NW for 15 week old

[Mandy.kamal]

I posted on the nap boards because I was having short naps. But now she's not sleeping at nights at all.  recorded the last 2 days. Naps were actually better (in regards to being able to resettle mid way through and extend them). But now she's having crazy night wakings! Too much day sleep or not enough milk during the day? Too long of an A time before bed? I'm Not sure. Here are the last 2 days of sleep:

Up 6:50
Nap 8:20 (stirred at 8:57, resettled and was fully b2s at 9:15)
Awake 9:45 crying
Nap 11:25 (fed before nap bc she was fussy) stirred at 11:54 and fully b2s at 12:20
Awake 1:10
Nap 2:35 (stirred at 3:02- I think was UT) couldn't really settle her
Awake 3:30
Nap 5:00-5:40
Bed 7:25
Up at 9:00 and awake on and off constantly until fed at 11:00. Up again around 2:00 and on and off until fed at 3:15am
Up at 5:00am restless, held her until 7:00am

Up at 7:05 or 7:10 can't remember
Nap 8:35 (9:15 stirring but b2s by 9:40) seemed a little UT but was super easy to resettle
Awake 10:20
Nap 11:53 (stirred at 12:26 and again at 12:48) couldn't resettle and gave up
Awake 1:20
Nap 2:35 (resettled halfway)
Awake 4:30
Nap 5:45-6:15
Bed 7:45 but had to resettle a few times so asleep a little past 8:00.
Up 9:00-9:15
Up 9:50-10:01
Up 10:36-10:55
Fed at 11:00
Up at 2:30 off and on until 3:00 and fed
Up at 5:30, held until 7:15am wake up for today

Now tonight I put her to bed at 7:45 and its 8:35 and she's been up crying twice already. I don't get it. She never used to do this and would sleep from bedtime until 3:00ish with a dreamfeed around 11. She wouldn't wake up at all. Now it's now stop. And I have to keep giving her back the paci to get her back to sleep. She has reflux but is medicated. Crib is elevated. Not sure where I'm going wrong or what changed

[ginger428]

Hi there.

Hmm, haven't skimmed your nap thread but were A times discussed? Your morning A time is kind of short. That may be tweaking but it really sounds like the 4mo sleep regression/progression to me where their sleep patterns change permanently. The hourly night wakes happened for us, too. I also heard it coincides with a growth spurt sometimes but the indicator for this is is an uptake of day ounces as well.  Does she fall asleep independently at bedtime? I know that's the big factor for the sleep "regression." I think only feeding her at 11 and 3 is a good idea. You might want to consider weaning the dream feed as well to help dissociate feeding to sleep, but if your DD is anything like my DS, we had 2 feedings until past 11 months. Mostly a prop though.

some suggestions to get through this is to try other ways to soothe back to sleep so that there isn't one prop every time. Also start putting baby down awake at bedtime if not already doing so. It idea is to get DD getting through and connecting the sleep cycles on her own.

I used to read about how this one was the toughest transitions and it was for us. My DS also had reflux and having to hold after night feedings on top of the hourly wakes meant NO SLEEP. hang in there and maybe there are others going through this now that can support you. Are you in the birth clubs at all?

[Mandy.kamal]

Thank you for the reply!

I think the paci has become a pretty big prop. That's usually how we get her to fall back asleep or delay a feed or extend naps and help though nap transpositions. Could that already be that big of an issue? Do I need to just shh pat without giving her the paci?

Yes I put her down almost fully asleep. If she does happen to fall asleep while I'm holding her, I try and wake her as I lay her down just enough so she has to resettle herself.

I'll push out the first A time as well. I probably need to start moving towards the 4 hour easy but she seems so tired after an hour or so. Just so random with these sudden NWs without there being some change

[ginger428]

Could that already be that big of an issue? Do I need to just shh pat without giving her the paci?

It is an issue if it sticks, and unfortunately, this is the age when things stick. =/  It's up to you if you want to wean from it for night wakes... does she seem to always want it to resettle or have you had success with soothing in another way?

Yes I put her down almost fully asleep. If she does happen to fall asleep while I'm holding her, I try and wake her as I lay her down just enough so she has to resettle herself.

Awesome...allowing her to practice resettling is great. You may want to gradually get to the point of nudging to fully awake... until she really opens her eyes before laying down.

I probably need to start moving towards the 4 hour easy but she seems so tired after an hour or so.

Many parents here keep the morning A shorter than the rest.  We never had a clean easy routine, ever! Haha. It was always a mix, and baby mixed it up OFTEN with gs and whatnot.

Just so random with these sudden NWs without there being some change

Yeah, since gs and ons disturbances cause OT, they seem more tired or tired earlier than usual.  Keep to the routine as best as you can but give yourself some slack if it all goes awry. And repeat with every other stage! Is this LO different from your first? Or is she your only? Can't remember.

[Mandy.kamal]

Thank you so much for the reply. She is my second and much different. She's very hard to read her cues. She always seems fine until she's not! There are no warning signs for sleep or hunger, etc. she's just chill until something wrong and then her cries all sound the same bc they are hard cries. I confuse hunger, pain and OT all the time with her.

I just can't figure out a good A time. Something what I do works perfectly and sometimes it's a disaster. I know the paci is becoming an issue but I'm so desperate for her to sleep during naps abs nights that I don't mind replugging if it works. Sometimes it doesn't.

Her early in the night NWs have stopped for now but she's waking around 11 before we DF and crying and start waking again around 2:30 crying. And then from 5:30 on she's pretty restless and I usually just end up feeding her again at some point. I assume she's waking to eat to so I try and delay her with the paci and if she wakes again shortly I just feed her.

[FPT23]

Hello!

Thought I would add some help!

Honestly, my LO is 15 weeks tmw and has started doing the same. Shortening his long stretches and having different WU times at night. It could very well be developmental as they approach the 4 mth sleep regression

He has also began to sort out his day sleep little by little. Giving one or two long naps a day (never consistent) ...so it could be having to do with them sorting their sleep too.

Hang in there hugs!!

[ginger428]

Hugs to you both! I remember this stagebeing one of the hardest. Mandy, I also did whatver to get through it and dealt with training around 6 mo. It's harder in some ways because you are getting up so often but with such little sleep/motivation/energy to stick to something, doing whatever works was worth it.

thanks FTP!

[FPT23]

Thanks Ginger! I appreciate the hugs! I need them myself

I played it very chill these first months. I just do WHAT.EV.ER for sleep because

1) I'm older than with my first son and for suuuure prefer the rest!
2) I have a toddler who also is up early! ...I have zero energy to worry about anything else but get this baby to sleeeeeep

Mandy,
I think that being so close in age (our babies) and with the exact same problems- it more than likely is developmental and we have to just ride the wave for now ...I'm having worse nights than when he was a NB! ...I was excited I had myself an angel baby since my first never slept... From what I remember haha ....!

I would def try Gingers suggestions and if things don't change up then this all might just belong to the 4mth regression stage joy...

[Mandy.kamal]

Thank you both for the posts!

I am slowly working on a 4 hour easy routine and that has seemed to help a bit. I think she needed the longer activity time for sure.

She's extremely fussy and gassy and wants to be held all the time right now so I'm just going to take your advice and try and roll with it a little more! Let's all get past this 4th month and then try again

[ginger428]

Great about the 4hr easy. And such an awesome positive attitude, considering! Sooo tough! Hugs again!!!