Well for starters, it would appear as though our "schedule" has changed--again. What I posted below seemed to be the new norm as it had lasted a good 4-5 days straight. But going on 2 days now, we're back to (3) 45-min naps and a 4th nap that never happens which is pretty much what our routine has been from about 8-10 weeks until week 20.
And the longer 3rd nap seemed to extend her night sleep stretches from 1hr, 30-45 minutes to 3 hour stretches. So I didn't limit that third nap thinking maybe she was just making up for lost sleep. Must have been a coincidence though, because those nights with 3-hour stretches were short-lived, too. ;-(
LO has never been much of a burper, actually. Even during the day, in spite of our best efforts. We have researched/tried ALL possible methods with no luck. She never really seems agitated or uncomfortable, though. When she wakes at night, at first it's just kind of a moaning/whine that after 10 minutes or so ramps up to a full-on upset cry. So, I go to her, offer a feeding (simply because that's the fastest way for ME to actually get more than 2 hours of sleep at night) and she goes RIGHT back down. The only time she's ever increasingly upset is if we go to her and DON'T pick her up/cuddle and/or offer that "feeding".
That being said, NONE of her MOTN feeds last longer than 5-8 minutes. I tried weaning, but the first few minutes at the breast, she's more or less comfort sucking (not even fast-sucking to encourage let-down). Mostly because she's ASLEEP. She's back to sleep almost immediately once latched on. Sleeps through the entire "feeding". And it's hard to wean because I can't set a time limit that works. For example, I'd start at 5 minutes, but she might nurse less than that anyway.
I've tried PU/PD, but that only seems to upset her more. We're talking--SERIOUS SCREAMING. And shhh/pat has never really worked for us--even in the beginning. If I give her a pacifier, cuddle her a bit and put her back down, she settles back down 25% of the time. the other times, she either stays up and "plays" or cries. And the times she does settle back down, she'll be back up an hour or so later. We've tried eliminating the 4th nap (when we were getting two long naps + 1 catnap), and adding back in a 4th nap when naps are short. We've tried EBT which has only seemed to backfire, with her waking up to an hour early in the A.M. I'm currently extending nursing sessions from 3 to 3-1/2 hours to see if she'll take in a fuller feed, but so far it hasn't made much of a difference. And we can't start solids for another 2-3 weeks because of MSPI.
I would be fine with one MOTN at this point. Even 2 given we don't offer a DF. But 4x a night? And without ever really nursing each time? The last waking is often in the 6am hour, and the only way to get her back down (as with other wakings) is to offer that comfort nursing/feeding. But then she doesn't eat well at DWT. I just don't know what to do, you know?
I've been battling these MOTN wakings for 16 weeks now. I am tired, run down and on the verge of tears ALL THE TIME. I feel like I've lost all sense of judgement and reasoning to where I feel like I'm no longer "in touch" with anything regarding LO and her WT's, naps, sleep time, feedings, etc. At this point, I need a "plan" but am apparently incapable of making one myself.
And I really do apologize for sounding so bitter/defeated... I don't mean to come across that way. I am operating on VERY little sleep, trying to work with my DD1 (6 yr old)'s schedule, a DH that's unwilling/able to help MOTN because he works and a LO I can no longer read. ANY suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much!
