Because the baby went from sleeping 6 hours to only 3 or 4, plus she was 3.5 months and hit 15 pounds, we started moving her to a four hour EASY. This took a couple weeks. Around week three, she started to go 7-8 hours between feeds at night. (HEAVEN!) Then, she started waking every night around 4:30 (depending on when she had a dream feed, basically 5 hours from dream feed.) Not wanting to go backwards, I didn't feed her, but just tried to sooth, re-paci, PUPD, etc. Now, over a month later, she gets up at about 3 (4 hours or so after the dream feed). 5, 5:30... I try to start our day at 6:30 for logistical reasons, but if she's not going back to sleep at 5:30, I'll feed her at 6 and start a four hour routine from there, adjusting the first two feeds 15 minutes later to compensate and get us back on track and letting her nap an extra 15 minutes longer so she's not too overtired. the 5:30 thing is really throwing the four hour schedule off. Yesterday, she had a normal routine, but two days ago, she for two days boycotted naps. Cutting them out or shortening them significantly. Slept slightly better in that she put herself down easier at 3 and didn't protest too much at 5:30. Yesterday, she was back on track, and basically fussed from 3-5:30, eating at 6. I"m REALLY getting tired. So tired. (Maybe that's the Mama mantra cry!)
*How old is your child? 4.5 months old.
*What’s his/her daily routine? It's a four hour EASY, w/ the above changes based on wake up, BUT she won't go to bed as early as she wakes up, so bedtime is more like 7ish. Two 2hr naps and a 45 min. catnap. Dream feed between 10-11pm depending on the above mentioned. If she doesn't wake up for it, she doesn't nurse much and has a hard time making it to 6 or 6:30. Usually, she wakes on her own for this feeding and eats well.
*What's bedtime routine? Time? She's always been really easy to get to sleep, so the routine is just feed, bath, diaper/PJ's and lay her down.
*Do you bottle or breastfed?? Breastfeed. Did have a supply issue at 3.5 months, but that was quickly fixed and supplemented w/ pumped milk while re-establishing the supply.
*How much? or how long? UMM.....I'm guessing based on pumping that she gets about 6 ounces, probably more her first feed. Feeds might take 15 minutes, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter depending on how serious she is. She does seem plenty content after a feed.
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed) both sides each feed
How many wakes per night? Two plus lots of fussing between them, lately at 3am ish (which she can usually put herself back to sleep if I help her find her paci) but then again about 5:30, try to get her back to sleep until she's up again at 6:30 at which point I feed her. She would likely take a full feed at night if I gave her one, but might then take less her first feed during daylight hours.
*What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? 3am fusses a lot. Not sure, but on and off until 5ish. At least 20minutes at 3 am and could be until 6am if wakes at 5.
*When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry? She's in our room (why have to get up to go into the other room to help her get the paci at 3am?? then I won't be able to fall back to sleep. She can find her paci on her own, but at 3am, she just seems too tired and out of it. If I dont' get it for her, she will start to really cry and be very awake, etc.) By 5:30 she's really crying.
*What have you tried to settle?? Letting her just work it out on her own, giving her a paci/helping her find it, doing a half feed (only one side), giving extra supplement after the dream feed so it's a big feed.
*What do you do for A time and how long is it? In the morning, calm things, like laying down and playing, looking at her exercise mat thing w/ the hanging toys, maybe sitting in her still swing w/ toys, etc. Activities vary through the day but usually involve hanging with a family member or "sitting" quietly w/ some toys. Sometimes we go out in the evenings b/c it's the longest stretch of time I can get as she will catnap in the car seat or our arms. In the past, she did the best at night on the days we were out in the evening. It's about 1.5 hours.
*Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? Not that I'm aware of.
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months) No.
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? Well, the paci, but it's only a prop at 3am. I leave extras in the crib. Otherwise, she seems to do just fine by herself the rest of the sleep times. Except the past few days when she was refusing to sleep. Then we'd have to walk, jiggle, etc. BUT only for those two days b/c she just wouldn't sleep. And we quickly reduced the duration of that and combined it with PUPD. We no longer do anything but lay her down to sleep w/ her paci and animals, just as before.
Do they have a lovie? She is especially fond of her little doll, but will be happy to have anything soft right next to her face. We leave several small stuffed animals in her crib so she can find them easily at night. She is starting to throw them down to the bottom of the crib though. Maybe she is missing them at 3am and also having a hard time finding them??
THANKS a million for any tips!
