Habitual NW in 3 mo old. Growth spurt or pacifier issue?

[julief1]

No matter our day time schedule (we keep a pretty steady 3/3.5 hr EASY), the night time is the same. Up until last week, DD was waking only once in the night and was actually not even feeding during that time. She gets between 27 and 32 oz per day, so I can't imagine she is hungry at night. This past week, however, she has been going down around 7pm, having a DF at 11pm, and will wake consistently at 2:30. I give her a pacifier and she falls back asleep only to wake at 3:30. I give her a pacifier and she'll wake at 5. If I give her a pacifier at that point, she goes to sleep and wakes at 6. If I feed her at 5, she will sleep until 7:15/7:30. She takes a full feeding at that point. If I do not give her a pacifier at the other times, her cries only get louder and more intense.

One night I did feed her at 2:30 when she first woke. She fell asleep in the middle of the feed and still woke up an hour later.

Does this sound more like a need to feed (growth spurt), a habitual wake issue, or a pacifier issue??

I don't understand how she can go so well from 7-2:30 but then from 2:30-7 it's impossible for her to stay asleep.

Help me Sleepless over here

[jessmered]

I have problems that time of night as well.... I'm no help because sometimes I can't get her back to sleep even after feeding her. My only guess is that they have had enough rest where it is harder to go to sleep but they are still a little sleepy. Unfortunately, I haven't found a solution - but I will commiserate with you.... sleep deprived too!

It does sound a little like a pacifier issue though and it may become a prop...

[julief1]

Yes, after last night, I believe it is a pacifier issue. She went down at 7, up at 10:30, 1:30, 3:00, 4:15, and 6:30. We fed her at 6:30 because it was more of a hunger cry. But every other time, as soon as I put her pacifier back in, she went right back to sleep. I'm also not convinced she wants her pacifier as much as she wants something to suck and her hands aren't satisfying her quite yet because her control isn't 100% there yet. She still flails and can't keep them in her mouth for any extended time. I have this feeling that once she has control over her hands, she'll be fine and will better be able to self soothe. DH and I talked about it, and we are going to get rid of it at 4 months, possibly cold turkey. I would wean but she only uses for naps and bedtime use while in her crib anyway. Otherwise she doesn't use it/"ask" for it.

[jendewit]

As far as the paci is concerned I would work on getting rid of it.  I'm working on that right now too with my 7week.  Here's a link someone sent me to help with weaning of the pacifier.

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=2361.0

Also my boy likes to flail his arms and he knocks the pacifier out and hits himself in the head and then wakes up.  So after reading Tracy's book I have been swaddling him and pretty tightly.  My hubby has a great way of swaddling him so that the blanket keeps the dummy in his mouth.  Works like a charm.  If he falls asleep and it falls out it's no big deal because he usually doesn't notice.  But you should try a swaddle.  She may be hitting the paci out of her mouth.

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

We were having increasing NW due to paci replugging just like this at the same age.  We went cold turkey right around 4 months.  He fussed on the way down for naps and night for maybe 1 day and that was it!  I tossed them all out so we couldn't be tempted to pop one in at 4am. 

We have other NW issues now but that's another story! 

GL!

[julief1]

I have used a swaddle from day one. We have used Swaddle Me, swaddling blankets, the miracle blanket, TWO swaddles, etc. She gets out every time. There was one trick I was shown that kind of had her lie on the blanket that would "tie" down her arms (not as harsh as it sounds!) and that's been the only thing to work. Her pacifier inevitably falls out. She does not wake for it though. It's only when she wakes on her own that she can't get back to sleep without it, does that make sense?

We are going to wean at 4 months. She is back to only waking once in a night so I do believe it was a growth spurt. She is also trying to roll over and a couple of the times she has woken in the middle of the night, we found her on her side.

We bought a peke moe to transition her out of the swaddle and hopefully that works. And we'll probably go cold turkey with the pacifier at 4 months. I would love to do a gradual process except I know that I would give in and end up confusing and frustrating her.

I honestly think that some of these issues will solve themselves on their own. That's what I've learned in my short time of parenting!