I'm not sure if I even have an issue this seems so weird so I wanted your input. I've posted numerous times on here about the fact that my son wakes up at night 45 minutes to an hour after putting him down for the night. I used to be able to sh/pat but that's not working anymore. He gets himself so worked up I end up bringing him out with us for 20 to 30 minutes (he's alert, happy and content when I take him out) and then if its time for the dream feed I feed him and put him back down. If not, I just put him back down. Once he's back down (anywhere between 9:45 to 10:30) he will sleep until 8:00 a.m. This is a new thing!! He used to wake for a feeding at 2 which he dropped and then a 4 which he has apparently now dropped. THe last three nights he has done this. So my question is, is it really a bad thing if he wakes up early in the night and can't be settled and has to come out with us if he then goes on to sleep 8 or 9 hours straight? Is it possible he is just no ready to settle for the night until later? Will this become a habit? Should I treat putting him down for the night initially as a nap? Is that what he's doing? Here is his routine, he will be 5 months this weekend.
Awake and Eat: 8:00
A: 8-10
S: 10 until 11:30 or 12 (this is always a good nap)
E: 11:30 or 12
A: 11:30 until 1:30
S: 1:30-3:00 (sometimes this nap is only 45 minutes)
E: 3:00
A: 3-5
S: 5:00 catnap of .5 hours to 45 minutes
E: 6:00
A: bath time with daddy and in bed bw 7:30 and 8 depending on his naps that day
There is also usually a top off feeding at 7 or 7:30 again depending on the day. And then he usually wakes around 9 or 9:30. Sometimes its later. Sometimes I can sh/pat him and then he will wake up again upset and we will need to bring him out. Its the norm that I can't settle him at some point before his dream feed.
Between 10 and 11 I give him a dream feed. Sometimes its at 9:45 depending on his waking and then he sleeps until 8:00. What's the deal? I'm not complaining but it just seems kind of weird. Do I just go with it? Isnt' the goal to sleep thorugh the night? Does it really matter how we get there? What do you all think? He had vaccinations on Friday I hope he didn't sleep longer and drop the 4 am feeding because of them... Thanks.
