Hi all
We were very lucky with our wee DD who started sleeping through the night very early on from about 7pm to 6am. Suddenly about 10 days ago she has started to wake at 4.30am and when she does resettle she only goes into 45 minute nap mode and needs resettling every 45 minutes.
We are looking for suggestions as to why she is now waking and what we can do about it?
Thanks
p.s. I feel a little selfish because I am very grateful for the good respite between 7pm and 4.30am!
Her new routine is.........
Bed at 7pm where she settles well. She uses a dummy and is swaddled (but she gets her hands out of swaddle now - it is more a cue)
Awake at 4.30am - cranky and doing funny cries (I think it is wind - judging from the smell in the cot!). But not sure if she wakes and then has wind or if it is wind that wakes her. She is also begining to learn to self sooth and has started to suck her fingers and I am not sure if some of what I think are wind cries turn in to mantra cries. This episode usually lasts about 30 mins and ends with me giving her the dummy to help her back to sleep.
Awake at 5.45am (assuming was asleep again at 5am) - She used to sleep in our room with us and this was a very bright room. When she woke at this time she thought it was play time. We have now moved her to the nursery where there are dark curtains (I now sleep there too) and she wakes happy but not playful (rubbing eyes etc), if I give her dummy she happily goes back to sleep.
Awake at 6.30am - happy and wanting to play for the day. We leave her in the cot for a little while before getting her up for the day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also my responses to the generic questions:
How old is your child? - 3.5 months
What’s his/her daily routine? EASAS
Wakes about 6am or 6.30am and sings hapily in cot. We get her up at 7am for first feed.
A for about an hour after that and then nap (45 mins), followed by A and then another nap (45 mins)
Next E is 10.30ish with similar pattern to above after this and before 2pm feed.
Next period has more quiet A time as she get more tired later in the day and also she takes less of a sleep just before 6pm feed.
Eat at 6pm followed by bath, book and bed at 7pm.
What’s nap routine? - See above
How long are naps? - 45 minutes (longer in car), but first 1.5hour one this morning in cot! Trying to lenghen naps, but only recently discovered easy.
What's bedtime routine? Time? - feed at 6pm, bath, book and bed at 7pm for sleep at 7.20ish
Do you bottle or breastfed?? Bottle
How much? or how long? Feed at 7am, 10.30am, 2pm, 6pm and dreamfeed at 10pm. Takes bottle (usually 180ml, except smaller DF) quite quickly.
How many wakes per night? Wakes about 4.30am, and then when settled after than she does a further 45 minute nap. Sometimes two 45 minute naps (but I usually want her up at 7am to start the day).
What’s your LO like when waking at night? Usually cries with wind. How long is he/she up? Might last half hour, I try not to take her from the cot.
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? See above. Or is it a mantra cry? Not sure?
What have you tried to settle?? Had on tummy and shhh shhhh, nothing seems to work really (incl dummy) until (what I think is wind) has passed. Eventually after about 30 mins if I give her dummy and tuck her in she settles.
What do you do for A time and how long is it? Lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. Activities vary from walks outside in sling, playmat, music, blowing bubbles and songs etc etc to more calm ones like just cuddles or calm walk round house with calm singing towards end of A time.
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? Don't think so.
Do they have a prop? If so what is it? Dummy for settling to sleep and swaddle (at night only and now gets hand out of it)
Do they have a lovie? - no but want to introduce one, sounds like good idea.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
