Used to wake once - now 2 or 3 times a night

[ladymugg]

Hi there

Just after some help please.   My 10 week DS used to sleep 6.30 pm until about 3.30 am...

Now waking at both 10.30 pm and 3 am ish, sometimes earlier than 3 and then on those days also waking at 1/2am and then again at 5am.  This has been going on for around 2 weeks or so.

I know the usual deal - probably growth spurt etc.  Although not sure this is the case now (maybe was initially but I feel like it's now a habit!?).

Last night took only half feeds/bottles both times but sometimes takes a little more.   Seems super hungry but since he's not having a normal bottle size he can't be that hungry?!

Help please!  I know people will say newborns often wake more than once but he did this for so long, one waking at 2am or later from around 5 weeks.

Thank you in advance.

[FPT23]

Hi! At this age babies sleep changes so much. It will probably pass soon. How is he when he wakes?

If you say it is not a GS how about you post your EASY?

Long stretches of sleep change also around 4mth regression. It happens with all the changes! Hang in there and many hugs xoxo!

[ladymugg]

Easy is basically this (daytime):
6 am E
7.30 am S
8.30 am A
9.00 am E
10.15 am S
11.30 am A
12 pm E
12.45 pm S
2.45 pm A
3 pm E
4.15 pm S
5.30 pm A and E
6.30 pm BT and top up of bottle

Awake time is anywhere between 60-90 minutes.  Feeds 3 hourly apart from when aggressively hungry - and other times can go 3.5-4 hours, but 3 is the general rule.  Newborns eh

Not sure definitively that it isn't a GS but I haven't heard of a GS lasting 2 weeks and only being at night time? 

I'm not stressed about it, this is my second baby so I'm way way way more chilled this time about his sleep, just disappointed that there seems to be this additional and seemingly unnecessary extra wake up and bottle shoved in there... he definitely gets enough milk during the day, at least 1100ml which is on the high side to start with (he's a big boy so it is to be expected to a point, but still the recommended amount is probably more like 800-1000ml).

Thanks so much for your help!

I know sleep changes so much at this age but I didn't expect it to go backwards?!  I'm definitely aware of the 4 month sleep regression however he's just over 2 months old now, so it would seem a little early for that?! 

[FPT23]

GS last around 2-3 days and can last up to a week. If you feel that's not what it is then perhaps it's not.

Your routine seems pretty good! I have a 4 mo myself, round too also ...honestly his sleep was perfect and I thought I hit the lotto (in more ways than one of course hehe) but his sleep started to change at nights around the 2mth mark... Could just be developmental honestly.

Always check for other things such as good temperature and one can never rule out gas/discomfort at this age too!

Don't worry, in a few weeks he will prob go back to longer nights only for it to be disturbed once again and yes sleep changes backwards, and forwards, and back again. Lol!

[ladymugg]

Thanks FPT23! 

I should be glad that this extra bottle is around 10.30 pm, which is kind of our bedtime so it isn't an additional wake up for us...

The paediatrician who we saw last week for an unrelated  issue (he was under observation when he was first born, for the night - ended up being nothing but them being thorough, which is good, but there was a follow up appointment last week) said he is pretty big ie: above the 97th centile for weight, and I need to watch how much I'm feeding him.  He didn't say it in a jerk way, and I wasn't touchy about it.  Maybe his size and consumption is mostly relevant to how tall I am (5'11" and hubby 6 foot, and my dad 6'4") and the fact he is a boy more than anything else.  He drinks a lot during the day and then adding in more at night hmmmm... but his feeds are spaced so I am not sure I should worry about it, he just seems to be a hungry baby!!!  But otherwise happy... not overfed ie: he isn't greedy then spilly.  So maybe I am being a little bit needlessly worried about that volume.  In a couple of months he'll be on solids so that might drag things back down. 

Then he added in that extra feed so I'm like "really - still friggen hungry?!?!?!  what the..."   

I really appreciate your support and thoughts and ideas and advice.

[FPT23]

Oh well I'm sure he's a very happy healthy baby!

Maybe he just needs a little help resettling at that time? They wake just like us and need help going back to sleep!

Your welcome

[ladymugg]

OK so his usual first wake up just happened so I thought I would test... hungry or habit.

It would seem its a bit of a habit waking by my brief deduction.  He isn't a dummy taker, but took the dummy (didn't stay in for long) and was perfectly chilled out and smiling, happy.  I held him for a while, holding the dummy in.  I left him too, went out of the room as he was calm, but he still grumbled so went back in after a minute.  I sat there for a while with the light on dim just looking at him (which was lovely to be fair) and he was happy as, laughed and stuff when the dummy fell out, although still a little grouchy.

Gave him a small snack of 90ml, which is much less than I would normally offer.  He would have kept going had I had more, but I thought lets leave it there and see what happens. 

Will do some more reading in the morning about how to get rid of a habit feed at this age - I had to do this with Miss 2 when she was about 5 months old, but she was old enough for PU/PD and that worked well.  I think he is too young for PU/PD yet, the books go on and on about PU/PD being most effective from 4 months.  I have to say I hate me some sshhh pat like nothing else, but I might have to bite the bullet and do it.  Unless anyone has some alternatives?   It isn't the standing there and doing it, I feel like a dork and that I'm doing it wrong... so maybe I am?! 

Suspect this started as a growth spurt feed but now is something he feels he needs.  I would usually be happy to oblige with a newborn and keep feeding but at nearly 11 weeks, huge baby and takes more formula than is recommended, I think maybe it is time to be a little bit hard on this little habit feed and see what happens.