Brill Sleeper Suddenly Waking Through the Night

[Beed]

Hi All

Wonder if you can help me shed some light here.  My 4 month old has been sleeping through the night since 10 weeks but for the last 2 weeks she has started waking upto 4 times a night.  She doesn't have a dummy so it's not that she needs it putting back in.  She isn't hungry I don't think as the times I did feed her she would still wake and so now I don't bother and she settles with me either popping her on her side again or (if she's already there) just rubbing her back.  But then she continues to wake and I have to go in again.

She is dribbling like a maniac and chewing everything in sight but doesn't wake with a pain cry.  Is this developmental waking?  She can roll onto her front and has been able to since 8 weeks but she doesn't do it at night.......

I am exhausted as have a 3 1/2 year old too so the last two nights I've been popping her in bed with me and each time she wakes I've just rubbed her back and she goes straight off - it's almost like a 'are you still there?' type of thing.  I don't know what to do now!!!

Here is her usual daily routine:

7am Milk 6oz
9am Sleep
11am Milk 6oz
1pm Sleep
3pm Milk 7oz
5pm Cat nap
6pm Bath
6.30pm Milk 8oz (sometimes 2oz of this is given just before bath to get her through)
7pm Sleep

She is not waking at the same time every night either.

Please help before I run out of steam completely!!

Thanks

[Beed]

Bump!

Another dreadful night. 

Gave Calpol at bedtime (7.00) after 8oz formula. 

Dreamfeed at 10.15 (4oz).

Woke at 2am - Lay hand on back.  Went off to sleep straight away.

Woke at 2.15am - put hand on back - went off to sleep straight away.

Woke at 3.45am - husband attended (not sure what happened!)

Woke again (husband not sure what time!!)

Woke at 5am - Put Bonjela on gums, lay hand on back.  Wouldn't re-settle so naughtily through shear exhaustion popped her in bed with me - I know it's the wrong thing to do but can't take much more!

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease advise, I am a zombie.......

x

[Tweakster]

HI there, just to clarify, how long are her naps?  Your routine looks like 2x 2 hr naps + 1 hr CN?  Is that correct?

[Beed]

Oh Wendy, thank you so much for replying!

I was just talking to my Health Visitor who told me there was no magic answer and to let her cry it out!!!!

Her naps are about 1.5 hours each and, if she has one, her catnap is about 30 - 45 mins.

Am I doing the right thing just placing my hand on her? 

xx

[Shiv52]

I was just talking to my Health Visitor who told me there was no magic answer and to let her cry it out!!!!

UGH!  HVs!!  Mine told me the same thing and i had to politely tell her that that wasn't an option for me and yes there were other ways to help her sleep!  Helps to keep in mind they mostly give their opinion, not give evidence based advice.  Mine also advised me to give skips crisps as finger foods when i started solids! 

Placing your hand on her to settle her is fine just so long as you know eventually the aim is to get her to resettle.  How long do you leave her for before resettling?  Is she crying when she wakes?  Its an easier way to fade than feeding or always taking into bed.  And i totally understand taking her into bed at 5am, BTDT. 

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.msg476652#msg476652
3 months 1 hour and 20 - 30 mins
4 months 1 hour and 45 - 2 hours

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=85130.0
4-6 months                                                           Two naps, 2-3 hours each OR;
Gaining mobility                                                       3 naps; 2 2hr naps & 1 45min catnap
                                                                                10-12 hours at night

I think she probably needs more daytime sleep to get her through as I think she is getting OT throughout the day and that could possibly be contributing to the night wakenings. 

Have you tried an earlier bedtime?  With a CN she is still doing 2.30 Atime which is a lot for her age.  Have you tried bed even 15-20 minutes earlier?  You mentioned if she takes a CN its 30-45 minutes, what happens if she doesn't take a CN.  Is she awake then from the end of her second nap until 7pm bedtime? 

{{{hugs}}}

[babybarr]

I was going to say the same as Shiv sounds like she's a little OT esp. with all those nws even if they are brief.  Do you still do the same bedtime even if she doesn't have a catnap?  Have you tried paracetamol at bedtime as you said she is dribbling loads - a little early for teeth (or maybe not Wendy? ) but could be those first ones coming through.

I assume you haven't started solids yet? and are her bowels etc normal?

[Beed]

Hi

So today, she had a nap of 1.5 hours this morning and 1 hour 45 this afternoon, then 45 mins tonight before bath.
So you think she needs a nap of at least 2 hours twice a day plus catnap?  Do I have to do ssshh/pat then if she wakes after 1.5 hours?  Then by the time she re-settles it would be time to feed her again?
The thing I don't get is that the routine I've been doing has been working for the last 6 weeks, surely she would have needed more sleep 6 weeks ago?

Yes, I gave her Calpol last night just before bed.  Tonight I think I might give it to her just before dream feed and see if that carries her through longer - if it is her teeth bothering her.  A friend suggested giving her cooled boiled water in the night if she isn't hungry, she might just be thirsty??? 

No, I haven't started her on solids yet.  I did start DS at 4.5 months though.  I also put him on Hungry Baby formula.  However, this little lady makes it difficult to get the whole bottle down her anyway.  She'll do 2oz, burp and then fuss for ages on it, have a break and finish the rest after a while!!!  Very frustrating!
 
She has been doing about 4 bowel movements a day which are a bit runny tbh.  This is another reason I suspected teeth.  Starting an earlier bedtime is a bit difficult with a 3 1/2 year old because of dinner time etc.  I'll try and give it a go though. 

Dreading night times these days!

xx

[babybarr]

I think those naps are ok - but I have a short napper so I guess I would think that lol!

Hopefully with a bit more sleep and a slightly earlier bedtime you'll get a better night.  Fingers crossed anyway.