My 3 month old is struggling with getting back to sleep after that 25 minute startle. He was an alright sleeper until he decided he was done with swaddling so now he sleeps on his back not swaddled. I look for the 3 yawns and then around yawn 2 or 3 we head to his room change his diaper and then plug in his soother and just snuggle for about 2-3 minutes and I put him in his crib when he is in that 10 mile stare. He sleeps for 25-35 minutes and then his arms start flailing and his soother falls out and his eyes shoot open and I spend the next hour trying to get him back to sleep with soother plugs or my hand on his chest or holding his hands. He often will almost drift off and then he will have another startle and then we start the process all over again.
If he ever starts crying he is almost impossible to get back to sleep unless you hold him for at least 30 minutes and then put him back in his crib. When he is held he sleeps for 2 or 2.5 hours.
He often starts yawning at the 30 min mark of being awake but I try to keep him awake until the hour mark and then wait for the another yawn so that is usually 1 hr 15 min. Here is his schedule:
E - 8:15 am
A - 8:30
S - 9:30 am (sleeps until 10 but I try and put him back to sleep until at least 11 sometimes 11:30)
E - 11 am
A - 11:15
S - 12:30 (sleeps until 1 and I try to get him back to sleep until 3 or I will hold him until then)
E - 3
A - 3:15
S - 4:30 (He sleeps until 5 and then I try until 5:30 but its a busy time for me)
E - when he wakes up
A - play and bath time, pjs, lotion, a book and hugs and kisses to daddy and his sister
S- he is so tired by 6:30 but I try and hold him off until 7 but he will only sleep if we hold him to sleep. We have tried to put him in awake and he won't even fall asleep for the 25 minutes. We have tried pupd, shhh and putting our hand on his chest as soon as we put him in his crib again (either when he is relaxed or when he just stops crying) he starts bawling again. He gets so worked up and he won't stop until I feed him (which I try to hold him off until 9)
I think he is way overtired by then end of the night. But I am wondering once he wakes up after the 25 minute mark what should I do? Does his awake time start then once he wakes up at the 25 minute mark or after I finally get him out of his crib? Sometimes after the 25 minutes I can get him to sleep but not in a deep sleep or only for 5-10 minutes at a time?
PLEASE HELP!!!
