NW + EW, what's next?

[Chariel]

So just when I thought things were going so well, NW's were disappearing and then all of a sudden he started waking up anywhere from 4 am to 5:30 am plus usually wakes up one other time, say 2 am. Here is yesterday
NW - 4 am - 5 am
EW - 6 am (I got up with him so DH could get some sleep)
E - 7 am (BF then hour later cereal and fruit)
S - 9:10 am - 11 am
E - 11 am (BF then hour later meat and veggies)
S - 1:40 ( seemed really tired so put him down a bit early) - 3pm
A/E - needed to go into town (1/2 an hour away) he slept a tiny bit in the car on the way there was home by 6 pm (had jar of oatmeal and applesauce at Subway at 5 pm
E - 6:45 BF (after Book, and Bath)
S - 7pm
He then woke up at 9:30 but went back to sleep after about 3 min of fussing
Did DF at 10 pm
Woke at 2 am, let him fuss for 10 min then DH went in and gave him his soother (which he can put in himself now but doesn't seem to in the middle of the night)
Woke at 5:30 am and I heard him pooping (ugggggg)
So went in and changed his diaper, with dim lights, put on the CD he listens to when he goes to bed (don't usually use during NWings but was desperate. I didn't have a lot of hope so came out to the living room and listened to the monitor and he seemed to go to sleep so on the last song I snuck back to bed only to close my eyes and he started fussing when the CD ended. Only lasted 5 min though so I went to sleep only to be woken shortly after by DH alarm clock. I was so tired and frustrated that even though I wondered if I should be going in and getting him up I went back to sleep and he didnt' get up till 8:15 am. OOps, now I am wondering what the heck the rest of the day will bring or even should bring. Should I keep him up a little later since his day didn't start until so late? I find after 3 pm getting him to take a nap is near impossible so right now I'm thinking he should nap at 11:15 or so, then say 3:45 but I know that will so not go well. If anyone has any advice I would really love to hear it! Should I be getting rid of the soother and the CD maybe? Oh my, plus he seems out of sorts today already, doesnt' want  me to put him down, he is teething but no teeth yet.

Thanks!

Charmaine

[Chariel]

Okay, so ended up putting down for nap at 10:45 and so far an hour later is still sleeping. The new development I wanted to add is just discovered I have started  my period for the first time since before being pregnant (darn it) so now I'm wondering if perhaps he is waking up early because I have had a drop in supply? Haven't noticed a difference, I still feel full before feedings and empty after and he has still been content after feedings and sometimes will not take both breasts so I'm hoping this is not the case but am wondering if it is a possibility.
Anyone BTDT that can offer their 2 cents? Should I try to fit in another feeding during the day? Thanks so much!

Charmaine

[Tweakster]

Hi there Charmaine, I haven't BTDT as did not BF but wonder how old is your LO?  I think it might be good if you posted this second bit on the BF board to find out about your supply.  And in the meantime when I know your LO age I can take a look at your routine again :-)  Hang in there!

[Chariel]

He is 7 months, he will be 8 months on the 4th of November. Feeling so frustrated, Up again at 5:30, but at least no NWings last night. He ended up having a 1 hour 20 min nap at 10:45 am and a 45 min nap at 2:45. Went to bed early at 6:20. Today he had about the same for a morning nap and now again a 45 min nap. I felt sooooo frustrated when he woke up. He had been up for about 3 hours 10 minutes when I put him down for a nap. Does he need more is that what is going on? He isn't mobile yet and really depends on me to carry around and play with him, doesn't really like his jumperoo anymore so it is so hard to keep him up for longer as I really run out of ideas of what the heck to do, guess I will check out the Activity board. I feel bad but I had just sat down with a cup of tea and was going to relax after running around tidying the house and that is when he woke up and I just felt like screaming. He is playing in the crib now, such a good guy I feel so bad when I feel so angry.  Why do some babies sleep so well and I feel like I try so hard and put so much thought into his sleep and he still sleeps like crap. Uggg, I think I need some mommy time or something, but still another couple of hours before DH comes home. Time to put on a smiley face and go get my baby. Thanks for your time and any thoughts you might have.

[Tweakster]

Hi there Charmaine, Finn is 7 months too.  I think right now they are smack in the middle of major frustration at being immobile.  Finn has also lost interest in his jumperoo (which he used to love! darn hehe) and can play on the floor for small doses until he gets frustrated at not being able to move about. 

