4 Month night waking

[adaycm]

Okay, so my 4.5 mo son is an angel baby, all the way around.  We have been doing EASY since birth.  He is still swaddled during sleep times. and self-sooths to sleep by usually crying for maybe 2 minutes.  Lately, he hasn't even been crying when we put him down for good at night.  I am breastfeeding and we are still doing about 7 feedings a day.  We are still on a 2.5-3 hour EASY Routine. 

About 3 weeks ago he started sleeping through the night.  He did it 5 nights in a row, then 2 when he woke up, then 5 again sleeping through.  The past 3 nights he has woken up at 4:30 and I haven't know what to do.  He gets to the point where he is screaming.  I've tried to just comfort him back to sleep without nursing but it hasn't worked, so I have been nursing him.  When I've nursed him he has eaten very vigorously.  I know that he is going through a little teething right now... and his naps are usually only 45-1hr in length.  I've tried the W2S but that doesn't usually work.

My question is, should I be  nursing him to sleep when he gets up now?  If not, how do I do it?  I've read on the boards, but I'm still confused.

Here is are basic routine:
E: 7:30
A:1.5-2hrs
S: 9/9:30-9:45-10:15

E: 10:15
A: 1.5-2hours
S: 12-1:00ish

E: 1:00
A: 1.5-2 hours
S: 2:45-3:45

E: 4:00
A: 1.5 hrs
S: 45 min

E: 6:15
A:

E: 8:15
A: sometimes
S: 8:30-9:00

E: Dreamfeed around 10:00

Thanks for the help!

[¤ Efka ¤]

What have you done to get him back to sleep?Shush-pat?

I think that on his age one night feed, when he still has good feed during the day is not bad.

I am just wondering why is he still on 2.5-3 EASY?

[adaycm]

I've tried the shush/pat... also the pick up/put down.

He's still on a 2/5-3 hr EASY because it was working for us.  Though he was still taking 45 min naps he was able to stay up for about 2 hours.  So when he woke up it was within a 2.5 -3hr window to start the next feed.  But now that he is waking up at night again, after sleeping through the night for about 10 days, I don't know what to do. 

I feel like I've messed it all up.  I didn't know how/when to transition to the longer routines.  I'm nervous about cutting down the number of nursing sessions.  Also, about the time I think we were supposed to transition we were out of town for 2 weeks traveling, not a great time to try to change things.

I was so particular about doing EASY from the very beginning.  I hope I haven't messed my lo up!

[MJMom]

It probably was working for you at a certain point in time, but LO's change very quickly through that age.  He really should be on a 4-hr EASY at this point.   You haven't messed it up!  He's just a little bit of a bigger boy now and needs a bigger boy EASY! 

I would try to extend his naps and slowly have him go longer between feeds until he is on 4 hr EASY

[¤ Efka ¤]

Dont worry :-*I agree, babies change, so you should go with flow, thing is that you dont really have to fed him right after nap, there could be some A time after nap too and then feed.
But it could be good idea to try to extend naps, though I am no help there, mine was very stubborn regarding that.
I would say that stretching feeds out he gets better full belly and will last longer.

[simonealisa]

I agree with the above posters, his feeds need to be stretched out further apart so that he eats more during those times, and also will start having less naps that are longer. It's amazing how much that can change things for them! As soon as we started doing the 4 hour routine with our son, he started having really nice long naps and eating much better and sleeping better at night too.  Don't worry, you can't mess things up too easily. Babies are so adaptable. They change so much, and so frequently, you will adapt to a new schedule before you know it. It sounds like he is probably ready for it.

[adaycm]

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to post.  You encouragement is very much appreciated.  We are off to the "races" this morning.  I will start on transitioning to a 4 hour schedule.  I think it will solve some of our "problems".

I am so thankful for my little one. 

[MJMom]

Let us know how it goes!!

[adaycm]

My LO is doing so much better!  He is now taking several 1 hour naps and even some 2+ hour naps!  I tried to gradually transition him to a 3.5 hour schedule, but he jumped to that for every feeding the first day I tried to stretch him.  I know we still need to move to a 4 hour routine, but I will let him settle at 3.5 for a while first.

We got up last night around 4:30, but we had had 3 or 4 nights without wakings.  One night he woke up around 3, he cried, but then went back to sleep without me even entering his room.  So, I guess I will just feed him if he wakes up and seems to really need it. He doesn't seem to be developing a pattern of needing it, so many some days he just didn't get enough food in him.

Thank you for all your help!   

[MJMom]

Glad to hear that has helped his night wakings!  I think my LO did the same thing. She likes her consistency!  And good move in letting him get accustomed to 3.5 hr EASY instead of 4 hr.

Sometimes for the NW's, I'll send DH in instead to make sure that my LO is hungry and not just waking and upset.  DH is pretty well versed in her hunger cues to know whether she is really hungry or not.  Point being is if you go in and he's not hungry, he may just convince that a little snack might be OK.  DH not having the equipment may be able to console him back to sleep without a feeding.

Great progress!!!  Congratulations! And I'm sure the extra sleep is feeling pretty good too! 

Incidentally, I've heard some BF babies can't go to 4 hr EASY.  Mine could, but if you experience NW's again moving to 4 hr, 3.5 might be good for your LO!

Congratulations!

[adaycm]

Thanks again.  He has also started to have longer naps.  He had 1 2hr nap the past 2 or 3 days.  The other vary from 45-1hr, but I think that's good!

I appreciate your help and encouragement!

[MJMom]

AWESOME!  Great news!!

[¤ Efka ¤]

Great news.