4mo transition to 3 naps / still happy awake for 2hrs at 3AM!

[stefwef]

LO is 16 weeks ebf and wearing 9mo clothes (so a big baby).

We were doing great on a 1.5-1.45A time 4-nap routine then the last nap was harder and harder to get, and we had some happy 1.5hr night wakings so we switched to a 1.45-2hr A time with 3.5hr feed and then 2hr A time with 4hr feeds. We were doing great for about a week, then the night wakings started happening again but now they are 2hrs long! Now the schedule is all over the map because if she is awake from 3-5 and I try to wake her at 7 she invariably can't do the 2hr awake time, and if I let her "sleep in" all the feeds happen before naps and all the naps are pushed out. So I started feeding upon waking AND at the regular time before naps. Hence we're back to feeding every 2 hrs! How do I fix this, and what's causing the happy night waking? I feel like she's very confused about what's night and day all over again!

Here is where we were at:

7AM wakeup / feed
A time 2hrs

9AM nap for 1.5-2hrs
10:30AM wakeup/feed
A time 2hrs

12:30PM nap for 1.5-2hrs
2:30 wakeup/feed
A time 2 hrs

4:30 feed & 30min-45min catnap (this usually happens at the playground for our toddler's sanity)
after 6 last feed
6:30 bath
7 asleep in bed

Was waking 1-2 times to feed.


Here is what last night looked like:

7 asleep in bed
12 woke/nursed/back to sleep
3AM woke /nursed/happy waking / rocked for over 1 hr and would not go down!
5AM back to sleep

7:40AM woke/nursed
A time 1:45hrs
9:30AM nap - 2hrs
11:30AM awake / nursed

A time 1:45hrs
1PM nursed (else I feared she would wake hungry)
1:15 nap - we are here now. I'm not sure how to proceed with the rest of the day!

Any advice most appreciated!

[trimbler]

(((Hugs))) you,must be tired! I'm a bit confused as to why the NWs are resulting in you feeling you need to feed every 2h, but it's actually not uncommon for LOs to get a little top up before naps if that's what you feel she needs, don't worry about it. You've got the 4mo growth spurt and sleep regression going on I'm afraid... And a wonder week thrown in for good measure Resulting in tough times for pretty much every parent - just so you know you're not alone!

But I have a hunch that you may also need to push her A times a little further to move that wakeful time during the night back into daytime hours. Which may lead to some OT in the process since as you say, she'll want to catch up with lost night sleep with shorter A times. Do you have any props you can use to catch up if, say, you push the first A time and it backfires with a short OT nap? Take them both to the park and let her sleep in the pram/sling for example, would that get you a long nap?

[stefwef]

Thank you so much for your advice. Well, it seems the A time is more or less correct but there's definitely a regression going on as she now wakes early from naps and is clearly trying to sit up. She wakes more at night too and is harder to settle in general. I'm hoping this will pass quickly! We go away for a week in a few days so things are bound to go haywire before they get better. We also need to transition her to her crib and then unswaddle her, and that will be loads of fun I'm sure!

Unfortunately this kiddo has also decided this week that she won't sleep easily outside anymore. She used to sleep in the carrier on me, but now nothing will settle her outside. Too much to see and do! I'm not sure how we're going to carry on with her older sister in the afternoons if baby doesn't get with the program (she was up 3.5hrs straight yesterday - smiling the whole time - as she refused to sleep on me at the park, but clearly clearly OT at EBT).

The only props that will work are the swing and the boob (and even the boob at the park yesterday was not working!!!).

[trimbler]

With going out, can you block out visual stimulation for her? I found this to work quite well with DD in the sling, I never got her to nap well in the pram!

I do still think you're going to need to push A times during the day, 4mo is the time when many of us find we suddenly need to push but don't quite believe it Waking up earlier from naps and having NWs can often be a sign that they need more A time, also being harder to settle. You're right that 2h is on the upper end of average for her age but they're all different and you may well find that she needs longer. The regression will pass but her A times will still increase. Try increasing the first one to start with and see how she does, but you'll probably need to do something really calming just before as her body will still be expecting to sleep at the old A time so she'll be acting especially tired.

Btw I'm away for a couple of days and won't be on here, will check again Saturday night but not ignoring you in the meantime!