BabyWhispererForums.com
SLEEP => General Sleep Issues => Topic started by: leesa001 on April 20, 2017, 23:26:49 pm
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I wasn't sure I should should start a new thread or keep with this one since it's been so long.
Baby is now 6.5 months.
When he was in his bassinet he was able to put himself to his sleep on his own. Since transitioning to a crIbig, he needs my help again to fall asleep. It is getting better day by day. Usually I will just walk around his room repeating "close your eyes, and go to sleep" and he will fall asleep without any touching from me, other days he still wants my help. Naps are good. He will usually have 2 1.5hr naps and most recently has been fighting his catnap. Which makes for a very long awake time at the end of the night and an extremely cranky baby.
His nights are still terrible. Still waking every 2 hrs. Sometimes less. I'm not sure what else I can do to get this child to sleep longer stretches.
Sometimes I feel as though he just wants my presence to fall asleep again.
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Hi leesa001,
My DD2 had the same issue around 5/6 months of age. What stood out from your post was that he's "fighting his catnap". Maybe he's trying to transition from 3 naps to 2 (e.g., dropping the catnap). What are his Activity times?
Here are some resources that really helped my DD2 transition to 2 naps per day (and giving us back long stretches at night! :)
All about the 3-2 transition- 5/6 months
Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!
Hope this helps!
V.
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He's been frequently waking since birth
I do feel he wants to drop the nap but isn't quite ready yet.
How do you work the feeds in?
I breast feed first and then give solids, but if baby is up for 3 hours you can't be on a 4 hour easy?
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With DD2, I did the following for each cycle:
BF after WU
Solids approx 1:00-1:15 after BF
A times were around 2:15-2:30ish. I followed her sleepy cues; she was pushing the A times out herself. Also, I noticed her sleepy cues were changing up a bit! :o
With the above general routine, I was still BF'ing her 4-5x per day.
With the longer A times, her naps were naturally extended to 1.5-2 hours. I would not let her nap longer than 2 hours. If her naps were 2 hours long, she was on a 4.5 hour EASY. And she was happy with that. I also started capping her catnaps too (they got shorter and shorter) until it was dropped completely.
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Forgot to mention:
While capping the catnap, I had to do a lot of APOP to get her to nap so that she wouldn't be OT before BT.
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So far I've increased A time especially to 2.5-3hrs. Naps remain ok
He has stretched his sleep now to 2.5-3 HR stretches. But I want him to sleep 4-5 AT LEAST. Any recommendations on how to approach this?
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Can you post his EASY schedule for the past few days? Maybe there's something there we can tweak a bit?
Looking back, I'm noticing that DD2 started giving me 7-10 hour night stretches once the CN was dropped. This coincided with her taking in more solids during her meals. I'm guessing the solids were helping her stay up longer during activity time, which helped drop her CN gradually. Is he still taking a CN?
V.
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E 7 nurse
E 8 solids
S between 930 to 10 for 1.5hrs
E 11 nurse
E 12 solids
S 130 to 2 for 1.5 hrs
E 3 nurse
S 5.30 try for a cat nap only for 30 min.
E 6 solids
Bath 630
E 7 nurse
S 730 to 8 depending on how fussy he is putting down to sleep
10 wakes to nurse
12 wakes give pacifier
1 wakes to nurse
3 wakes give pacifier
4 wakes nurse
7 or 730 wakes for the day
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Hey leesa001,
Looking at your routine, may need to try and drop that CN and stick with 2x naps at 1.5-2. Another way to try and get more calories into the day would be to give a snack, generally about an hour before nap time.
Also, it looks like he needs help with the pacifier for half of the NWs? Is he able to reach it and do it himself? I have no experience with pacifiers so all I can help with is trying to get rid of the night time feeds.Can you help him practice getting the pacifier into his mouth during the day? Maybe someone else on this forum can help with pacifier NWs?
Is LO 7 months old now? If so, can he make it 3 hour activity times? Reviewing what DD2 did, I pushed her 1st A time as much as possible. The 2nd and 3rd A times would be a bit shorter than the previous cycles, but by extending each A cycle time by 15, 10 or 5 mins, it helped her drop that CN (they would be 30 mins, then 20, 15 and then dropped altogether; lots of APOP during these short CNs).
Or, if it works for you and LO, you can skip the CN altogether and use an earlier BT. Details on how to do so here:
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=246541.0
What do you think? Does that make sense?
V.
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Thanks he used to not use the pacifier but it made no difference he would still wake up and want me.
