Waking every 3 hrs at night

[Chloevalentine]

My 11 week lo went from sleeping 6-8 hr stretches st night to waking every 3 hrs!! I think it's related to be swaddled and getting one arm out at night. He never goes into that deep long sleep. Yesterday we had a very cranky ot baby all day who was hard to get to nap. We've tried not swaddling arms or one arm so he can get to his hands and then we've also swaddled again during the night just to get him back to sleep. We fed him a few times during the night not sure if he was hungry but how he eat every 3 hours for 24 hours?! This is also throwing off our easy during the day not knowing when he's hungry as he's not eating at some of the feeding but then only sleeping for 20 mins. Help this is throwing off any routine we had!

[FPT23]

Hello

So sorry for the struggles. I know it can be frustrating but this will pass! He will change so much in the upcoming weeks too. It's all part of the fun

What is his EASY looking like more or less right now? FF or BF? At around 3 months of age, there is a growth spurt so I would actually continue to feed at nights and on demand.

What are you doing when he wakes during the night? Are you feeding or resettling/swaddling?

Honestly, I say keep the swaddle for now or as long as you can. He may not be ready to sleep without it but coming up on the stage of becoming more mobile and not wanting to stay swaddled. He probably doesn't want it but still needs it. It's a frustrating stage. We went through it too. I got rid of it when the rolling began.... which you might see soon. Around the 3 month mark his sleep changed because of the swaddle too but he wasn't ready to be without it just yet. Many hugs- swaddle struggles are trying ...if you feel he might be better without it and you feel he can sleep without it; try one arm out for a few days, then the other. Or legs out, one at a time first. If it's causing more problems he might not be ready just yet and you can try later.

Xo

[Chloevalentine]

Thanks so much! Yes I agree that he's just not ready. I've tried the one arm out etc and he was up all night. I'm feeding for formula and yes I do offer bottle when he wakes.
Last night we had a good night. He went to bed by 630 woke at 230 then again at 645. But today was another story.
645 awake
715 feed
Into swing at 745 (some days he falls asleep 1 hr after waking that day and sometimes it's 2 hrs later nap 810-840 30 mins (by 845 I have to put him in the car anyway for school drop off but he usually stays awake. )
A 840-1015
10 feed was falling asleep didn't eat much
1015-1115 nap (1 hr)
This is where it gets tricky because he normally eats every 3 hrs and he wasn't due to eat until 1 so I fed him at 1245 and he was sleepy but hungry I think because he didn't eat much at last feeding
He didn't fall asleep until 115
Nap 115-145 (30 mins)
3 feed
Tried to put him down for nap but wouldn't sleep
4 fell asleep until 420 20 min nap
Then of course he was miserable crying until next feed and bed which I did at 545
He fell asleep but kept waking crying ot until 645 he finally passed out!

[FPT23]

Sorry for the bad day... sometimes it seems it's one or the other huh. how was his EASY yesterday that gave you such a good night?

If he's formula fed, if he is going through a GS, try increasing slightly his daytime bottles to avoid NWs out of hunger (if that's the case)

Ok now, his EASY... it is normal for naps to start getting a bit crazy during this time so don't expect long good naps till closer to 5/6mths. The way I normally see it is, 0-3 months a newborn works on fixing his night sleep. 3-6 months he works on day sleep. Being that he's still a tiny baby, its best never to never expect 2 days to be the same. So much will change and it will rarely be consistent. Hang in there mama! As I always say with all phases the first year, "this too shall pass"

I think at this time, to help establish a better daytime routine is to go by total A times. Here is the link for AVERAGE A times for babies. I refer back to it from time to time. All babies are different but it's a good guide so you have an idea:

Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

At 3 months your looking at an A time of 1.20/1.30 ...this MAY help the naps here and there to extend but don't expect them to all be long. Usually at least one if you nail the A time which is the tricky part haha! It also developmental as their sleep cycles are changing. I would work on A times and fixing his routine a bit more. Since most of the time at this age, naps are give or take, expect baby to be a bit OT. Offer good restorative naps when possible. At this age I wouldn't worry so much about independent sleeping or swaddle...that will come. I think a good goal is to just get baby rested as much as possible.

