5 mo LO with multiple NW and cant figure out why

[AndreaGr]

So i am back to seek some more help as i have no idea whats going on with my LO. I have tried multiple things and nothing has helped. So I'm hoping someone might have an idea or two to help

My LO has always been a decent sleeper but definitely needs a routine and any change can disrupt everything and put us multiple steps back. Anyways a bit of history: my LO has always slept thru the night with generally waking at 1-2 am feeding then going back to sleep waking at about 5:30-6:30ish am. She is now a good day napper with at least 1.5 hrs-2hrs at each time. She goes down really easy. But our nights have generally been decent (she does use a paci) so sometimes we needed to "re-plug". However, a couple nights ago she started sleeping 30-1.5 hrs and then consistently wakes. i wait to see if she will fall back asleep but she starts to scream so i go in. We do have white noise on. So i generally try to do the shh/pat and will pick her up and almost instantly she will berry her head in my arm and shes back out to sleep. I've tried just leaving her in her crib and just do physical contact but she fusses and fusses and will eventually start crying//screaming. As a last resort i tried her sleeping in a cot beside me last night and maybe that would help but it didn't. Everything i do seems to make it worse except picking her up.

Heres her easy:
Wake 7 ( get out of bed after a fussy night)
E-7:30
A-walk dog
E- sometimes a small BF before nap (wind down)
S-9-9:15
E-11-11:30
A-play do motor skills
E- sometimes a small BF before nap (wind down)
S-1pm
E-3ish
A-jolly jumper or play or swing
S-5-5:30
E-6:00
A-bath, night routine
E-Bottle of formula/EBM 6-8oz (shes always taken before bed)
S-7:15-7:30

oh we have also tried dropping the cat nap and making bedtime earlier but nothing has changed.

Any suggestions? Or is this a developmental blip? Help please

[becj86]

I wonder if you may have a prop - feeding to sleep (or nearly there). Is there a reason you're topping up before each nap?

The frequent wakings suggest discomfort to me.
Does she have gas? That can be helped by being held upright...
Does she have reflux? If so, has her dosage been reviewed recently wrt weight?
Is she teething? Have you tried teething meds to see if that makes a difference?

Is she waking early in the night, soon after BT or every 30mins-1.5hr after her night feed?

[AndreaGr]

Thank you for your reply.

I was starting to think me feeding to sleep was a prop but i can put her back in bed right after with eyes open and she drifts off shortly thereafter. so that's what's made me wonder if this is her wind down with the lights off. Literally i can feed for 1-3mins and she settles.

She does have on and off gas but doesn't seem bothered by it. Ive tried oval but it doesn't seem to help. She's not the greatest burper. I can burp her for like 15 mins and only get a small burp.

No reflux diagnosis or any of the symptoms aside from a "wet burp and occasional hiccups and night wakings" (my LO has always had hiccups even in utero)

Not teething yet but that was my first guess as she is at that age and so i gave her infant Advil, then Tylenol and also Camila. but nothing seemed to help over this course.

Yes she starts the waking and fussing right after bedtime and then it just continues thru the entire night. I was thinking could she be OT/UT or the bedtime feed is too big?

[becj86]

That frequent waking after BT is quite typical of OT, so it could be that.

BT feed could be too big and therefore uncomfortable.

so that's what's made me wonder if this is her wind down with the lights off. Literally i can feed for 1-3mins and she settles.

I presume you don't want this to be a wind down before she resettles at every NW? If so and you can't get her to sleep without it, its a prop.

I wonder if the feed before naps is soothing a reflux burn? WDYT?

[AndreaGr]

No I definately don't want to be feeding after every NW. But I just thought as a wind down before naps and bed it wasnt a prop if I feed her and then snuggle in the rocking chair with the lights out and as she winds down and then when she's ready to go to bed put her in her crib ( eyes awake but drowsy) so she can fall asleep. I know her soother is a prop but do you think this wind down is wrong and becoming a prop to? I'm so confused

I've been doing alot of research on reflux and it definately sound like she could have a mild form. She fits some of the symptoms definately. And I wonder if the BF before the naps are to sooth. Because even tonight she only fed 4.5 oz and is already starting the wakings within 10min after she went down. Is there any tips I could try to help sooth her before going to the dr?

[becj86]

There are loads of tips and info on reflux here: Colic, Reflux, & Crying

Specific settling tips here: tips for calming my refluxing LO

To be perfectly honest, you can do all the natural things - have her bed inclined, hold upright for 20mins before lying down to sleep, etc. and sleep training still won't be effective if she's in pain, so if you think she has reflux, take her to the doctor and get checked out is the best first step.

Oh, and the topups may also be snacking a bit... but I get the impression in this case they're more about soothing if she's taking a long feed when she wakes and just a little one before sleep.

[AndreaGr]

Thanks for all your help and Tips.

So my LO went to bed at 7 and fussed on and off until 8:30 and has now slept until 2:30 am waking for a brief moment as I went into feed she fell back asleep. I'm definately going to try some of the settling tips for reflux as I still think she may have a mild form. I wonder if she was just exhausted and needed a good nights sleep or if it was a "stage" that has now past. Thanks again for all your help and I'll keep you updated on how our next nights are.