2-3 NW before DF then restless until wake up

[jackman]

I have been reading as many posts as I can that seem similar to my situation as to not be redudant; however I'm still at a loss.

(1) Either my DS is teething (not sure if at this age teeth are an issue)
or
(2) My DS is OT from too much A time throughout the day
or
(3) something entirely different than what I am thinking

I need help to really pinpoint what I'm doing wrong so I can correct it before things get even worse. My DS is nearly 16 weeks and we have been doing EASY for the last two months. I can count on one hand the number of nights he has slept for 5 hrs. during the night. My goal is to get 5-6 hrs a night consistently and eventually STTN. He is EBF, so I realize waking up once after the DF to eat is normal.

Two weeks ago I tried to move my DS to a 3.5 EASY since he wasn't eating as much during his E times and was taking 45 min naps (some days he can sleep for 1.5-2 hrs, not sure why and wished this was consistent as well). I can usually get him to extend his naps by PU/PD within 5-10 min. The change in EASY seemed to help at first for naps and nights, but then about two or three days ago, everything went down hill. I believe he was starting to get OT as a result of several days of the new routine and the NW became more and more. Over the last two to three days, I have since reverted back to a 3hr EASY if not 3hr and 5min/10 min EASY.

The first wake up occurs exactly 45 min after I put him to bed. It is as if he thinks he is napping? It doesn't take me long to settle him and he goes back to sleep for at least another 45 min to an hour before he wakes again. Sometimes he wakes so close to his DF that I end up feeding him before my scheduled time which is usually around 10:30 or 10:45pm. Then after the DF, he sleeps for 3-4 hours and will wake around 1:30-2am. I feed him and he'll take a full feed (4oz). Then he'll wake again at 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 at which time I finally just start the day. He doesn't seem to go back to a deep sleep after the DF or the 1:30/2am feeding. I should mention that he never stays awake for long for the MOTN feeding (maybe 20 min tops).

I would like to know why he is waking soon after he is in bed and why he doesn't seem to go back into a deep sleep after the MOTN feeding. I thought perhaps it was the DF interrupting his sleep so last night I let him wake up when he was ready to eat which was at 11:15pm. I gave him a full feeding and he didn't wake again until close to 4am!!! So I know he can make it close to 5 hours. Just perplexed. I do wait to go into him to see if he can resettle himself.

Finally one last question, since I've switched back to the 3hr EASY, my DS doesn't seem as hungry again. In fact, he takes more at night than in the day. I know that is completely backwards and I'm not sure how to fix it. I have tried to feed him more during the day, but he is refusing (screams bloody murder)! I'm wondering if he is ready to drop the NF? I don't know.

Sorry this is so long.....please help. Here is our EASY as of the last two days. The first day will be an example where he has multiple NWs and the second day is where I skipped the DF and the NWs were less.

Tues
Starting around 4:30am Stirrs
Then again at 5:30-5:50am
Finally wakes at 6:15am
E 6:45am 3 oz
A 7:00am
S 7:50am
E 9:30am 3.25 oz (had to wake, most likely still tired from NWs? I also miscalculated when to feed him. I should have waited until 9:50am)
A 9:45am
S 11:00am
Only slept for 55 min, woke at 11:55am
A 11:55am until 12:35am
E 12:35pm 3.75 oz
A 12:50pm
S 1:20pm
A 3:20pm (since woke up before E time)
E 3:40pm 3.25oz
A 4:00pm
CN 5:00pm (30 min)
6:30pm Bath and Eat 7oz (tried to get to bed by 7pm, but fought me until I gave him an additional 2oz of EBM)
S 7:50pm

DS then woke 45 min after he went to bed. I resettled him and he woke again at 9pm where I gave him more to eat (3.5oz). I considered this wake up as a DF. He then woke at 1:45am where I fed him once more 4oz.

