Waking more and more........

[mandzi]

Hi,

I posted the other day about my 3 /12 month old waking in the night.  She used to wake just once but is now more often than not waking twice.  I was feeding her every two hours during the day and it seems this was a little too much for her age so now have her on a four cycle which is working quite well.  Only problem is that she will only ever have naps of 45 mins   unless we're out walking in the buggy.
Here's her routine:
6.30am - feed
7.30am - nap 45 mins
9.00am - nap 45 mins
10.30am - feed
11.15am - nap 45 mins
12.30am - nap 45 mins
2.00pm - nap 30 mins
2.30pm - feed
3.00pm - nap 45 mins
4.30pm - feed
6.30pm - bath
7.00pm - feed
7.30pm - bed
2am - feed
5.00am - feed

She is sucking her thumb to settle herself so does moan for a few mins but then she drops off.  I try and squeeze another nap in between 5 - 6.30pm as shes pretty shattered by bathtime but she wont have any of it  .  I was really hoping that moving her to 4 hour feeding would help the nights.  Sadly the biggest feed of the day that she has is the 2am when she appears to be starving hungry  .  She will just feed and go back to sleep which is fine but wakes for her 5am feed all wide eyed and ready to play?!!!!  Help!!!!!!

[Shdef]

Oi, that looks like too many naps 

How about that:

E: 6.30 am awake and feed
A: 6.30-8
S: 8-9.30 am nap

E: 9.30 am awake and feed
A: 9.30-11
S: 11.00-12.30 pm

E: 12.30 pm awake and feed
A: 12.30 - 2 activity
S: 2-3.30

E: 3.30 pm feed
A: 3.30 - 5
S: 5 pm possibly catnap (?) 45 min

E: 5pm feed
A: 5-6.30

bedtime routine

6.30 bath, PJ's feed

7 pm bed..

that would be a three hour cycle. I would start with that cause her A-time is quite short...

If you want a routine for a four hour cycle, give us a shout, but that would probably be only 3 naps instead of four.

For extending the naps I'd use either w2s, where you stir her gently 20 min or so after she went down for her nap (that could solve the sproblem because she will be in a different kind of sleep after 45 min) or  you go in BEFORE she usually wakes up and pop in her dummy or pat her gently, or I would do the transition in the buggy and have have long naps there and then move to bed (which is what we did, but it's not for everyone)

It does look as if she is a bit over tired from the short naps, with longer ones she may sleep better at night. The 5 am waking looks like early waking to me, could be from the overtiredness???

I'd give her a quick feed and then gently pat her back and stay next to her bed until she is back to sleep until 6.30...

Good luck!

[momofclaire]

Steffi has given you great advice.

At 3.5 months I would bet she would need a short cat nap to get her through until bedtime. So the evening would look like this.
5:00 cat nap (30min)
5:30 eat (cluster)
6:30 eat
7:00 bed

Hope that helps.
Myia

[mandzi]

Thanks for the advice girls - she has been extremely overtired today!!!!  I have given her a dummy before but she spits it out and prefers her thumb to get herself to sleep.

How do I try and keep her asleep exactly again? Not sure what u meant.

Thanks again,

XXXXXXx

[Shdef]

Thumb is fine at her age. She'll find it better than the dummy 

Okay... for the naps

Put her down as usual
Go in after 20 min and gently stir her until she is a bit awake, but not properly awake
then go back out. That might give you at least a 60 min nap because after 45 min (from when you put her down first) she will be in a different sleep cycle.

[mandzi]

Ahh I see    So if I follow your routine and just make sure I try and keep her A time a little longer by playing with her etc?

XXXXXx

[Shdef]

Yes. This will only be for a wee while, cause I think she will move on to a 4 hour EASY soon. Try winding down around half and hour before nap time so she isn't overstimulated

[mandzi]

Thanks!  fingers crossed for a better day tomorrow 

XXXXXXXx

[momofclaire]

Keep us posted.