6mths - 3 wks old - nw + 3am wake up!! :o

[MommytoLissandra]

My dd started doing her night very early on, but at around 3-4 mths she started nw.

So I got the BW book and put her on a 4 EASY from 7-7.

Everything was great, the naps took a while, but she finally slept 2hrs naps x2 a day, and was sleeping through the night.

About a month ago, she got and ear & throat infection, and woke up one morning at 8am, so I switch her routine from 8-8 on the request (or should I say demand, after many fights) of my IL's and then DH (long story short....family g2g every friday...IL's want to spend time with her...brother & sister's only arrive around 7....now summer...hubby works till 7:30...wants to see dd....no alternative, but to change routine.))

So now, because of all the fights ect. her bedtime got screwed up, sometimes it was 7:30, 8, 8:30, 9, and even 9:30!! and of course she doesn't sleep throught the night, several nw, ending up in me feeding her!

Now a month later, I tried putting her bedtime back to 7, latest 7:30, but she still wakes around 10-12 for df, then usually wakes again around 1-2, and is up by 5:30-6:30. But last night she woke up at 3:30 and didn't go back to sleep till her morning nap at 9:30. Was full of energy, talking, playing with hair and tapping shoulder, when trying to put her back to sleep. (oh I need to add the last week, we both had a cold, still do, but getting better)

So I'm at a loss on what to do....should I put her to bed later? Should I stick to her previous bedtime of 7, and keep fighting with the hubby, and have her routine screwed up every friday when she goes to bed at 8-8:30.

Why is she waking up at 3 fully awake and playfull? Is this due to milestone, cold, solids (sometimes very gasy)

Please help a sleepless mommy for the last 2mths get some sleep!!

I find myself being short tempered, somethimes even with my LO, and I really dont want that!

Thanks in advance!!!

[MommytoLissandra]

oh her schedule..is like this excluding wake up time and bedtime that have been varying...

7am - breastf
8am - breakfast (cereal)
9am - nap
11am - breastf
12pm - lunch (veggies)
1pm sometimes 2pm - nap
3pm-4pm breastf
5pm - supper (cereal)
6:30 bath, book, quiet play

[Colin Macs Mom]

The first thing that I see is that she's already on 3 meals - when did you start solids?    I would bet anything that she's getting gas and tummy upset from all that, which most always results in night wakings. I would definitely cut back to one, maybe two meals and do them at breakfast and lunch, no dinner yet. If you're doing rice cereal, I'd also switch to oatmeal as it's easier to digest.

It sounds like you already know that the routine is messed up and needs consistency. I know how hard it is with family involved, but you've got to take control and let them know how things are going to be. You're the parent and therefore you make the decisions, not them. Of course they want to see her and that's great, but I'd think they want what's best for her and a 9:30 bedtime is certainly not it. Could the gathering begin earlier and end earlier? Surely there must be a way to compromise.

So, you need to choose between 7 - 7 or 8 - 8 and stick to it. We did 8 - 8 for a looong time with Colin and it was fabulous 

[MommytoLissandra]

Hi Colin Mac's Mom,

I started cereal at 5mths on my Ped. recommendation, but I started very slowly, then I introduced veggies at 6mths, and will introduce fruits soon (approx. 7mths).

Ped. suggested waiting 3-4 wks bf introducing new food group.

I'd say she takes approx. 3-4 tbsp cereal every feeding, and veggies 1/3 of a jar (2 kinds of veggies = 1/3).
I started with rice cereal, but now switch inbetween rice and barley, I was told to wait till 7 mths bf introducing oatmeal, I forget why...something in the oatmeal??

I noticed the gas she gets is often due to the new vegetable I introduce...exp. Butternut squash a deadly companion to gas LOL!! I will try and reduce her intake at dinner time, will talk about it also with my Ped. and see the results.

Could she possibly be going through seperation anxiety at this age?? It could also be teething, expect for the night before, she wasn't in pain, she was just awake!!

Unfortunetly, as for compromising with the IL's, there is no other option...long story!
But have made a compromise of making her routine 8-8.
Last night went a bit better she woke at 1 (fed her ) and 3:30 was able to put her back to sleep with 2x PU/PD at two 30min intervals, and she woke up at 7am, but her nap this morning was only 30min???? I will be sticking to a 7-8 routine, till she finally sleep till 8! It had worked in the pass.

Anymore insight or ideas?!?
TIA

[Colin Macs Mom]

She's quite a bit too young yet for any separation anxiety. I think it's more a problem of the solids and being overtired.

[momofclaire]

I also think you may be dealing with overtired.  Most 6 month olds take 2, 1.5 hour naps and a 45 min cat nap.  I think you may need to move bedtime a bit earlier.