3.5 mo Waking every 45 minutes all night!

[CanadianMum]

Hello,
I've posted previously about naps and had good success so am hoping for more advice. My 3.5 month old DD was previously sleeping through the night- bedtime around 7, up at 6am, with one or two NW.

The last four nights have been a different story- she has not slept more than 90 minutes. When I go in (after listening to her fuss and coo, usually for about 10 minutes before it escalates to full cries) I pick her up, fix her swaddle, give her the pacifier, and rock. She immediately falls back asleep. I feed her if it has been 3 hours.

She can fall asleep on her own for naps but at bedtime has always fallen asleep on my shoulder when I burp her after feeding. We definitely have rocking and pacifier props. She has never self soothed the 40 minute transition for naps (despite many, many attempts at shh/pat) but used to be able to transition from cycle to cycle at night.

I don't know what to do- I've read conflicting things re: starting PU/PD at this early age and I do NOT want to try a strategy that will mean less sleep for myself and DH if it is unlikely to work.

She is on a 3 hr EASY, with appropriate awake time (1h20 min) and 3 long naps, 1 45 min nap (although all naps are APOP to get the second 40 minutes in- I.e. Rocking back to sleep, sling, stroller, etc.)

Should we just go cold turkey on the rocking and holding props and try PU/PD? Or wait it out a few more nights to see if this regression passes?

[creations]

Hi there
It does sound like some sleep training could help but that doesn't necessarily mean PUPD, we only advise that as a last resort and not for babies this young.  Even with PUPD you kind of need the shush/pat there too (or a firm hand with a rub or rock) as it is a soothing method once LO is down in the cot.  Rather than cold turkey on the rocking back to sleep in arms I'd suggest getting patting or rocking (with a firm hand on her) in the cot and teach her to self sooth.
In addition to that your A time might actually be too short.  The times are only guidance but at 4 months LOs often do closer to 2hrs.  Moving to 1hr 45 mins (perhaps not all in one day, shift 15 mins at a time) could really help you teacher her to self sooth and transition between cycles on her own.

Waking so many times at night could be linked to inability to self sooth even if she's done it before, just because she's so used to you picking her up to resettle her, or linked to her day time routine needing adjusting, or it could be teething pain.

[CanadianMum]

Hello-
Thanks for the advice! Extending the A time worked after one day and she is back to only one or two NW to eat. I am still having to help her through the 40 min nap transition but have had some success doing it without picking her up so we will keep working on that! She is also now going down at bedtime awake with her pacifier.

She is currently in an awkward stage halfway between needing 3 naps a day and 4 naps a day.

WU: 6
E:6
A: 2h
S: 8-10 (2h)

E: 10
A: 1h 50 min
S: 11:50- 1:25 (1.5h)

E: 1:30
A: 2 h
S: 3:30-4:30 (1h)

E: 4:30
A: 1:15 min
S: 5:45-6:30 (catnap)
A: 6:30-7:30
E: 7:30
S: 8... but had to go in an resettle her at 8:40

NW: 2am. Woke up for the day at 5:55

Do you think I would be better to drop the catnap and just push through to an earlier bedtime? Like 6/6:30 since she gets up early too? I think this issue will solve itself when she is fully on a 4 hour cycle but am just not sure what to do in the meantime.

[ginger428]

Hi there!
Creations is on a slight break but will be back!
Meanwhile, I can offer some input... How has the last week been? Any changes?

You could try reducing the CN to 30 min for at least a few days, then to 20 min... to see if she'll be tired enough to get through that 8:40 wu.  At the moment, 45 min might be giving her too much rest to be tired enough at 8, 1.5 hrs later.