Babbling and chatting

[ladymugg]

Hi there

Another post from me.  DS (5mo) - when he wakes in the night at around 4/5 am it is usually because he is having a massive (and loud) talk to himself.  He is super happy, just very loud.  And it can go on for up to an hour.

Often this happy chat will turn into a "I need to be fed" noise so a quick bottle (and he doesn't usually have much) and then back to sleep.

I know I should probably try resettling but this kid is often very hungry.  I feel this age is a tough one for knowing when to resettle and when to feed.  Would prefer to not feed but his loudness wakes the whole fricken house so it seems like an easy way out of a fairly annoying problem.

When does this babbling phase pass?  How long does it usually last for I mean?
And would you be feeding or resettling?  Bear in mind its usually around 5 am which is pretty close to the 6 am wake up for the day in our household.  Maybe with spring coming and the morning getting lighter that isn't helping either... could wait to see what daylight saving time in a couple of weeks brings.

Any ideas or suggestions please? 

[lolsyb1982]

Hi babbling and chatting in the night is often due to UT so could I ask you to post your last day or two in EAS format so we can see. He could be starting the 3-2 transition which can cause some NW and here is a link to explain it if you haven't seen it. All about the 3-2 transition- 5/6 months

[ladymugg]

I have been TERRIBLE at writing down his sleep patterns (and I have been really keen to see what these are) so will make a big effort for the rest of the week to track these in my (neglected) app. 

But while its fresh in my mind here was today (and yesterday was very similar):

6 am WU for day - feed between 6-6.30 am
7.45 am S (I had to wake him after an hour to take my older child to preschool )
10 am E
10.30 am S
12.30 pm awake
1.45 pm E
2.15 pm S
3.30 pm awake
4.00 pm solids
4.45 pm resisted catnap
5.45 pm bottle
6.00 pm bath
6.15 pm finished off bottle
BT 6.30 pm

Previous day:
6 am WU for day.  Bottle around 7 am (argh I wasn't home and it wasn't done when he woke, hubby was confused and tried to offer solids!)
7.45 am S - til 10 am
10.30 am - E
12.15 pm S
2.30 pm E
4.15 pm S catnap
5 pm WU
6 pm bottle/bath/get ready for bed
6.30 pm BT

WU in the night is usually 2 am (feed) and then this babbling business at around 4.30/5am.  We don't do a dreamfeed, previously we did this but it seemed to not be working so dropped it.  Last night WU was 11.30 pm and then 4.15 am, fed both times (for some reason didn't want much of a BT bottle so I guess this was expected, but isn't the norm).  Would always prefer to not feed in those early hours and get him through to breakfast. 

It is SUPER interesting what you say about being UT.  I have been really focussed on getting him from 1.5 to 2 hours awake time (and am there now) up until recently as he really seemed OT after any more than 1.5 hrs, but maybe he has leapt ahead and needs more than 2 hours awake time!?!  Funny he was on 3-3.5 hour feeds FOREVER and would not increase the gap too, now seems much more content with ~4 hrs.  He has always been a very very big baby so I had begun to accept his hunger was completely relevant for his size and maybe he was going to play catch up for a few weeks.  So I had kind of accepted we were on 3 + catnap for a while yet but forgot that this is always changing!

So I think you might be right.  It is 9.40 pm here so I'll give that link you posted a decent look tomorrow morning when my brain is fresh but in the meantime please do comment on my EASY as above.  I wish it was a little cleaner and more straight forward sorry, but then again whose baby is exactly perfect at any one point in time huh.(Will point out that my last baby who is now 2 was very much Textbook baby and followed the Hogg book almost as she had written it herself.  This one is an Angel baby but without the Textbook leanings if you know what I mean, not nailing all those 'supposed to's')

Thank you!

[ladymugg]

Oh and first time ever tonight... was SUPER hard to get to sleep.  6.30 pm BT but he started crying at 7.15 pm.... not asleep until 8.30 pm!  Was so overtired only a small bottle and swaddling (he's been one arm out for a little while as I am trying to transition out of swaddling) got him to sleep.  This after he refused the 4.30/4.45 pm catnap.  So a good 5 hours awake. 

I know one day doesn't make a pattern but I'm hearing alarm bells going off!!!

[lolsyb1982]

Yes sounds very much like you are in the 3-2! You will need to start pushing his A times longer (in increments) whilst reducing that 3rd nap as sounds like he was UT at BT. Not sure what your day is like with school drop offs etc though so may need to work around those.

I've attached the average A times for you to reference. He might be on the shorter end at the moment of A times but I'm not sure if he's just 5mo or nearly 6?

Average A times- BOOKMARK ME! .

[ladymugg]

Thanks so much will do some reading today so will get a plan together.  This might actually make school drop off easier as have been waking him some days

His birthday is the 5th so he's about 5.5 months.  So getting closer to 6

[ladymugg]

Just wanted to say thank you as I have stretched out his day naps (now doing 2 or 2 + catnap depending on how we go, vs 3-3+CN before)... and the babbling has stopped.

As per my other post the night waking has all changed though.  I don't think its as a result of his day sleep changing but still frustrated as now he is waking at 10.30pm instead of like 1-2am.  Two steps forward one back

[lolsyb1982]

Waking early in the night can sometimes be OT.

What's his EAS now? Does he have a long A to bed? It could just be a temporary thing whilst he gets used to the new routine.

[ladymugg]

Hmmm interesting you say that as I am just learning that in my other thread I have going at the same time!
To dream feed or not to dream feed? 

Posted EASY on there too.  But agree there are adjustments that will take a little time to get used it.

Thanks!

[MakMommy]

Thank you for posting about this. We are having a similar experience over here. Baby is NW 1-2 times. If it's just once (around 4am) I will feed and resettle. Some nights, he's NW around 2am and 5am and I try to resettle at the first wake. Regardless of the time he wakes, we usually hear him wake and he's also cooing and chatting to himself. When I go into his room it's as if he's ready for some A time.

DS is 20weeks, 5months next week. I'm wondering about the 3-2 transition... He switched to a 3.5-4hr EASY just before 4months.

His day looks like this:

WU - 630-7 WU for the day (spend A time in crib cooing and talking)
E - 7/730 (BF)
A - 730/8
S - 9 (1.5-2hrs; extra A time if wakes after 1.5hrs)

E- 11 (Formula)
A - 1130
S - 1 (yesterday it was 130; also 1.5-2hrs depending on morning nap)

E - 3 (BF)
A - 330-630 with 30-45min catnap before BT; bath and jammies
E- 630/7
BT - 7

DF - 1030/11 (DH formula)

NW - 2(resettle/E)  & 5(resettle/E)
Or 4(E)

Also, I'm thinking he doesn't need the night E because he often won't take a proper first E in the morning. It's 50/50, but he appears full. Would this be a sign of not needing the night feed(s)?

Thank you!! Let me know if you have any thoughts or need anymore info.