Night waking at 4 months - not sure what to do next

[MummyInRio]

Hi! 

My lo is 4 months.  He has never been the best sleeper but until 2 weeks ago I felt like we were making progress.  He goes down easily in his cot at 7.15 to 7.30pm awake with paci and he sucks himself to sleep. He then normally wakes himself for the DF at anytime between 10.30-11 and will then sleep to 2am.  I previously managed to stop this being a feed as he wasn't feeding long and would get him back to sleep quickly with paci and soothing but this has recently changed.  For the past week this 2-2.30 wake up has resulted in lots of crying, soothing in the cot does not work so I pick him up but that makes things worse.  Last night I resorted to a feed after 30 minutes.  He did feed but not a long one and it was enough to calm him so he could go back into the cot and drift off.  He is also waking again at 4.30-5am, which used to be the time of a very brief night feed but again recently it has resulted in lots of crying when previously it was a quick feed.  Sometimes he also wakes another once or twice in the night but goes back relatively quickly.  I am really not sure how to approach solving the night walkings.  I am thinking about wake to sleep but as the 2am wake up is never exactly at the same time, I am not sure what time to do it. 
He is breastfed except for the DF.  He is also a large baby - 7.5kg.  Daytime naps can be great (2hours) or just 45mins. 

Help or ideas would be really welcome please!

[MummyInRio]

Just thought that I would add that he is transitioning from 3 to 4 hour EASY:
Wake up 7.15am
Eat 7.30
sleep 9.30-10/ 10.15
Eat 10.45
Sleep 12-1.30/2pm (on a good day)
Eat 2.30pm
Sleep for max 30mins sometime around 4 to 4.30pm
Feed 5pm followed by bath n bed
Top up of expressed milk at 7pm then bed. 
DF - 10.45pm although he is nearly always awake for it and he often wakes himself.
Daytime sleep is max 3-3.5 hours but he is very happy on that, particularly a long sleep at midday. 

[newkidontheblock]

Hi there. I seem to remember that there is a growth spurt around that time. Maybe he is actually hungry and that is why he won't go back to sleep easily? It might be that after crying for 30 minutes, he feeds but not enough and so he is waking up again? Just throwing some ideas around. What do you think?

[MummyInRio]

That's a good possibility.....I half discounted it because it seems like he never stops growing at the moment, Having difficulty reading hungry cues in the dark and have been worried about AP.  I have also been thinking about how to increase the size of his feeds during the day but he always takes both breasts and seems to stop himself.  His breakfast feed is often small, which makes me think he has been eating too much during the night and has been the reason for me trying to shush him back to sleep. 

[newkidontheblock]

I have also been thinking about how to increase the size of his feeds during the day but he always takes both breasts and seems to stop himself.

Have you tried re-offering the first side? Or re-offering in 30 minutes? He might point blank refuse, of course but even if he takes a little bit, the calorie content would be high at that point. Tracy's advice during growth spurts is just that -- offer more during the day.

His breakfast feed is often small,

This happens, especially with an early morning feed. Have you tried waiting for around half an hour more before feeding?

[MummyInRio]

Good morning!  Thanks for your ideas!

Last night was better - he was deep asleep for the DF at 11 woke briefly at 1 am but went back to sleep after only a quick sh pat.  He then woke again at 2.15 and I fed him.  He fed actively for 5 minutes and then comfort sucked but went down easily afterwards then woke again at 5.20, same thing except fed a bit longer and then went back to sleep again until 7.20 when I woke him.  Does that sound like he needed feeding or just looking for comfort? There is still a part of me that thinks it is habitual waking as it is always around the same time.  the 2 am wake up does seem a bit early for him to be hungry after taking a big bottle of formula at 11, however we do live in a very hot climate and he is sleeping in the air conditioning therefore is there a chance that it is thirst and not hunger?

This morning the first feed was small again and he was getting easily distracted.  I will try giving him a top up as you suggest and see how we do. 

[newkidontheblock]

Does that sound like he needed feeding or just looking for comfort?

If he fed and went right back to sleep, then perhaps he wanted it. Honestly, I would rather feed than struggle to get my DD back to sleep. 1 or 2 night feeds are very normal at that age.

he was getting easily distracted

4 months was the age DD got super distractible. Since then, we nurse in a dark, quiet room. It is the only way to make her eat properly.

[MummyInRio]

Hello again.  I've been trying a few of your suggestions and thought I would give an update and ask a few more questions. 

I have been focussing on feeding at home with the min. Distractions and definitely think he is taking more.  I am also not rushing to give him his first feed (sometimes it is more like 8am) and that doesn't seem to have much of an effect on his EASy although 4 hours isn't happening in the morning as he normally needs to feed around 11 again. Unfortunately I haven't noticed a difference with the NW .

We have had a couple of nights where he has only woken once at 2.45, had a good feed then gone back to sleep until 7.  The rest of the nights have been bad.  He is now waking at 10pm (after bed time of 7.30) and we give him his 'DF', last night he then woke at 12.30 and needed a sh and paci to get back to sleep.  At 2.45am I gave him a feed which was more lots of comfort sucking.  Same again 5.15  - he doesn't feed much but cries when i take him off.  My instinct is telling me he is not hungry.  I know this could just be 4 month sleep regression but i am worried that i am starting to AP him back to sleep both with breast and  Paci but have tried pick up put down and shing but it just winds him up.

[newkidontheblock]

I agree that so many wakings could not be due to hunger. Your routine also looks fine to me for a 4 month old. How many weeks old is he?

[MummyInRio]

19 weeks

[newkidontheblock]

Honey, you are *in* the wonder week. Week 19 is the one with the storm

[MummyInRio]

He's definitely coming to the end of a major development phase - he is normally slightly ahead of the wonder weeks.  What I am trying to figure out is how are you supposed to weather the storm without AP.....or do you just do what is necessary to get through it and solve the AP later? 

Last night we had two new developments.....firstly refusing to settle without the breast when he woke up - he was bashing his head against my chest but then fed for less than 5 minutes, relaxed, drifted off and I then put him down awake but quiet (three times).  This has never happened before and has all the signs of AP.  I feel like we are taking big steps backwards

On a more positive note, just before bed during wind down I watched the dummy fall out of his mouth and he picked it up and tried to replug (but got it wrong way round!).  I am probably clutching at straws but this would be a nice alternative to going cold turkey. 

Thanks for your continued support - it is good to brainstorm with someone.

[newkidontheblock]

What I am trying to figure out is how are you supposed to weather the storm without AP.....or do you just do what is necessary to get through it and solve the AP later? 

Sleep definitely does take a hit during the WW. This leap was awful for us in terms of naps but nights remained great. I would say try to stay consistent with your routine but honestly, do whatever it takes to keep your sanity. I wish I had done the same at that time. I was pretty shattered by the end of it. They do need more comfort and cuddles during these leaps, so if he wants to nurse, go ahead. He knows what he needs