Stirring during the night (every hour from 3am)

[jellyfur]

Hi. My daughter has always been a fairly good sleeper. Since about 10 weeks she's been sleeping through from 7:30pm to 7am the following morning however for the last 4 weeks has been stirring around 3am, then again at 4am, then again at 5am. She doesn't wake up fully, just stirs and starts to whimper. BUT, if I leave her to self settle she becomes more restless and eventually wakes up with a full on crying episode. I then need to get her back to sleep which proves difficult.

So, I've made a rod for my own back and have been popping her dummy in when she starts to stir. I also give her a little pat on the chest. This will usually get her back down quickly for about an hour before she stirs again.  I'm guessing this might be because she's not fully asleep when her dummy falls out? She's also teething but not sure if that has anything to do with this as she's been teething for longer than 4 weeks.

She's not overly reliant on her dummy any other time. Will take it before every nap but will be fine if it falls out and will remain sleeping. At night when we put her down she will take it but again, does not wake up when it falls out.

Do you have any advice on how I can stop this cycle of night stirs?

She is now 18 weeks old.
Her daily routine is the 4 hour EASY (although she won't nap for 2 hours so it's more like EASYA)
She takes 2 - 3 x 1 - 1.5 hour naps a day and a 40 minute cat nap
She goes to bed at 7:30pm every night...if she's any later than that she gets upset
She is bottle fed and takes anywhere between 5 - 6 oz 5 - 6 times per day including her 10:30pm dreamfeed

Thanks
x

[newkidontheblock]

It just might be due to discomfort from teething, hun. Have you tried dream meds?

[jellyfur]

Thanks "newkidontheblock"...yea, I wondered if that might be the case. What are dream meds? I've been rubbing some bonjela on her gums before she goes to bed. Was more worried that it might be a habitual thing because it seemed to happen at the same time every night.

Although, yesterday we were out and about for a while and she missed a nap...she slept right through the night with no stirring. So I'm now wondering if she's napping too much during the day?

Complex little creatures huh? 

x

[newkidontheblock]

At 4 months, they do drop to 2 naps + CN, so maybe she is transitioning herself towards longer A times.

Dream meds are basically just meds given while they are sleeping -- so maybe in the dream feed or you could just put it slowly with a dropper into her cheek (I think this is how it is done)

You could also try the wake to sleep method, which is explained well in the FAQs in General sleep issues. For some reason, everything is being a bit glitchy right now and not letting me copy/paste:S

[jessmum46]

I'd agree with the UT theory....what A times are you doing right now? Bear in mind they can shoot up pretty quickly around 5/6 months....

[jellyfur]

Thanks @newkidontheblock, might try giving the dream meds a go if it looks like it's teething pain causing her restlessness.  I'll also check out the 'wake to sleep ' thread (was actually just reading a bit about this in the BW book).

@Jessmum46, we've been trying to establish the 4 hour EASY having previously used the 3 hour one with great success...proving a bit more tricky though.  Main issue is the length of time napping - she'll usually in go down for 1 hour so or routine ends up being EASYA. Typical day :

E: 07:00
A: 07:30 - 09:00
S: 09:00 - 10:00
A: 10:00 - 11:00

E: 11:00 (she then wants to sleep but I keep her awake)
A: 11:30 - 13:00
S: 13:00 - 14:00
A: 14:00 - 15:00

E: 15:00
A: 15:30 - 16:00 / 16:30 / 17:00 (sometimes she won't last until 5pm and has another wee nap)
S: 40 minute catnap
A, E,  S: 18:30 / 19:00 (bath and feed)

Then a dreamfeed at 22:30

The extra activity time as a result of her not napping for 1.5-2 hours is making it a challenge To regulate activity and sleep times.

X

[jessmum46]

I wonder if you need to push her first A a few mins to get a full nap?  2h might be a bit short for her hence the 1h nap rather than 1.5-2h.  I would try adding 10 mins, and holding for a few days.  Then if that doesn't help or makes things worse, try pulling back 10 mins instead.  Also are you medicating pre-nap?  We often got 1h naps when teething.  Also if her first nap is short, her second nap is too late.  After a short nap we would usually shorten the following A time to avoid OT.  After a 1h nap I wouldn't shorten much but maybe 10-15 mins or so?  At the moment she is doing 3h which is almost certainly too long so you end up with an OT afternoon x

[jellyfur]

Thanks @Jessmum46...I tried to extend the morning A time a little but she got mega cranky and OT, then wouldn't go down for her nap easily. Being awake for 2 hours seems to be her max in the morning but I'm going to try again because I reckon you're right and that's why I'm getting a shorter nap. I did notice when her teething got worse the naps got shorter so will try some meds before naps too.

She's actually stirring less now and over the last week we've only had one stirring episode each night at around 4am so I guess I shouldn't complain  (could be a lot worse) 

[jessmum46]

It definitely could!  Keep us posted

[jellyfur]

Hurrah! So have extended Activity time for 15 minutes each morning and although she's been a little tetchy and doing her usual sleepy cues it has worked! For the last two days her morning naps have been around 1.5 hours! She's also stirring even less at night now.

Thank you so much ladies for all your help!!
x

[jessmum46]

Great

[newkidontheblock]

Wonderful!

[jellyfur]

Was all going so well, then BOOM - we're back to waking up several times during the night.

I extended her A time by 10 - 15 mins each time as advised so daytime naps are now 2 naps of 1 - 1.5 hours each (she'll usually wake up around 40 minutes in, but a hand on the chest settles her again quote quickly) plus a 40 minute cat nap at 5pm(ish). She'll still go down quite easily around 7:30pm but has started waking up during her dreamfeed. She's also stirring (and waking most times) about 3 or 4 times during the night. I've been trying to track the times of these so I could try the 'wake to sleep' method but it's very haphazard and not the same every night.

Have no idea why she's waking up. It's definitely not hunger and I don't think it's because of teething either.

[jessmum46]

How are you settling the NWs? Could it be a paci problem now?

[jellyfur]

Usually just settle her by popping her dummy in and placing my hand on her chest. I've tired not giving her the dummy on occasion and just resting my hand on her chest and she still wakes up at regular intervals thereafter.

I have the wonder weeks app and it does say that around 22 / 23 weeks they become more unsettled and aware of their surroundings. She's also been a lot more clingy during the day and cries if I leave the room more often now (I used to be able to leave her playing in her cot or playgym for a good 10 - 15 mins just popping in and out to check on her).

I'm just getting worried as I was planning to move her through to her cot in her own room...now I'm wondering if that's a good idea.