I wait before going to her? I feel like I'm leaving her to cry if I wait for full-out crying, it's whimpering/whining but gets to sound more desperate. Not sure if this is a mantra cry or not?? Am I going to her too soon?
I'm not sure if I should be starting to do pu/pd or stick with shush-pat. Each time she wakes with the whimpering cry I try shush-pat but it hasn't calmed her so I've fed her.
At bedtime she's harder to settle now. should I be using pu/pd now instead of shush-pat? Now that she can find her hands she tries to suck them but it seems to distract her. I swaddle her but if I leave her hands in, she's frustrated trying to find them. If I leave one hand out, it seems to distract her and she's hard to settle. If I do pu/pd, should I only pu if it's a full-out cry. I think she's doing a mantra cry, kind of a protest cry when I put her down. It used to take about 10-20 mins to settle her with shush-pat but now she could stay awake for ages fiddling with her hands. (She was using a dummy/pacifier but she's not interested in it any more. She virtually never went to sleep sucking it, usually only sucked it for a couple of minutes then released it when calm. I've virtually stopped using it - only during the day when out if very upset).
If I left she'd eventually cry. Do i leave and wait for her to cry then come back in, or do I try to shush-pat her - it takes ages if she's distracted with her hands. I'm also not sure what to do at naptime. One night she was sucking her hands to soothe herself but she just gets frustrated with her hands now, she's rooting trying to put her hand in but not quite being successful.
To make it all harder we've got family from overseas staying for a month, and we're currently with them on holiday out of town for 10 days - using a portacot - she's adjusted to that ok. So I don't want to start any major nap-extending pu/pd stuff till they've gone. But I don't want to get into bad habits re rushing into her after a nap/night waking etc.
How old is your child? 3 1/2 months
What’s his/her daily routine? 2.5 - 3 hr EASY. Only does 45 min naps so often becomes 2.5 hrs and EASA. If I'm out with buggy or car she might sleep longer but no guarantee. She's been on EASY since 4 weeks, but I've only started doing a consistent wake-up time of 7am for the last 3 weeks or so. Prior to that I waited till she woke, or woke her if still asleep at 8.30.
Times are approx, depends how long it takes to settle her for naps.
E 7 wake up, change nappy/diaper and feed
A 7.45
S 8.30 (45 mins)
E 9.30
A 10
S 11 (45 mins)
E 12.30
A 1
S 2 (45 mins)
E 3 / 3.30
A 3.30
S 4.30 / 5 (45 mins) Doesn't always have this nap if too overtired and hard to settle.
E 6.30
A 7 bath
E 7.30 feed (usually small top-up)
S 8. could take 20 - 30 mins to settle her
E 11 Dream Feed
Wakes any time 5.30 - 7. Several times have had to wake her at 7.
What’s nap routine? Shut curtains, sit on bed and sing lullaby, bed. If at home, always in her bassinette.
How long are naps? 45 mins unless out in buggy or car, and that's no guarantee
What's bedtime routine? Feed, bath, feed, music, sit on bedside and sing lullaby, bed.
Time? about 8pm
Do you bottle or breastfed?? Breast
How much? or how long? Usually about 20 mins
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed) Usually both
How many wakes per night? 1 or none
What’s your LO like when waking at night? Whimpering turns into emotional-sounding calling out, but not full-on cry. When I went to her she smiled looked happy then cried when I tried shush-pat/ How long is he/she up? I tried 5 mins of shush-pat then fed her, so about 1/2 hr
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Fussing Or is it a mantra cry? not sure
What have you tried to settle?? shush-pat
What do you do for A time and how long is it? play on play-gym, reading books, looking out window, talking, singing. Incl feed total is about 1.5 hrs.
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? Cooing. Found her hands
Have you introduced cereal? No.
Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months)
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? Was using a dummy (pacifier) but not interested any more. Virtually never went to sleep sucking it, usually released it when calm. If I offer it now, she spits it straight out. So I've virtually stopped using it - only offer it during the day when out if very upset - and generally not interested.
Do they have a lovie? no
Help please! I would be grateful for any suggestions.