Giving the pacifier he was able to resettle without nursing. He is slowly learning now to put it in his mouth himself.
In regards to the CN. It really depends if he sleeps the full 1.5 hrs sometimes he wakes ea4ly a5 the 40m and doesn't want to resettle.
But that is the goal.
Lately though he has been getting fussy at the 2 hour mark. But I know he can stretch to 3
His doctor told me not to feed him between 12 and 6am. That at hiss genes getting all his calories during the day Easier said then done!
He still wakes regardless of how much he eats.
He just wants me in the room while he falls asleep which I don't get because he can fall asleep independently during the day
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Oh and I have tried early bt, but he just wakes up earlier
Say if I put him to bed at 630 he wakes at 530
If 730 he wakes 630
And if 8 he wakes at 7 for the day
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I think I have a habitual waking problem .
What is the best wsy to approach it?
Should I try to focus on just stretching on segment of his sleep until he sleeps through that, and then go into the next, or should I tackle his entire night and only feed him every 4 hours or none at Alll?
Thanks
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Hey leesa001,
I'm not sure about the approach for habitual waking as I do not have any experience with this.
However, I did find this, created by moderator Creations:
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=223809.0
Maybe someone on this board can help with Habitual Waking. I've only read about "Wake to Sleep" method from Tracy's book.
V.
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Hi :) Just to offer another perspective. The things that jump out at me are:
1. Sometimes wakes at 40min and won't resettle - this is classic undertired for nap so he probably is ready for an increase in A time. Just 15min increments every 3-5 days until naps lengthen would work I think, in your current situation.
2. Waking 2hr after night feed and settling with paci - could be gas from gulping feed - paci helps to stimulate his bowels moving along due to the sucking. Is he bringing his legs up to his tummy? Burping well after feed can help (rub back rather than patting) as can a quick tummy massage when he wakes (start on the right down near his hip, move your hands up then across to his left then down to his left hip).
3. Difficulty falling asleep on his own at night - can be related to insufficient A time in the day. Can also be that there is less noise at night and white noise can help. Can also be that he's woken more than necessary if there is a light on during his feeds.
Honestly, if you can increase those A times in the day, the night will likely fall into place pretty easily.
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Thank you. A times have increased to 3 to 3.5 hrs.
Even before I introduced the pacifier he was waking every 2 hours. With the pacifier I am be able to extend his sleep.
He burps well after nursing, but I don't burp him after a night feed for fear it will stimulate him aND awaken him.
So far he has seems to have extended his sleep to about 3 hours at times.
He is now 7.5 months.
I have read and my doctor included suggested only offering water overnight so as it will determine Him from waking for a feed?
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If you can burp him by rubbing his back rather than patting it can be soothing and doesn't have to wake him. Either way, the gas will be more disruptive to his night sleep and yours so I'd suggest burping him after NFs too. You may find he doesn't wake as often.
Can you write out your EAS again so we can see what its like? Also can you describe NWs and what you do at each one?
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Wake and nurse 7
E 8 breakfast. Cereal and fruit
S 10 to 1130
E 1130 nurse
E 1200 lunch vegetables
S 230 or 3 to 4/430 here he may sleep 2 hours but most times less
E 3/4 nurse
E 530 dinner
6/630 bath
700 nurse and bed
1000 nurse
Last night he woke at 11, 1130, 1200 (nursed) , 100 (gave him camilia for teething) .130, 200 (nursed)
All other wakings I gave him a pacifier roll him onto his side and told him go to sleep .
He usually doesnt wake thisoften. Normally 4 times per night ,but is going through the 35week wonderweek at the moment and teething
During the day his activity is usually preoccupied with crawling around the house exploring. Playing with his toys, reading books, or going for a stroll.
As such, he has quite an appetite during the day, and enjoys eating solids.
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All other wakings I gave him a pacifier roll him onto his side and told him go to sleep .
Does he just roll over and go back to sleep fine? Is he upset at all when he wakes?
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Yes he will half the time roll over ans go straight back to sleep. If the pacifier doesn't work and he is upset I will try to offer him water, but that usually makes him more upset because he just wants the boob. I will only offer three breast if it's been at least 2hrs since his last feeding.but I'm trying to stretch this out
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is going through the 35week wonderweek at the moment and teething
I think his might be a large part of your answer.
Something else to consider would be whether there is wind pain involved - are you burping him after feeds? If you're just out of a growth spurt, he may be taking in a bit more air than usual at night feeds til he gets used to your increased flow and/or it reduces a bit following the GS.