4.5 months night wakings, EASY transition, pain!

[LCho]

Hi

I use rough EASY routine with my second baby, who is 4.5 months old and has only once slept through (11-7.45am), and had short period of 6 hours ,(7-1 / 8-2).

Now waking at 10.30/11pm, 1-2 am and 5-5.30am before up for day between 7 and 8am.
Moving to 2 hour awake time except after a short nap when closer to 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours.
Self settle for naps in for with white noise.
Generally falls asleep at bedtime feed but sometimes stirs when put down or goes down more awake.

A 7.30
E 8 (not that hungry after 5.30 am feed)
A
S 9.30 (usually short nap)
A
E 11.30
A very short
S 12 ( depending on length of first nap- 1.25 - 2 hours after last woke) ( often longer sleep with some grumbling part way through - 1-2 hours)
A
E 2.45/3 ish
A
S 4 cat nap half hour
A
E 6.15pm
Bath 6.45
Stories with sister
E quick top up at 7-7.15pm then bed.

Never done dreamfeed (exclusive  bf) as she often wakes then anyway (possibly disturbed when we go to bed as in our room)
I don't understand moving from 3-4 hour day feeds (which we're kind of doing) isn't going to increase night waking for extra calories....other advice suggests increasing day feeds to encourage longer night sleep.

Last few nights she's not been so interested in feeding but seems to wake in pain and settles whilst I rub her tummy firmly but cries again when I stop. I tried gripe water which seems to have made pain at night worse ??!

Any suggestions to improve wind pain (always been fatty/explosive poo baby..not sicky) that might be causing night waking? Any advice on whether to do extra day feeds or stick to 3.5/4 hourly? Tanking/clustering in evening? Any advice on routine? I have a 2 year old so tend to go with the flow more and don't have time to try and resettle for short naps....she either resettles herself if she's happy or if she's screaming I get her up.

Knackered!!

[FPT23]

Hi there! Welcome to BWF! Always a pleasure having new moms! Hopefully any advice we offer can help your days with your baby go smoother

First of all, her EASY doesn't look too bad. Being that she is 4.5 months, I feel it is best to start increasing her A times. Here is a link worth going back to, just to get an idea of A times for some babies this age:

Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

I myself find myself going back to it as well

Going back to her A times, by 5 months you are getting closer to a 2.5hr A time give or take. You say her morning nap is short-- how short? It would help tremendously if you can jot down her EASY a bit more like so:

E 7am
A
S 9:30-11:00am

E 11:00am
A
S 1:30-3:00 .....etc

It's quite possible she needs a bit more A time. I would try to slowly increase her time awake by 10/15 mins (depending on how well your LO can handle it) for a couple of days. Start with her first A time and see if it helps lengthen that first nap. You said her second A time is short, how short? I need a little more detail, if you can do that later that would be very helpful please ...it makes sense that if she has a short first nap, the next A time is shorter but it wouldn't be TOOOO short- maybe 10/15 mins less. Next, you have her getting a CN from I guess, 4-4:30, right? But her BT isn't until 7ish pm? That's super long A time for her age as well. I would work on her daytime routine, tweak those A times. She sounds OT which can lead to NWs

I do want to add that during this time there is a big regression. Many things happen at 4 mths and much of it is developmental and will pass. Babies begin making sleep associations, many start to get more mobile and start rolling, and their A times start to increase more rapidly, and their sleep changes into more like our sleep- so to speak. I've seen many moms (me included recently!) where babies begin to wake are puns midnight and then again around 4/5am.... I would keep treating these as feeds especially if BF. I nurse as well and at 4 mths there is also a growth spurt. Keep that in mind

For belly discomfort, is there anything in your diet you feel she might be having reactions with? You say she's BF so maybe figuring that out can help? ....I know sometimes doing the leg cycles, rubbing belly, burping accurately-- all that helps. I know here in the US, some Drs recommend chamomile tea to help soothe belly aches. She might just be sensitive- have you spoke to her dr? Maybe some allergy that makes her have poos like that?

I think with a BF baby, 3-3.5 hrs is still common at this age. I would continue to feed on demand. Once naps increase in length and A times, which they will shortly, your supply will adjust. I sometimes added a little extra fees before a nap too.

Hope this helps XO!