I think there is some element to them needing a bit more to do, they have seen all the toys and rooms in the house, they are sucking in information at such a rapid rate and developing a memory for it a little more each day so try giving him something new to play with or just talking to him more.  This morning I had to fill in an application for montessori school and so I sat on the floor with Finn and read him all the questions and answers in silly voices.  It kept him busy for a while, he watched me write and was fascinated.  Yesterday I took him down to the basement while I sorted laundry and just explained how we work the washer, what laundry detergent is, why we use fabric softener etc.  They really do listen now, it's amazing.  Little sponges they are.

So when he wakes, if he isn't crying straight away, leave him in his crib with a soft book and some toys and let him have some independent time - tell him you'll be back after your tea.

And get yourself some You time asap.  It's vital to being able to help your LO.

[Mashi]

NW - 4 am - 5 am
EW - 6 am (I got up with him so DH could get some sleep)
E - 7 am (BF then hour later cereal and fruit)
S - 9:10 am - 11 am
E - 11 am (BF then hour later meat and veggies)
S - 1:40 ( seemed really tired so put him down a bit early) - 3pm
A/E - needed to go into town (1/2 an hour away) he slept a tiny bit in the car on the way there was home by 6 pm (had jar of oatmeal and applesauce at Subway at 5 pm Smiley
E - 6:45 BF (after Book, and Bath)
S - 7pm

At 8 months he should be hitting closer to 3 hours of A time.  So with his first nap being only a bit more than 2 hours after he wakes, and being a long 2 hour nap, he is prob waking early in order to get that extra A time in that he needs. I would start pushing - gently and slowly - adding an extra 5-15 minutes of A time before he goes down for his nap, every 3 to 5 days.  Only push him as much as you think he can go as you don't want him to get OT...you can start by taking him into his room at the normal time but keep the lights dim and just sit with him quietly, or some extra calm time looking out the window, etc.  Eventually, as you push his A time out, he will start waking later.

Also, the stretch he has before bed is quite late...4 hours it looks like from 3pm to 7pm, (if that car nap is abnormal) and he could be OT from that long stretch.  As you start pushing out the morning A time, the rest of the day will shift and there will not be as long of a stretch until bed! 

HTH!

[Chariel]

Thanks ladies, I will definitely try out what you said with talking to him more. We do talk a lot but I definitely could try explaining what I'm doing more and he probably would enjoy that. I'm realizing he can do more too, we have started pushing a ball back and forth between us and doing different stuff with his toys. Yesterday we went outside for awhile even though it was cold and threw the ball around for the dog in the backyard and he really liked that, since it has gotten colder we had been doing less of that but I guess we just need to bundle up!
Also we do try to do 3 hours in the morning, that day is was up from 6 until 9:10 but the day that was all messed up we did do a shorter A time just to try and get back on track after sleeping in. I will definitely take your advice about only pushing it like 5-10 minutes at a time, also about going to his room at the normal time and having quiet time for the rest of it. Today I think I pushed him too far, kept him up 3 hr 15 min after the morning nap, and then he pooped and I had to go in and change in by the time I got him back down he went to sleep well but only slept for 35 minutes so I'm guessing OT. We got him to bed by 6:30 so hopefully he will sleep okay tonight. The past two mornings he woke up at 5:30 and pooped, but he did go back to sleep (yay!)  I even tried doing the DF later last night as I thought that might make a difference but it didn't. He hasn't had any NWs though so that is amazing.

Thanks for your help!

Charmaine

[ryates71]

Hi Charmaine,

How much is he taking at the DF?  I only ask because we dropped the feed recently (6 months) as it was becoming more of a "scream-feed" than a DF and suddenly the NW's have almost gone.  We still have EW's but I'm getting help on the daytime routine to sort that out.

Rachel

[Chariel]

Hi Rachael, he is taking a full feed at his DF, both breasts. I know I should probably think about dropping it, he started off small and didn't gain very quickly at first so I think that is what is holding me back (although he was 20 lbs almost 2 months ago and is wearing 12-18 months clothes, so I think I can stop worrying ) Last night was super good. He had super good naps yesterday (1 at 2 hours and one at 1 1/2 hours) and so I was able to keep him up a bit later then normal 7:30 rather then 6:30 and he didn't wake at all for his DF (which he has been some). We had friends over so I went in about 11:45 and fed him and didn't hear another peep until 6:30 this morning. I'm getting concerned about the time change coming up and need to figure out what I'm going to do about that. It is definitely interesting to hear though that Nwings can decrease with dropping the DF. I started it to try and decrease them! Thanks for the advice!

Charmaine