growth spur

[Yaiza]

Hi everyone, I have a 3 months baby, she has been an angel type till recently, on a 3h routine, and sleeping at night 8-9h on one stretch, waking up for a feed and again sleeping for 3 more hours. During the days her naps have always been really shorts since birth about 20min/30min to maximum 45min, but she always look very happy after the short nap and it has never affected her feeding times.
Suddenly about 2 weeks about she started to wake up anytime between 1 to 3am for a feed and again at 5 or 6am. I assumed she was on a growth spur so I feed her and I try to increase the feeding times during the day,giving her both breasts and tanking her up at night. She doesn't take the bottle at all so I can not do the dream feed. She's has always been a fast eater but and now she looks to get full very soon, sometimes only after 7-10min and then she starts playing and laughing, so I give her a 5-10min break and them a feed her again and she sucks a bit more (and I don't know if that's right) However her weight has always been great, above the average.
To make things worst she is waking up earlier now and sleeping a total of only 8-9h instead of her regular 12, for 2 days in a row she's waking up at 5-6am for a fed and after she doest want to sleep so I put her on her cot, when she gets tired of playing by herself after 20min or so I pick her up and I put her to sleep winding her down using the 4 S technique.
I don't know if to use the PD/PU as she look to be really hungry at night (at least between 1-3am) and she is only 3 months. During the day she is great an easy to put to sleep and I don't know if a shuld put her on a 4h routine neither! Please advise soon!!!

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Hi there - I'm not sure if I'd push for the 4 hr routine yet - she's a bit young, and you'd want to make sure her naps were long enough and she could tolerate enough awake time first.  Did she have another growth spurt at around 3 months? This IS a typical age for that, and it might just be stretching out a bit.  What does the rest of her day look like in terms of naps?

[Yaiza]

Thanks for your quick answer. I also think is too soon for the 4h routine as she is only 3 months and 4 days.

Lately she wakes up for a feed around 6am and I try to put her back to sleep so her routine is:

E 9
S 11 (for every nap, it takes her only 5-10min to fall sleep and she naps for about 30min- 45min,waking up smiling)

E 12
S 2

E 3
S 5

E 6
Bath 7

E 8
S 8:30/9

I don't know if she is overtired because she looks very happy all the time, never cry or get irritated at the end of the day. And I am not sure if is a growth spur as she is eating the same as before during the day. Last time she had one was around 2 months but I had to feed her every 2'5h for a few days during the daytime. But this time is only at night and I don't know if maybe she's just getting use to get feed every time she wakes up during night. She looks hungry but then she only drink for 5min, and I am confused because she has always been a is very fast eater. What shall I do?

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

How does she fall asleep for naps and at bedtime?  Is it on her own?  It really sounds like more of a sleep issue - at this age, they often start noticing that it's nicer having mommy around - so she may well be using your breast as a soother.  With her routine I would think she IS overtired, and the NW are caused by that, but you say she's happy during the day.  Some babies do okay with shorter naps and it doesn't cause NWs.

[Yaiza]

Hi!! The problem looks to be gone!! I think it just was a wroth spur as she is sleeping 7 to 8hours in a row again. It wasn't OT as she's been sleeping short naps since birth. Thnaks for all the support!!!

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Glad to hear it!