13wo night wakings .. why?

[billysmummy]

I have a 13wk old very easy baby who has been sleeping through (feed wise) since around 8 weeks. EXCELLENT! However, the last few weeks she has started waking in the night, usually at the same time.

At first we thought it was tummy pain - she has a hard time pooing, goes 5-6 days in between and gets really uncomfortable, arching back, pulling legs up and squealing. We have been using infacol and/or infants friend which usually settles that, and in the last couple of days switched to a four hour easy which seems to have settled her down lots.

Her arms are usually out when it happens, and I can't work out if she gets them out because she is squirming with tummy pain or if them getting out is the source of the problem - ie flapping around and waking her up?

Often a rewrap and she is back to sleep within 10 minutes. But not always.

It seems to be "habitual" waking as per Tracy's books but how do I fix it?

I have tried lots of different sorts of wraps, and she is a houdini, always getting out. Also tried a sleeping bag but doesn't help with the arm problem. Just got a "wrap me up" sleep suit which keeps arms in "wing position" but she didn't sleep well and tried it 3 times so far - cant work out if that was the suit or tummy pain??

What else could it be and what can I do?

P.S. Yes I realise she is doing pretty well - just frustrated as she is not waking looking for a feed.

[mmom]

How are your days?  What is your EASY like?

Are you noticing tummy pain during the day?  Any other reflux signs? http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=654.0

The Lil Houdini worked for us.  I have heard the Miracle Blanket is great for getting the tight swaddle that they can't escape.

What are you doing when she wakes?  During the times when she won't go back after a re-wrap what happens?

[billysmummy]

Days are mostly good. No real reflux signs
Feeding at 7, 11, 3 and 7 or there-ish.
Lots of good sleeps in between, usually total A time is 1.5-2 hours. Sometimes it is more like EASAS. Often wakes about right on time for next feed, but afternoon nap is shorter.
If unsettled during day it is usually between 5 and 8pm ish and is (I think) tummy pain. Will generally settle for sleep by 8.30 at latest. Mostly self settling with occasional use of dummy.
Generally when she wakes, I re-wrap and she fusses for a bit then back to sleep. I don't actually pick her up out of the cot. If she doesn't self settle back to sleep I generally pick her up to calm her then put her back down. Sometimes a cuddle will fix it. Other times she has a burp/fart and then is right. If its a squeal/cry (rather than just a fussing) it takes a few efforts - I guess I do PU/PD. That's when I use Infacol or Infants friend which seems to settle her so I assume it is her tummy. At these times I can actually feel and/or hear the tummy gurgling away.

I guess my concern is why is she always waking at 2.30? How can I break that habit? Mostly it seems to be her arms getting out but can that cause the habit?
I will look into those wraps you suggested
Thanks

[mmom]

Can you post what yesterday looked like in EASY format please?

The gurgling you are hearing indicates discomfort.  No amount of sleep training is going to help with that.  Is she FF or BF?

PU/PD is too stimulating for younger babies.  Definitely, try a variation of ssh/pat.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=121330.0

[billysmummy]

Ok, yesterday:
Awake and E 6:50
A
S 8:30 - about an hour then had to go out. Dropped her off with grandparents for an hour and they said she was "upset" the whole time?? (Possibly needed a swaddle and sleep but was given cuddles instead)
E 10:45
A
S 11:50 - 2ish
E 2:45
A cuddles and play
S 3:30ish
A 6:00 Bath, and play
E 7:00
S 7:45

Tried the "wrap me up" again last night, which is similar to the Lil Houdini. I was up at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30 and 5:30 so quite a bad night for us. She was doing the fussing thing again (it's not really a cry, but is loud). Popped dummy in, 2 sucks and settled for each of first three occasions. At 5:30 dummy not wanted, fuss turned to cry. Picked up to settle. Removed from wrap and swaddled instead. Resettled within minutes with help of dummy and slept though till 8 when I roused her but she would have happily slept on. The weird thing is, until 5:30, she is not really even waking during those troubled "fussing" times. But I do give her a chance to settle herself before I go in. No tummy gurgling etc last night.

Today so far,
A: awake at 8:00
E: 8:10
A: play etc
S: 9:30 - 11:15ish
E: 11:35 - not very enthusiastic (tho we were at a festival so she could have been a bit distracted) Didn't want to wait four hours till 12pm as 8pm tonight seems a bit late for last feed?
A/S: not sure when she dropped off as she was in the pram. Home around 1:30, play/cuddle for an hour till tired signs
S: 2:30

Will wake around 3:30 for a feed, if she doesn't wake herself.

Neither were very routine days as we have been out and about.

She is fully breast fed and generally feeds for about 15 minutes. Then we do a burp and a bit of a break for 3-4 mins then offer more and she usually has about the same again. Been eating well since we moved to four hourly feeds. Prior to that would eat well some times and then uninterested at other times. For the last feed of the day I usually offer a top up feed just before its been an hour since I started that feed. (ie start feed at 7, then offer top up just before .

Will read the link again about PU/PD. I only pick her up when ssh/pat doesn't work and the fuss turns to a proper cry. That is generally when I notice the gurgling tummy and I understand what the fuss is about, work on a burp or fart then put her down again and will only pick her up again if still very unsettled. I am a bit worried about accidental parenting I guess - perhaps I should just cuddle her a bit longer when she is like that rather than putting her back down again?

 

[mmom]

How much sleep is she getting during the day?  There are a few spots that are confusing.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=85130.0

Too much sleep during the day or too long/short A's can also cause NWs.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.msg476652#msg476652

At the age of your LO and being EBF, it isn't unreasonable to have 2 NWs to eat.

Also, are you going in during real crying or fussing?  You said that you only pick her up when she is doing a real cry, but really that is the only time you should attend to her and try and ssh her.  If she is doing a mantra cry, you should leave her.  KWIM?  If you scroll down on this link, you will see info on various cries.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=4859.0

If your LO is uncomfortable, then it isn't unreasonable to use AP.  You aren't always going to have perfect sleep.  It sounds like you don't think last night was discomfort though.  I have to think about your routine.   I can't tell quickly if there is OT or UT happening.