I have a huge three month old baby boy. For that I am thankful but the little booger will NOT consistently sleep. We do have good days but they are few and far between. On a good day I can put him in the sleep drowsy and he'll go right to sleep, on a bad day I have to stay and pat his behind for up to forty minutes. He never naps more than an hour on a good day; on a bad day he wakes after 30 minutes.
If we have a good day, we almost always have a bad night; if bad day, good night. A good night for him at three months is waking twice. I can't keep him up past 7 (if he has a bad evening and doesn't go to bed until 8 or 9- it's always a great night!). I have been completely unable to stretch him to three hour feeds, as well.
He is a touchy baby, so I have been using the following to get him to sleep- very consistent on this. I've kept a EASY journal and quickly determined that I couldn't wait for a yawn. As soon as he starts moving his head side to side I know he is tired.
I swaddle him. Then I bounce with him while singing the same two songs. Then I do a rhythmic sh-sh while bouncing until he is getting drowsy. Then I put him gently in his crib and very gently pat his bum. I always try to stop patting before he's fully asleep, but as stated above sometimes I need to stay until he's fully asleep or he quickly escalates and gets himself WAY awake and overtired. He will not take a pacifier (yes, I've tried EVERY kind they sell at Babies R us;). I tried leaving his fists out of the top of his swaddle but when he sucks on them he gets frustrated and quickly escalates into an angry cry. Once asleep he stays asleep when they are at his sides.
Additional problem- he stays awake for different amounts of time each time. USUALLY it is about an hour, but sometimes less and sometimes up to two hours. If he is awake up to the two hours I can NEVER get him to sleep without first feeding him. I thought he was snacking but when I am away he drinks 4-5oz every two hours from a bottle.
He was diagnosed with milk protein allergy and soy allergy. I am sticking perfectly to that diet. His sleep has seemed to worsen with this diet, though his tummy discomfort and skin seems gone. AHHH!
Here is yesterdays schedule- relatively good day, BAD night:
Awake 6:50- fed (previous night- GREAT with two wakings at 2 and 4:30)
sleepy 8:00- napped without a problem (to sleep with patting in under 5 min.)
awake 8:45- fed because unconsolable and eating at me and then at my husband.
sleepy? 9:30- but unable to get him to sleep, angry, screaming, etc. I put him in sling at 10am (after trying half hour). He was perfectly content sitting forward facing in sling. Had huge burp and spit-up (was he unable to sleep because of this?)
Fussy- 10:50- fed, he fell asleep
11:00- moved to crib, stayed asleep
12:00- awake and fed (trying to get him back on routine)
1:00- sleepy, to bed without trouble
1:30- fussying, able to get back to sleep with pat
3:00- awake and fed
4:30- sleepy- to bedwithout trouble
5:15- awake and fed
6:30- fed after fussying (always clusters in evening)
7:30- fed and very sleepy- to bed without trouble
8:30- awake, unable to pat back to sleep
9:30- " " - gave him motrin because he is drooling a lot (teething? FYI- it is possible, my DD got her first tooth at 3 months)
11:30- awake and needed to feed
2:30am-"
4:40an- "
5:30am-"
6:20am- able to sh-sh pat back to sleep
6:50am- wide awake for day, fed - very happy and playful
sleepy at 8:15- to bed without probelm
It was an INSANE night. I am totally exhausted and I have my little 2 1/2 year old to take care of too. I am frustrated because if he naps well- we have a terrible night. If we have a BAD day we have a good night (only two wakings).
Any suggestions? Do you think it is a milk supply issue with this new diet? Should I try Fenugreek (sp?)? He isn't gassy at night; we had that issue with the milk protein allergy and we could just burp him or get him to pass gas and he'd go right back to sleep.
This has been going on/off since birth but really since the diet we have this terrible inconsistency- I am starting to wonder if I should try a milk challenge and see if he is really allergic! HELP!!!
