Up 3-4 times a night, with poor sleep in between

[mom_2_2]

DS is a little over four months and goes to sleep on his own, but isn't a good sleeper. And I have never been able to get him to nap for more than 30-40 minutes. Here's yesterday (not an atypical day):

5:45am - wake
7:10am - nap
7:45am - wake
10:10am - nap (tried earlier, refused sleep)
10:40am - wake
12:40pm - nap (fell asleep nursing then put him in his bed)
1:10pm - wake
rest of the afternoon is a blur because I had to take him with me on errands and to pick up his brothers. He slept some en route, but I can't say for certain the precise times.
5:45pm - put to bed for night (so tired)

Waking: 9, 11, 1:30, 4:00

I don't think he's hungry each of these times. He's at the 86th percentile for weight (and 56th for length). After 4am waking, major fussing and not clear he went back to sleep. It's now 5:30am here and I think he's up for the day. I'll try for a nap around 7. Or is that already waiting too long? HELP!

[jessmum46]

I think you might have a bit of an UT/OT loop going on - as in he is UT for his first nap so only does a short nap (we had UT 35/37 mins naps for WEEKS before I realised that's what they were) and then that sets you off on the wrong track for the rest of the day with OT.  How soon after the first nap yesterday did you originally try for the second nap? 

Do you do any feeds at all overnight or a dream feed?  I would certainly expect him to be needing at least one if not two feeds in that time. 

At 4 months an average A time is round about 1h45-2h.  I would suggest that you start by adding 10 mins to his first A time and holding for 3-4 days, then increasing by another 10 mins etc until you start getting a longer first nap, ideally 1.5h or more.  If you get a good nap, try the same A time again for the second A.  At this age you are aiming for two naps of 1.5-2h and a catnap of 30-40 mins to see you through to bedtime.  I suspect if he isn't so tired by the end of the day that will solve some of your NW problems.  However, I would also suggest that if he wakes at night and it has been 4h or more since he was fed, you should offer a feed. There is a huge growth spurt at 4 months and it is common and normal for LOs to start waking more to eat. 

[mom_2_2]

Thanks for the reply. Last night I fed him at the 11 and 4 am wakings (and I don't think I did at 9, but I am a little delirious).

Yesterday, I think I tried around 9:45am (the first time) for his second nap.

Things are a little tough in the mornings, because he's up around 5:30, and I have to leave to drop off the other kids at about 8am. So, sometimes I try to get him a nap before I leave. Sometimes he falls asleep in the car (we're out for about 40 minutes total dropping off the other kids). When he falls asleep in the car, I let him sleep for as long as he will but it's not usually long.

[jessmum46]

It may have been a bit too late already by 9.45 as that would be a full A time after a short nap - generally for most LOs the A time after a short nap needs to be shorter to compensate.  But I fully appreciate that LO doesn't always cooperate with that!  Hope you get a chance to rest yourself today