Author Topic: 6 months old - NW getting worse  (Read 1401 times)

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Offline Han12345

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6 months old - NW getting worse
« on: June 05, 2016, 10:21:29 am »
Hi.

My LG is 6 months old today. She has been FF since 4 months old and just this week we have started weaning. Baby rice for 3 days and a couple of days of carrot. We have also recently moved her to feed every 3.5 hours because she wasn't eating enough every 3 hours. Sometimes it was only 2/3oz. Since 3.5 she has started drinking around 7oz (I think she's been through a growth spurt).

Unfortunately her NW are getting worse and she's waking up too early.

She has slept through before when she was early 5 months which lasted around a week. But most the time she has been one night feed which I don't mind at all. Most the time she would wake around 2am, have a bottle then back to sleep till 6/6.30 and I would leave her in her cot and get her up to start the day at 7.

This last week she has woken at 11.30 every night. I then try get her back to sleep how ever I can which might work for 30 mins but she is then awake again so I will give her a bottle around 12/12.30am then she will sleep again but is now waking at 5am. I have tried getting her back to sleep at 5 but I will just be fighting with her and eventually give in and give her a bottle at 6. Or I have tried feeing her straight away and getting her back to sleep but again I will be fighting with her and she will eventually sleep another 30 mins.

We have been working on longer day naps because she used to only do 30 minutes so thanks to advice on here I have upped her A time between feeds and it's certainly working better.

 I have also noticed she has a lot more wind so today I thought we would try up to no.3 teat. For her bed time bottle (split feed 5.30 & 6.30) she will be around 10oz. Could she be drinking too much before bed? She used to have about 7oz.

Here is how our days have been looking recently;


5am wake and give bottle
S: 6-6.30
E: 7am (offer her a top up to try keep the routine on track)
S: 8 - 8.45
E:10.30
S: 11 - 12.30 (has been waking after 30mins but will settle back quickly with reinserting dummy.)
E: 2
S: 3.20 - 4
E: 5.30 (I class this a bed time bottle)
Bath 6.30
E: 6.45 (rest of bedtime bottle)
S:7pm
Waking up: 11.30pm
E: 12.30am

My husband has been off this week so I've managed to cope with the early starts but I'm going to really struggle next week and need to try stop this ASAP.

Thank you xx

I also meant to add that when she wakes she doesn't cry. She just plays and talks/ shouts so even though I wouldn't really want to do any CC I don't know how I would do anything like that anyway.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2016, 10:24:22 am by Hb5000 »

Offline FPT23

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Re: 6 months old - NW getting worse
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2016, 20:01:48 pm »
Hi there and welcome!!

I'm sorry about the NWs and EWs :(
They can be very tiring- hugs!!

First off, let's not rule out possible teething for the night wakes! Have you considered something that may help for nights? Something to consider ;)

Taking a look at your routine, you might be coming upon the 3-2 nap transition. Typically around this time you see short naps which indicates a push in her awake time is needed which will eventually eliminate the 3rd nap of the day. EWs are common during this change. It is also not an over night fix but more of a process. Your first morning nap is 45 mins which can very well mean she's under tired. When making the change to, 2 naps a day, your naps need to lengthen and the time she is awake/playtime needs to be extended to around 3hrs in between naps. 

Here is the link for average A times for her age and of course can vary between babies ;) it is just a general idea Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

With that said, and with those happy wakings, she needs more time awake in her day! :) ....start by pushing her first nap out regardless of the EW. Push closer to 9-9:30. See if it makes a difference over a few days and that nap increases. You can try pushing by 15 min increments through the course of a week. Her second nap should fall around 2pm and then aim for a bedtime between 6-7pm depending nap lengths. Try not to push her awake times too quickly and all at once as that can cause an over tired, cranky baby and that's not fun :( again, this is a process so increase little by little throughout the next few weeks. There will be times when naps won't be long enough and you'll need to throw in that 3rd catnap of the day which can also be hit or miss or need a lot of help from your part to help her take the nap... And this is ok. For example, if nap ends before 3pm, you might have to squeeze a little nap to prevent OT (over tired) at bedtime-- make sense? :)

Here is another link to look over as you get through this transition ;)
All about the 3-2 transition- 5/6 months

Hope this helps a bit! :D
« Last Edit: June 05, 2016, 20:07:07 pm by FPT23 »
Fabi






Offline Han12345

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Re: 6 months old - NW getting worse
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2016, 21:03:53 pm »
Thank you for your reply. That does help a lot.

She has always just slept 30 minutes so I've been working on extending her naps by increasing A time. I will keep trying that and do what you suggest. I suppose in a way it's confusing for me as I'm just starting to encourage her to sleep longer when she is also probably trying to tell me she doesn't need to nap as much. 🤔

Only question is what do I do with the fact she wakes at 5am. How does that change her awake and nap time?

Thank you for the links too. They are great help.

Xx

Offline FPT23

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Re: 6 months old - NW getting worse
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2016, 04:04:52 am »
Your welcome :)

It can all be very confusing. Kind of like when people say "keep your baby up all day so they sleep all night" ....and it can actually back fire.

Haha but I totally understand the confusion. The thing is though, your trying to encourage two long naps and when needed depending nap lengths, do the catnap until the CN is out of the way. She can very well still be needing that CN too! All babies are different. From your EASY and what your saying upon her NWs, it seems as though that she's ready to move to her 2 long naps a day instead. So her total day sleep should be about 3 only and the rest should all be night sleep (technically). What's happening here is that she is transitioning. You will eventually end up with just 2 long day naps and remove that last catnap. That is what is happening. She is short napping b/c she needs more awake time now. Those short naps are b/c she's just not as tired at the time you are putting her down. It's tricky catching A times ;)

As far as EWs I think it comes with the territory. I do know in older babies, sometimes, it is an indication that you need to extend her first nap out a bit more.... The way it "should" normally work is, that morning nap will get closer and closer to midday (12pm) and will be her only nap. This is the 2-1 transition later on between 12-18 months or so and as you can imagine, that second nap will also become a catnap and eventually be out of the way. I think you will in time see her EW push out if you continue to extend her A times and get to the 2 nap change.

Here is another link on other things that cause EWs. I also find them to be developmental. I see it happen very often around this time here on the forum, unfortunately :( but it will pass ;)
Early Waking

I also want to share another link with total sleep per ages. Also, a general idea and not exactly how all babies are but it can also help so you can see how she needs her 2 long naps and occasional CN to avoid OT at BT until it's eventually out of the way ;)

Typical Amounts of Day and Night Sleep
Fabi