Waking every 3 hours through the night

[nealeriver]

Our baby is 3 months old, and had got to the stage when she'd miss a night time feed.  We'd put her down at 8/8.30pm, then dream feed (formula) at 11pm, then she'd sleep through to 4am ish for feed then through to 7/8am.

Last couple of weeks though she's waking every 3 hours, sometimes 2/2.5 hours.  Often wakes for the dream feed, then up again at 2am, 5am, and then 7am. 

First of all thought she was having a growth spurt, but the trend has continued for at least 2 weeks now.

She's goes down to sleep really well - often awake and then falls asleep gradually, and we never have trouble getting her down during the night after a feed, but really want to get back to just one feed after the dream feed!

Only change we can think of is that the formula feed we use for the dream feed is sometimes now the heavier (stage 2) milk for hungrier babies.  Other feeds are breast, but can't believe this is the issue as we often use the regular formula, or sometimes just breast milk, and the result is the same.

During the day she's on a general 3 hour schedule, and whilst she fights a bit day time naps, she's generally quite good.

Any advice on getting our sleep back?!

[lilac83]

If she's still feeding every 3hrs during the day, it may be time to try to stretch that out a bit so she'll take more at each feeding. This should help her to stretch her feedings out at night as well. Also, if she's quickly and easily downing her bottles, you should probably try adding 2oz so she can drink until she's completely full.

The other thing that may be happening is that the dream feed is disrupting her sleep. How long have you been doing a DF?

[nealeriver]

Thanks for the response. 

We've been maintaining a 3 hour schedule during the day to try and get as much food in her as possible.  During the day she's always on the breast.

At 3 months, should she be on more of a 4 hour schedule?

Re. dream feed.  She's been having them since very early on, although last couple of weeks she hasn't been so keen and only taken between 2 - 3oz generally.

[lilac83]

Usually at 3mos babies are transitioning to the 4hr EASY, so at about a 3.5hr.

When she's waking at night, are you always feeding her? If so, this could be starting to become a prop. Your best bet is to pick a length of time you think she should be able to go at night without a feed, 4-5hrs or something, and if she wakes before that resettle her without the feed.

You could try skipping the DF and see what happens. Since she's not taking much at that time anyway. Sometimes the DF can disrupt night sleep.

[nealeriver]

Huge thanks.  Think we were getting her in the habit of 3 hour feeds without her needing it as just in the last couple of days she seems fine now on a four hour schedule during the day. 

Taken the DF away as well as we were thinking it was disrupting her a bit and she's gone last 2 nights from 8.30pm through to 3am, and then through to 7am.  All good!  Big thanks ...

One question - we're off to Chile for the whole of november (5 hours behind i think).  Any advice on getting her on a new time schedule?!

Big thanks again lilac

[lilac83]

That is great news! So glad to hear she's made such a wonderful improvement!

I've never traveled long distances like that with DD, perhaps try posting in the EASY or Getting Back on Track for traveling tips. If possible, I would probably try to start shifting her days a bit while you're still home, but obviously you won't be able to shift it an entire 5hrs! Even 1-2hrs though may make a bit of difference.