Continue to feed on demand and don't go by the clock. Again, there is a growth spurt around this time

Poor babies; OT is just inevitable. Work on routine and keep an eye on his A times

[Chloevalentine]

Thank you for the advice. I def think it's the swaddling causing him to wake not hunger. I swaddled him tight but I already see him moving and a hand is out!! He's not a good napper for sure but today was worse than normal. Tomorrow I'm going to try naps in his crib instead of the swing that he's outgrowing! When my big guy is at school I can give more time to trying to settle him. The swing is just easier because he goes in awaje and falls asleep on his own. Normally just not lately. I'm just worried to have another day with terrible ot! I usually aim for 1.5 hrs A time seems to work more than not. But the feedings are messing up any kind of 1.5 hr routine.

[Chloevalentine]

So he woke at 1230 am then again at 515 am he went back to bed at and woke at 745.  Normally I would try to wake him at the same time every day but I let him sleep being that he was so tired yesterday. He wasn't interested in eating this morning so I had to wait until I got back from school drop off which was 930. Then I put him down for a nap at 9:45 so it was a long a time of two hours but I had no choice.   I put him in his crib for the first time for a nap and he slept for 40 minutes I didn't swallow his arms just his legs to see how he would do. His arms were flailing around for a while but he was still able to sleep for a little while. But now what do I do in terms of the easy schedule? He'll be ready for another nap by 12.  Do I just put him down and feed him when he wakes?  I'll probably get another short nap due to hunger   Maybe I'll try swaddling him at naptime just thought it was a good chance to start unswaddling instead of nighttime

[Chloevalentine]

Maybe I'll try for another nap at 11:45 which might be kind of early but I'll have to have them back in the car by 1245 to pick up my son

[FPT23]

Hi

You know at this age, I would aim for AT LEAST one good nap in the crib. Swaddled. Usually the first nap is the most restorative.

My best advice is to tackle one thing at a time hun. I know that swaddle is a pain now that he is becoming mobile. I went through the same thing at that age.. he just didn't like the swaddle anymore or started getting out of it, but he still needed it. I kept it as long as I could. I would tackle one thing at a time- so maybe start but working on a good A time and first nap in the crib, swaddled completely. Once he seems to get a decent nap in the crib swaddled, then you can work on maybe unswaddling during the day. If you really want to ditch the swaddle, I would start in the day first and do the one arm out or leg... etc. Swings are a prop and being rocked to sleep is what he is used to-- so getting him to sleep in the crib for the first time will take a bit of time. But one thing at a time love ....at this age I used and did whatever to get my LO rested. Around 4mths I worked on more "independent" sleep.

Do keep in mind that short naps are super common at this time. As his A time increases and sleep patterns change, they should get longer around 5/6 mth mark ...at this age what I did was try my hardest to just get my baby rested as best as I could. Can you resettle after short naps? So if he wakes/short naps, can you resettle back to sleep? I would try that at least with one nap so you can get one longer nap in his day. When he wakes, go in and rock him, hold him, pat, or whatever you do to try and send him back to sleep

As far as his EASY I don't think you should focus on the clock with feeds... just feed on demand. The goal is just not to feed to sleep, kwim? So long as you continue the Eat Activity Sleep routine. If he's not hungry when he wakes, that's ok. You can feed him a bit later or closer to his next nap so long as he's not being fed to sleep... you know? Feed, then start your little wind down routine, then nap

Here are some examples of routines around this age. Again, no two days are the same. Inconsistency will def happen

chronological EASY samples, 0-3 months

Hope those help just so you have an idea. At this age though, it's just going with the flow and doing whatever to keep our sanity

Hugs

[Chloevalentine]

Thank you! He slept 945-1025 he woke we played had a bath and he was real fussy after an hour of being awake and I knew he wasn't hungry so I swaddled him sat in the chair and sang then put him in. He started crying and was already getting at his hands through the swaddle I went in picked him up for a min or two put him back in and he's asleep at 1145 so A time of only 1 hr 15 mins which is way less than he normally does. Maybe trying to put him down with shorter A time is better. What's the worst that can happen it will just take him longer to settle? I just feel bad because I need to wake him by 1240 at the latest to put him in car to get my son. So that's another nap under an hour. He normally stays awake in the car. Should I try for next nap at 2? I also won't be able to feed him until 115 which is when we get home. That's close to 4 hrs and he's used to eating every 3! What if he does nap for 5-10 mins in car think it will throw off the next nap time? Also if I get a good 1.5 hr nap and he's up at 430 when do I do bedtime? I normally feed him at 6 and put to bed any later and he's a mess.

[Chloevalentine]

Ok I got the same 40 min nap again! Is he ut?

[FPT23]

Hello

Well, again I will tell you- short naps are developmental at this time. Even with the right A times. Physically they are unable to continue the next sleep phase on their own. They wake at the end of their first cycle, kwim? Which is why I asked if you can resettle again so he can continue to sleep. Babies at this age are no independent sleepers either and need help on our end most of the time.

