Night waking for 4 1/2 month od

[Sjbc1019]

Hi

My 4 1/2 month old has been waking at around 4pm every morning for the last week.  She will lay in crib sucking on her fingers and hang out for awhile then will cry out.  I will feed and change her and it seems she wants to play or not sleep.  We had been shush patting her to sleep after the first few nights of her staying up for 2 hours.  With shush pat she was usually asleep in an hour.  Last night I tried and she wide awake so I just let her lay.  She finally fell asleep about 30-45 mins later and only did a tiny bit of mantra cry at the end.  In total she was up for 2 hours.  I think the time change has been tough as we did not move it in increments but kept the 7pm bedtime.  It has taken a lot of shush pat and she usually is out for the night an hour and a half later.  Could the unsettled sleep at the beginning be affecting her night wakings?

Thanks!

[pinkladyangel]

Hiya.
Have you tried wake to sleep?

[Erin M]

She also might need some more A time during the day -- what does her schedule look like right now?

[Sjbc1019]

She eats every 3-3 1/2 hours and I put her down for naps at around 1 hr55-2 hr 5 mins.  I can't tell if she s overtired r undertired when I put her down.  She goes down for naps within 5 mins most of the time.  At night it has been taking a lot longer- 15-25 minutes.

She is waking earlier every night- if 3 hours have passed I feed her, change and have let her fall asleep n her own.  Lady night it took her 30-35 mins to fall asleep after her feed.  She does not cry- maybe a tiny bit of mantra cry.

Thanks

[Erin M]

It sounds like some more A time might be in order, probably not too much -- I'd maybe try for about 2.15 and see where it gets you.  If she's very awake at those NWings, even after feeding, that generally means that you should extend your first morning A time (and the subsequent ones as well).

[Sjbc1019]

Do I put her down at2 hr 15 pr if it takes her 5 mins to fall asleep put her down at 2 hr10?  I am currently putting her down at around 2 hr to 2 hr5 mins meaning she is typically asleep by 2 hrs 5/10 mins.

Thanks

[Erin M]

I'd try 2.15 and see where it gets you - post back with what happens and we'll see from there.

[Sjbc1019]

Since my last post we have been putting her down for naps at around 2 hr5-10minutes.  From there it usually takes less than 5 mins for her to fall asleep.  Her night wakings for long periods have gone.  The last two nights I saw her hanging out for 5-10 minutes at around 2:30 then cry and I fed her and she went back to sleep.  Thank goodness that has gotten better.  I have tried 2 hrs15 mins put down but it hasn't been great.  Short naps and lots of crying.  I am not sure though if it is the activity I did before that is effecting it though.  My mother in law took her on hour long walks right up to about 2 hours then she seemed alert so we played tummy time for 10 mins or so then wind down for 5 and it was not good.  We will give it a go though- her naps today havE been off.  Her first was down after 2 hrs11 mins and she napped for 33 mins and could not fall back asleep.  Her second was put down at 2 hrs and she slept for 35 mins (put her down slightly earlier due to earlier short nap).

[Erin M]

If you're getting good nights, I'd leave your A times where they were when you were getting them.  I'm sure you'll eventually have to push it a bit more, but if it works for now, I'd leave it.  Not sure why you were a bit off today, but I'd stick with what has worked tomorrow.