Wednesday
4:00am stirred
5:00am stirred
6:15am woke
E 6:30am 4oz
A 6:50am
S 7:50am woke after 45 min, used PU/PD and slept until I had to wake him for his next feeding.
E 9:35am 3.5oz
A 9:50am
S 10:50am slept until 12:20pm without waking after 45 min
E 12:35pm 3oz
A 1:05pm
S 1:50pm slept until 3:00pm without waking after 45 min
E 3:25pm 4oz
A 3:40pm
CN 4:20
B+Bath 6:30pm 6oz
S 7:00pm

Skipped DF and woke on his own at 11:15pm where I fed him 4.5oz. He then didn't wake up until 3:50am where I fed him 3oz. He woke up this morning starting at 5am and then finally at 6:30am. I consider yesterday and last night both great. However, today's routine has been horrible. Lots of PU/PD after 45 min of sleep and he isn't eating well. In fact there was one feeding that was less than 3oz.

 

[kikoz]

Hi there ad lots of hugs x
I would like to tell you that you are doing a very good job, hang in there x
I think, that maybe with your lo DF maybe interupting his nights... so maybe skipping it is best. as for the stirring at 5 am is perfectly normal, since all human beings go in a light mode sleep around this time, most importantly leave him resettle on his own otherwise it will become a NW. eventually the stirring will go by itself.
I also think that the multiple NWs are normal at this stage, they still wake up hungry... my o only started STTN at 5.5 with a DF!... i know some los makes it even later and some earlier.
As for the 45 mins wakes and the sometimes busted naps sometimes good naps, I think that your lo is going through the transition phase now which is most difficult... i m having the same with my lo who is 7.5 months. some days with the same A times she makes a naps of 2 hrs and sometims its 45mins!... it is a stage I think where you need to be patient bc its a very unstable now... lo is half ready for the extention ifukwim!

once he is full ready things will be easier and his naps longer.
and ofcourse things tend to go chaotic in this period, bad naps effect feeds... since they are not well rested, they dont eat well either and it becomes like a cycle!...

patience my dear and ride along and get rest whenever you can! and it will be over soon

HTH

(((((((hugs)))))))

[jackman]

Thank you for replying and the support. Sometimes I feel so frustrated and it has been great to find this forum where other moms are having similar issues. I don't feel so alone.

In terms of A times, I am using the guideline of 1hr 30min to 1hr 45min. However, for the most part I try to watch for sleepy cues from my lo.

Last night was similar to Tues night - a lot of NW with EW starting at 4:40am and every hour until I just got up at 6am. Luckily he didn't wake after 45 min of putting him to bed and I skipped the DF. My DS then woke on his own at 10pm. Since I felt he didn't eat well during the day, I proceeded to feed him. However, he only ate 2.5 oz. I wonder if I made a mistake and disrupted his sleep by keeping him up for the 20 min or so to feed him. He then woke at 1:45 for another feed.

Did I do the right thing by scaling back to a 3hr EASY from the 3.5hr EASY?

 

[mlly]

Hi I have the exactly same problem with you. My Lo stated to have a lot of NW before DF when I tried to transit him to 3.5 EASY, and he is 4.5 month but he still has a lot of NW before DF. Just to let you know you are not alone.

[jackman]

Just an update for those reading this post.

I have dropped the DF and just let my DS wake when he wants his first feed after going to bed at night. I usually put him to bed at 7pm and then he wakes anywhere from 10pm to midnight for a feeding. After this feeding for the last 2-3 nights, he has slept until 4 or 5am! This is a great improvement since I wrote my original post. I truly think the DF was disrupting his sleep which would make him restless and causing multiple NW and EW.

I am keeping his A times to 1hr 30min to 1hr 45min during the day for naps and of course watching for sleepy cues. Naps are still a work in progress.

Thank you for your help.

[kikoz]

Hi so glad the interupted nights r gone!!!
We r also working here on the naps that r causing the EW!
Good luck x