5 month old wakes up every hour at night

[carolchevrand]

I started Pu/PD with my 5 month old 2 week ago. She had been sleeping with me or with my husband since she was born. She didn’t protest much and is able to put herself to sleep the first time. However, she’s waking up many times during the night, specially after 2am. I know she’s not hungry because even after feeding her, she sleeps only for 20/30 minutes before waking up. I’m able to settle her only by touching her back or holding her hand. However, the minute I let go of her she wakes up again.  Sometimes she doesn’t cry right away, it’s like if she is trying to get back to sleep but can’t.
When I put her to bed, naps and nights, she falls asleep by herself. Without me touching her or anything. However, for naps, she only sleeps 30/40 minutes so what I have been doing for the past week is to go in her room a few minutes before I know she will wake up and the moment I see that she's about to wake up I gently touch her back and she continues sleeping for maybe, 30 minutes more...Most of the times she doesn't even realize I'm in the bedroom. Should I stop doing this? Maybe she's expecting me to do the same thing at night??

[katie80]

Hi there, it sounds like you've made great progress with PUPD! Well done! It does seem like she may have a bit of a prop with you touching her in the middle of the night, however. I think I'd try to start settling her without keeping your hand on her at that time. You can put your hand on her to help her calm, but then try to take it away so she falls asleep on her own. Continue to use your voice/sleep phrase while doing this, so she knows your still there, but doesn't need your touch to settle. I think it's totally fine to keep sneaking in to extend her naps. I did that with my DS1 at that age and it really helped. I also don't think that would be contributing to the prop at night.

It's probably worth taking a look at your routine too. It may be that with a tweak, she would start sleeping through naps better on her own and possibly wake less at night too. Would you post it?

[carolchevrand]

Thank you for your post!

This is what we have been doing...



7.30 awake and milk
9:30am nap 1hr
10:30am awake and milk
12:30pm nap 1.5hrs
2.00pm awake and milk
4pm nap 1hr
5pm awake and milk
7pm cat nap 30/45 min
7:45awake and start bedtime routine
21pm asleep for the night.

Her long naps are usually with my help. I understand that maybe her bedtime is a bit late, but my husband gets home at 7:30pm and he likes to help with the bedtime routine. He also leaves very early in the morning so bringing her bedtime earlier means less time they would be spending together.

I only feed her once during the night. Around 5am. I've tried feeding her earlier thinking that she might me hungry, but she almost didn't eat and woke up again some minutes later.

Last night for example she slept from 9pm to midnight and then woke up every 40min or 1hr.

[carolchevrand]

I forgot to mention...

I Only breast feed  Her…She Is A Very Spirited Baby And Sometimes I Have To Feed Her Again After The Activity Because She Gets So Distracted That She Doesn’t Eat Properly. Especially In The Afternoon To Make Sure That She Is Not Going To Wake Up Hungry In The Middle Of The Night. I’ve Tried the Dream Feed But She Barely Opens Her Eyes And Only Eats For 20 Seconds. Before She Asleep Again.

Even though she a spirited baby, she is very easy to settle. For naps, I take her to her bedroom, I tell her it's time to rest, i put the blinds down, lullaby, she rests on my shoulder for some minutes before I put her still awake in her bed and in less than 2 minutes she is already asleep. But unless I help her, she wakes up after 30/40minutes. 

When she wakes up at night, first she fusses as if trying to get back to sleep then she cried. I'm usually able to settle her pretty easy. With my hand or the paci. The problem is when I stop touching or holding her... I don't even need to pick her up to calm her.

[Shdef]

Hi there! It sounds like a little bit too much day sleep. Maybe she is UT?

Have you tried an 11 hour night and a maximum of 3 hours day sleep per night? Two longer naps and a wee CN.

As for the settling, it sounds like habit. How exactly are the sleeping arrangements now? How far away is she from you?

[katie80]

It sounds like a little bit too much day sleep. Maybe she is UT?

I agree with Steffi... she's got a lot of naps for a 5mo old.  Probably what would be best is after that 4-5pm nap to go for a 7:30pm bedtime.  However, I understand that that's what you're trying to avoid for your DH's sake.  So, it's a bit tricky to know what to do, but eventually the day sleep is going to have to change to less naps as she gets older.  I guess I'd try to get rid of the touching prop first, and if she's still waking then you may need to change up the routine.  Is she closer to 5mo old or 6?

It's not unusual for a 5mo old to still have 2NFs, and lots of waking like she's doing can sometimes be hunger.  You say that you've tried to feed her, but she hasn't taken much... at what wake-up have you tried this?

[carolchevrand]

She has just turned 5. She sleeps in our bedroom, her crib is right next to me. She has silent reflux and is medicated. We have also elevated a little bit the head of her mattress. She choke with her own milk two times at night when she was 1 month old and then again. when she was 2. She is much better now.
Yesterday we did:
730am wake and milk
10 am - 11:30 nap ( with my help)
Milk
14:30 -16 nap (with little help)
Milk
18:30 -19 catnap
Bedtime routine
20:30 asleep for the night

She woke up at 11:30 pm then at 1, 2 ... 4 and every 40 min  until 730.
I fed her at 3 this time... She ate more but still woke up right away. I'm trying to eliminate the touch prop. This is the second night and she responded better. It was easy and faster to settle her, although she kept waking up.
I guess I can try feeding her again right after the first time she wakes up. It is the only time during the night that she sleeps 3 hours straight, if we are lucky 4

[katie80]

Hmm, that's just so many wake-ups... (((hugs)))! Do you think her reflux is bothering her at all/could she be in pain? That's another thing to take into consideration with that many wakes. Could she need a new dose in meds?