Author Topic: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do  (Read 1240 times)

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Offline mommy2014

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My DS turned 3 months August 22nd. For the past week or so he has been waking almost every 2 hours at night. We have tried settling but he mostly only goes back to sleep once nursed. He is EBF. He used to have a good 4-6 hour stretch then go 2-3 hours, waking 2-3 times overnight. He naps well during the day,  doesn't fuss unless OT and even then it is only for a minute before falling asleep. Before naps and bed he is swaddled, gets a kiss and is put in the crib with his pacifier and white noise while I have a hand on him, slowly patting as needed. I have been feeding before and after naps to be sure he is getting enough in the day time and hoping he would wake less at night but no luck.

Here was our day yesterday morning until now;
7am  - eat
7:30-8:30 - activity
8:30 - eat
8:45-10:15 - sleep
10:20-eat
10:40-12:20 -activity
12:30 -eat
12:45-2 -sleep
2:10 -eat
2:30-3:45 -activity
3:45 -eat
4-5-sleep
5 -eat
5:20-6:40-activity
6:40 - eat
7 -sleep
8:40 - nw
10:40 -nw
12:15 -nw
2 -nw
4 -nw
6 - nw
7 - up for the day, attempted feeding but he was fussy.
7:20-8:30 -activity
8:35 - feed
8:55 - 10:40 - sleep
10:45 -eat
11 - activity
12:55 - sleep

Any advice welcome!  I am not sure what to do.  TIA

Offline mommy2014

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Re: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2014, 17:32:54 pm »
Last night we tried a later bedtime, 8pm, to see if it made a difference.  Made it 2.5 hours to start then back to every 2 afterwards. Any suggestions, please!  Waiting for a reply. . .

Offline Skadiver13

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Re: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2014, 17:09:28 pm »
Hi hun, it sounds like he might be snacking during the day so he's not taking as much of a full feed. I would try and start reducing that snacking unless he really really needs it. Sounds like he can't go a full 4hrs at night anymore? Is he taking a full feed when he wakes at night? Also for your easy  The A is from eyes open to eyes shut.  So for that first A time it's acutally 7-8:45. Just an fyi. It looks like he's taking good naps? you are doing a longer 2nd A than the first any reason? Are you waking him from his naps or is he waking himself?  Are you feeding him at all the night wakings? Does he fall asleep with your hand on him or can you leave the room?
My dreamed for Angel Baby DD (other than dreaded 40min naps) Born 4/30/16
Reflux, MSPI, Love my Spirited,textbook little munchkin DS Born 5/17/2012



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Offline mommy2014

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Re: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2014, 17:56:51 pm »
Thanks for the reply.  For the last 2 nights we've been sleeping much better - first stretch of 4-5 hours, then 3 hours.  So I'm hoping it was a growth spurt!

The reason I was doing all the extra "top up" during the day was to try and make sure he was getting enough calories and not waking at night.  I realize my timing was off which probably made it harder to interpret - sorry.  The 2nd A was longer because we were at an appointment so he didn't sleep until we got home.  That's not the norm.  He is waking himself from the naps.  I was trying to settle him in the night without feeding but he would get himself all worked up so feeding was the only way to settle.  Last night we settled him a couple times without feeding.  He usually will settle with the pacifier.  He has been falling asleep without my hand on him. Occasionally I will leave the room, sometimes I'm just there but not interacting him.

How should I reduce the snacking?  If I stop, could it cause more night wakings if he doesn't get enough?

Thanks again :)

Offline Skadiver13

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Re: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2014, 18:08:15 pm »
Ok, I would say if you can leave the room before he falls asleep then I just would. (even though I know we like to watch them) :). He should get used to you know being there. He could (every child is different) be doing an EASY like these:
Is he still 12 weeks old or closer to 4 months? He is on the higher end of A times for a 3 month old so I think maybe he is OT by the end of the day which may cause some nw'ings.

Check out the sample easy's here: Sample EASY Routines from 0 - 13mths+

As for snacking I would try and start stretching the time between feedings as around 4 months many lo's tend to go about 4hrs between feedings so he definitely doesn't need to eat at 8:20 and 10:30 I don't think. But I was a FF so I'll see if I can have someone pop on here in regards to the stretching the feeds.

Key points:
*4 months is around the time los transition from a 3 to a 4 hour feeding routine. Please read the link to gauge whether your LO is ready for the transition and how to go about making the necessary shifts.
3-4hr EASY Transition – In 5 Minute Increments
Time to Transition - 3hr, 3.5hr or 4hr EASY
*Average Awake time at 4 months: 1 hour and 45 min. - 2 hours


My dreamed for Angel Baby DD (other than dreaded 40min naps) Born 4/30/16
Reflux, MSPI, Love my Spirited,textbook little munchkin DS Born 5/17/2012



**Siobhan**

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2014, 19:25:07 pm »
With bf I would not necessarily expect to get to 4 hourly feeds even at 4 months. We never really did until we started solids at 5.5/6 months old. With my DD3 I ended up doing EAEAS because her A times got so long she could not last through a nap without a top up15-20 min before hand. But the top up was a quick one side feed usually and I did the wake up feeds in her room in the dark so as to get a better feed. There is another growth spurt at 4 months or so, so it may go all pear shaped again soon!
Heidi




Offline *Ali*

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Re: 3 month old waking every 2 hours at night, not sure what to do
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2014, 20:35:48 pm »
I'd see if he will go down for naps without the top up feed and the that would make your feeds more like 3hr15 apart with a 1hr45 A time and a 1.5hr nap.

If he finds that too hard then after the top up I would not feed him immediately on wake up and see if he will wait 45 mins to an hour. That way he should definitely be fine to wait until after the next nap for another feed. That way you could work on getting just one BF in each A time (assuming they don't go over 2hrs of A time) and then work on shifting them to nearer the beginning of each A time.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011