19 week old- 2-3 night wakings

[mariarico]

Hello!
I was hoping to get some advice bc I've tried a few things and I don't know how to help my 19 week old with his 2-3 night wakings
So he was doing great the past 2 weeks with an A time of 1hr 50 min, so I currently increased to 2 hrs A time but things have not improved, he also takes more breastmilk (through bottle) was taking 22-25oz now he takes 30-32oz. And still not improving his sleep

Here's his schedule
7/7:30 wake
8-eat 5-6oz
9/9:30-nap -- does 2x 40 min - he cries when he wakes, still tired???
11/11:30- eat- 6oz
1/1:30- nap- again 2x 40 min, again  cries when he wakes up
3:30 eat 6oz
5pm- nap 45 min
7pm- eat 6 oz
10:30/11pm dream feed 5oz --sometimes he wakes just before dream feed but we don't feed until he sleeps again-- might be 11-1:30-- is that ok???
Night wakings- 12:30am, 3am, 5am
Gets a night feed around 3-5am
I sleep with him in my bed but I don't touch/ cuddle with him. Just makes it easier with night wakings to shush him back.

[VnessMorris]

Hi mariarico,

My DD2 had the same problem back in late Jan/early February (2-3x NWs and EW) when she was around 19-21 weeks old.  For her to go back to STTN, I stopped feeding her solids and started to top up with EBM immediately after BF (she was on 4-4.5 hour EASY at the time).  I noticed that she would eat 4-5oz of EBM during the NWs (a full feed for her) so I moved those calories into her daytime feeds with EBM.  I also started pumping an hour after each BF to up my BM output.  How much is he eating during his NWs? Here's my original post:

21 week old, NWs and EW

Hope this helps,

V.

[mariarico]

Well he usually eats 5.5-6 oz for each feed, dreamfeed about 5 oz and about 4 oz for 4am feed
He doesn't seem interested in more milk during the day. I've tried

[mariarico]

Any suggestions please??
I'm really tired and don't know how to help him to stop waking so frequently

[ginger428]

Lots of hugs maria, I know all the NWs are absolutely exhausting. You said you've tried a few things to help his sleep... can you describe what you did please. It seems like the issues are related to falling asleep independently.  Even though you don't cuddle with him at night, he can certainly sense your presence in the bed and may be needing reassurance between his sleep cycles in the middle of the night.

So your son is about 4.5 mo?   This is a common age for sudden NWs bc of the developmental changes they go through around 4 mo.  How does he fall asleep for BT and naps- and in between naps?  And is BT around 7:45/8?

Your routine looks good at 2 hr of A... I would just try feeding him right upon waking from sleep.  Based on your BT and last feed, I would adjust the NF, but need to know what's going on around BT.

Does he settle back to sleep quickly at the 12:30Am wake?

[mariarico]

Thank you for you help!
Yes bedtime is atound 7:30, sometimes a bit earlier
I've tried-- increasing milk intake, increasing A time, lessening stimulation before bed, more wind down time
When he is up in the middle of the night, he is grunting and banging his hands, or just making noises. It takes him about 30-45 min to go back to sleep. But then after 4:30 am he does this after every 45 min cycle.
He falls asleep for nap and bedtime by himself-- we change diaper, swaddle with one hand out, cuddle then lay him down. He falls asleep within 10 min usually, by himself.

For the NF, he use to take he used to take 4-5oz but now I lessen it to 3oz, trying to wean off. But he won't go to sleep and eventually cries for milk.

He turns 5 months in a few days

Thanks again!

[ginger428]

Not too sure what it could be. Does he have any signs of teeth coming in? Grunting sounds like discomfort and 4-6am is when pain/environment can easily disturb sleep.

Could you read this article and see if anything that you haven't ruled out seems like a possibility.

10 reasons (other than hunger) a baby can wake at night