Night waking 5 month old refluxer

[Hodgs0]

I am having night waking with my 4.5 month old. She has reflux and even on the 4 hour routine will often only eat 4oz every 4 hours until the last bottle of the day usually at 7 when she'll drain a 6oz and then go through till dream feed time when she'll usually take 4-oz. Shes waking at 2-2:30 am and unless fed will then wake on and off till 5:30 am. She requires the dummy in to settle herself to sleep and is still swaddled because she wakes herself up constantly with flailing arms. I'm finding so frustrating because DS1 was a dream on EASY and STTN by this point without a dummy which I withdrew from him easily at 4 months by doing shsh pat for one night. DD2 will not do shsh pay it drives her bonkers. We have two 2 hour naps; q morning 1 afternoon and a cat nap. She always wakes at the 45 minute mark on the nap but goes straight back to sleep when you replace the paci. I feel I need to somehow increase the amount she eats in the day and prob get rid of the paci by doing pupd ałthoygh having a 2.5 year old in the house I dread her screaming waking him up. How do I up the food, she generally will only ever eat 4oz for he first 3 bottles if the day at most.
Routine

6:30 am wake
7:00 am feed (3-4oz)
Sleep 8:00 - 10:00
Eat 11:00 (3-4oz)
Sleep 11:40 - 14:00
Eat: 15:00 (4-5oz)
Cat nap 16:10-17:00
Bath 18:00
Bed 18:30
Eat:19:00 - 6oz
Dream feed 11:00 pm 4-6 oz

Night feed any time between 2:30-5:30 am - usually full 6oz

[Hodgs0]

Should add she's bottle fed on aptimil reflux milk which definitely works in helping her discomfort but is very thick.

Any suggestions/ strategies would be welcomed. Thanks  Mums x

[katie80]

At her age, I honestly don't see anything wrong with feeding her at 2/2:30am. There are lots of babies this age still having another NF as well as the DF. Waking on and off like that typically indicates hunger or discomfort. If feeding helps, then I'd not fight it. Unfortunately, I think lots of LOs with reflux tend to eat better at night when they're more relaxed, so there may not be a lot you can do to increase the daytime feeds until she's ready to take more. You might ask about it on the reflux board to see if anyone else has dealt with similar. Colic, Reflux, & Crying

The routine looks just fine to me, although you might want to start stretching the A times to closer to 2hr by 5mo. There's a chance that that can be adding to the restless sleep in the early morning, as too long naps and not enough A can steal from night sleep.

(((Hugs))), as hard as it is, try not to compare your two. Your DD has different needs and she will get to STTN in time.

[Hodgs0]

Thanks Katie80. I was kind of thinking along these lines as well. I guess it's just hard when you've been spoilt the first time round and DS1 is such a good sleeper from me doing EASY with him early. DD2 has improved a lot on the routine during the day. I was thinking tonight that I could prob start pushing the A time out gradually. She's defo not quite ready for 2 hours yet but I think I can get her to 1:45 and then gradually increase. I really hoping I can resolve without having to take her paci because I read its soothing and helpful for reflux babies. I will take your advice on the A times. Thanks x

[katie80]

I guess it's just hard when you've been spoilt the first time round and DS1 is such a good sleeper from me doing EASY with him early.

For sure... just know that what you're experiencing now really isn't that abnormal or bad, although I know how nice STTN is.

I really hoping I can resolve without having to take her paci because I read its soothing and helpful for reflux babies.

Yes, that's why I didn't even mention it.  Soon and with lots of practice, she should be able to learn how to replug herself, and then it is no longer a prop, but a comfort item.  And, yes she may need it to transition naps at this point, but she may grow out of that as well, and as long as she's not constantly waking up for it at night, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  I also meant to mention earlier that PUPD isn't suggested for reflux babies of this age as it can aggravate the reflux, so you don't have to worry about that.  You also don't need to do shh/pat if it bothers her... just need to find something that helps to soothe her, like stroking her forehead or patting/rubbing the thigh, etc.

I think you've got a good plan with gently pushing out the A times.