Inconsistent Night wakings...

[drarieple]

Hello everyone...

Thanks for reading!!  I have a sweet 3 month old baby boy (November 8, 2013).  He has been on 3 hour EASY since about 8 weeks and doing great.  He has been in his crib since day one and has been put down awake every nap and night time since day one.  (I remembered that from my first baby He naps for about 1 1/2 hours 2-3 times per day with a couple of other catnaps thrown in.  I maintain the same night time routine with a bedtime at 730... sometimes 715, if he is particularly sleepy.  I do a dream feed at 1030.  On my good nights, he stays asleep until 430 or 500, which is wonderful, takes a quick feed, and goes back to sleep until around 730.  However, on my not so good nights, he frequently wakes up at 230, takes a quick feed, goes down immediately, wakes up around 630, takes a quick feed and goes back down immediately until 8.  He is then awake for the day.  This schedule often alternates from night to night.  One good night, one not so good night.  I realize that even on his bad nights, its not so bad. ... just trying to figure out where I'm going wrong to make him alternate. 

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

[drarieple]

Anyone??  Last night, he decided to get up every three hours.  I was reading that sometimes the dream feed can be more disruptive than helpful so last night I tried to discontinue it, since he only takes a small amount.  He woke up at 11 screaming so I fed him... previous feeding was at 630pm.  He woke up again at 2 and again at 5.  Any suggesstions??  Thanks, in advance. 

[Layla]

Hi there, sorry it took so long to reply 

I do think on a not so good night, that's still pretty good but I understand it can be a bit confusing why they are able to sleep longer one night and not the next . I would experiment with the DF too, I never actually did the DF and let dd3 sleep (and the others too) until they would naturally wake up and then feed. DD3 also went through a stage where she would wake every 3hrs and that was mostly around the GS period. Also, I wonder if there is a pattern of him waking up more on days he has more daytime sleep. You mentioned he has 1.5hr naps 2-3 times a day with a couple of catnaps... sleep does beget sleep but could he be sleeping too much? At 3 months, some start working towards dropping to 3 naps (typically 2 long ones and a catnap).... do you notice a pattern of him waking up more if he has a 4th nap, which could be too close to bedtime? Just throwing some ideas around to see if we can pinpoint the night wakings.... again, in my opinion its normal for them to do longer stretches and then go back to needing an extra feed, especially when they are so little.

[Bex09]

Just wanted to add that my DS does this too and it tends to be on days when he hasn't taken quite so much milk during the day. So on days when he has only had 3 or 4oz in some of his bottles, instead of 5oz in them all then he wakes earlier for a feed. On nights when he has taken all 5oz from his bottles he can go right through until 6 or 7am. Also there is a big growth spurt around the 3 month mark and many babies who were previously sleeping through the night will often go back to needing a night feed at this time. It can last a while too! Hope that might shed a bit more light on things.

[drarieple]

Oh my... thank you for the reply!!

I definitely agree with you that even on a bad night, it isn't so bad.     I am just seriously confused.  I've read "secrets of a baby whisperer" cover to cover a couple of times and recently read topics pertaining to my problems in the "Baby Whisperer solves all your problems".  It seems that most of the topics pertain to getting your baby to sleep (which is luckily no problem at all) or getting your kiddo to back to sleep once he wakes up in the middle of the night (again, not the problem).  I can't figure out if he needs the feedings or if they are habitual wakings.  He used to wake up every three hours throughout the night.  I wouldn't even have to look at my clock and I'd know exactly what time it was.  He finally got over that and now is in the random waking period.  It seriously almost alternates from night to night... so tonight should be wonderful. .

He has gotten to where he naps really well during the days.  Usually it is only 2 naps of 1 1/2 hours... today, he is on his 3rd (likely from being up every three hours last night).  His last catnap, if he takes it, is around 5pm.  He just can't seem to stay awake.  This is the only nap that I don't put him in his crib for.  I leave him either napping on a blanket or in his mamaroo, in an attempt to shorten it.  I try to make sure it is only about 30-45 minutes then get him woken up, played with, bathed, fed and then back to bed.

What seems to happen is he is more restless on nights when he has taken more ounces at each feed.  He seems starving so I add additional milk.  It is on these nights that his sleep is most interrupted... and he seems to wake up starving.  Last night, the little guy (15 1/2 lbs) took about 7.5 ozs before bedtime.  He usually consumes about 5.5 or 6, at the most.

I'll definitely look into changing his napping schedule.  I just follow the 3 hour EASY, since he is only 3 months, and that is how the naps have figured in. 

I, seriously, am not complaining.   I realize that it isn't all that bad.  I'm just going back to work in a couple of weeks. and was hoping, beyond hoping, that he would be consistently sleeping.

I sincerely appreciate your response.  I have searched and searched for the answer online to no avail.  I happened upon this site and you guys seem really knowledgeable.  Thank you again!!