From once a night to every hour or less

[Molsmum]

My LO is 4 months old and used to sleep from about 7.30pm to 7am with one wake for a feed.  She would then go straight back to sleep.  For the last four nights she has had her last feed (7ish) and then woken up about 2 1/2 - 3 hours later and then every 45mins-hour.  The first night I could get her back to sleep by putting my hand on her tummy but now nothing works.  I've tried her teddy that makes sounds from the womb (always used to work), a pacifier, picking her up, talking to her.  Basically I do everything I know I shouldn't but PU/PD just makes her scream louder until she doesn't stop when picked up.  I ended up feeding her just now but she took 3oz and fell asleep and couldn't be woken to drink any more.

Despite best attempts at a routine she generally wakes at 7am and had feeds (bottle) every 4 hours. There are no set times apart from feeds but she has eat, activity, sleep, activity. Naps (3 of them) are rarely more than 45-105 minutes which I know isn't long enough but I can't extend them.  Usually she is very alert and happy during activity time.  I was worried she wasn't eating enough but health visitor assured me she was fine and she is gaining weight well.  So nothing has altered with naps or feeding.

She has recently moved from a moses basket to her cot but slept fine the first few nights.  Apart from sleeping in a cot nothing has changed so at a loss as to what has caused these wakings.  Oh and the first night she did this was the night after I attempted first dreamfeed but wouldn't have thought that could trigger wakings.  Clutching at straws for an explaanation. 

I'm already exhausted so the thought of facing more nights like this has me in tears.  My DH is also likely to be going away for 8 weeks and I know I won't be able to cope on my own so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you and apologies for the waffle.

[Molsmum]

I forgot to add that she is now getting up at least an hour earlier.  This morning it was 5.20am and we couldn't get her back to sleep until 7am so there was no hope of a routine!!  Off to bed now, well for a few precious minutes.

[Colin Macs Mom]

Does she have any developmental things going on - rolling? 4 mo is often when that milestone starts showing up in some form, and it's usually tough on sleeping.

[Molsmum]

She rolls onto her side and from tummy to back but not back to tummy yet.  Watched her last night and she isn't rolling just thrashing.  Her legs were swaddled so she was arching her back.  Swaddling meant she got back to sleep more on her own.
The last 2 nights have followed the same pattern to within minutes.
Bed - 7 - 7.30pm
Wakes at 10.30 - back to sleep with hand on tummy and shushing
11.15 - screams until fed takes 3oz
Then wakes every 40 - 45 minutes and sometimes needs me to help her get to sleep and sometimes on her own.
3.15 am - screams until fed
Awake every 40-45 mins until  7am when we get up.

Could it be that she sometimes has a pacifier to help her sleep although we never let her have one at bedtime.
Thank you

[Colin Macs Mom]

The paci could have something to do with it, but I think it's more the rolling. That in-between phase where they can roll back to tummy but not the other way is hard on sleeping.

The only other thing I would think... is it possible she has reflux, even slightly?

[linfran]

Another possibility - teeth?

[Molsmum]

Thanks for your replies.  I've thought for a while that Molly might be teething.  I'll definitely check about the reflux too.  Would the rolling account for the timings as her waking is like clockwork all night every 40-45 minutes.
Oh well as long as she's OK sure we can ride this one out.  Thanks