So basically he is unable to take resettled naps because of the school runs? If that's the case, maye it's best to stop stressing the routine and go with it. I learned very quickly that with two (or more) you have to just adjust as best you can. I have a 5 yo and at the beginning (he was 4, and my NB) it was very hard and I just accepted the short naps and that it would be hard adjusting around the school drop offs. I still have that struggle now with pick ups because that's when his second nap of the day lands ...but until A time is longer, it will be easier. In time it will sort itself out.

Were you able to look at the link I provided of some sample schedules?

My LO fought the swaddle too... every time around that age. It was so easy and then he just didn't want anything to do with it. I kept it though as long as I could. It got trickier around 4mths when he began rolling...! I doesn't mean he was over tired necessarily. Or UT. He probably just needs a new way of falling asleep. I had to position my LO differently, and our wind down changed around that time too. I remember it well. Just suddenly he was grunting and trying to get out. We had the Miracle blanket. Maybe trying a new swaddle can help his arms from going out? ....but mine just needed a new way to fall asleep. It happens as they get bigger and more aware/mobile.

Keep working with those A times. They are tricky to nail... but as time passes you'll know them a bit more. At this age hun, they are usually OT. Again, try and sleep as much or as often as you are able to.

hugs!

[Chloevalentine]

I tried for a nap at 145 he fell asleep by 2 a lot of crying and resettling slept until 3 so 1 hr. Tried to put him in swing for that late catnap at 4 but he was awaje for 30 mins so I took him out. He's managing ok not crying so I'll probably stick with the 6 feeding and bed. When u say your lo needed another way of falling asleep what do you mean ?

[Chloevalentine]

We did feeding at 6 and to bed. He didn't quite finish he bottle so he woke 1 hr later I gave him the rest and he slept until 215 I fed him then back to bed until 630 am! So a good night! That late nap is tricky he rarely takes it. He woke at 630 I fed him at 7 then up for a nap at 745. It took a while to put him to sleep and it was hard because my bigger guy was just waking up looking for me. By the time I got him down I had to rush to get us ready for school. He woke  835 40 mins! Same length every day! I have no time to resettle.

[FPT23]

Hello

When I meant my LO needed a new way of falling asleep, it's because our normal nap/BT routine wasn't working anymore. Our old way at that time was a swaddle, holding him, a pat and paci (currently he is out of the swaddle, paci free and I don't need to hold him...but he's nearly 8mths). From one day to the next, it seemed he didn't want to be held or it was the swaddle. He wasn't comfortable I guess. That's the best way I can put it. He started grunting and just fussing anytime I held him. I took it as a sign that he wanted to spread out and need space. He used to sleep in the swing also then, so I began by trying one nap a day (the morning was the easiest) in the crib. I swaddled (miracle blanket), paci, relax him then laid him down in the crib with his paci, and just patted instead. It took time but he preferred it. They just become more mobile around this time and begin discovering their limbs ...the way he sleeps will continue to change as time passes. Wind down routine had to be adjusted as well.

The 40 min nap is developmental hun. Again, a baby can't self settle at this age and need help to continue into the next sleep cycle. With age and time this changes. Their A time increases and they learn to sleep independently ...but that's a bit later. With patience, and being gentle in your methods, you can work up to this. The ultimately goal is for him to sleep on his own and you can guide now as time goes on so when he's ready, he'll just get it. In the mean time I would try to work with A times, keeping an eye on OT, and getting him as much rest as you can. Resettle short naps when possible

Ok, can you do me a favor and lay down your afternoon EASY? I'm curious about his bedtime and that CN mostly but in EASY format please

Xo

[Chloevalentine]

Ok thank you makes sense! What cn are you curious about? What are your thoughts on bedtime? I have to say he's doing quite well transiting into naps in his crib!  He's been napping exclusively in his swing so this was a big change. He also does better when he's sleepy but not asleep when I put him down. He also has a little cold which might be affecting his routine  Today's easy was a bit messy:


Awake 630
E 7
A 630-755
S 755-835 (40 mins) tried to put him down at 745 took 10 mins but when he wakes he doesn't cry and is happy and rested it seems
A 835-10
E 945
S 10-1045
E 1145
A 1045-1 tried for a nap at 12 but he wouldn't sleep had to leave 1245 to pick up older lo
So he fell asleep in car seat 1-130 30 mins
E 230
S 245-