Author Topic: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap  (Read 2499 times)

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Offline Sarahmm

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5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« on: May 16, 2018, 19:51:14 pm »
Hi, Not sure this is the right group but I would be really grateful for some advice from you lovely ladies....
For the last three weeks my DD has started waking every two/ three times per night from midnight onwards and wakes bang on 6.30 every morning. She used to be a really good sleeper (she could sleep through from 7-7) so I'm guessing it may be sleep regression but I'm shattered. When she wakes, she wriggles and starts chatting then eventually becomes a grumble. I always pick her up and feed her (lasting 10-20mins per feed) then she goes straight back to sleep. Also her first nap in the daytime is only ever 37 mins whereas the second is 1.5 hours. I do pu/pd with the first nap but that rarely works to get her back to sleep.

Our routine:
Wakes at 6.30
E 7.00
A
S 9.00 (37- 40 mins)
E 11.00
A
S 13.00 (1.5 hrs)
E 15.00
A
S 17.00 (37 mins)
Bath time 18.00
E 18.30
S 19.00
Dream feed 22.00

Waking usually at 01.00, 3/4am

Thanks Sarah x

Offline Sarahmm

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2018, 20:10:05 pm »
I forgot to add the last two nights she started waking at 9pm (usually wakes up crying) I’m again using the easy option of feeding her to sleep 🙈 Help!

Offline becj86

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2018, 02:49:27 am »
Also her first nap in the daytime is only ever 37 mins whereas the second is 1.5 hours. I do pu/pd with the first nap but that rarely works to get her back to sleep.
That's because she's undertired (UT) and needs more A time. Average at 4 months is 2hr, average at 6 months is 2:45-3hr, so increasing by ~15mins/fortnight between 3 and 6 months. I'd suggest that you should increase her A time, especially the first one, to 2:15 for 3-4 days, then to 2:30 if she's still not sleeping later in the morning and still taking a short first nap. Having said that, a 12hr night is not really a reasonable expectation at this age, as she's heading towards dropping the third nap and going to 2 naps at ~6 months. Her night will get longer again when the third nap goes but for now, a 13hr day and 11hr night is far more typical.

Offline Sarahmm

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2018, 12:38:49 pm »
Thank you becj86! Will give that a try.
I guess I got spoilt with her doing 12 hr sleeps!!

Offline becj86

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2018, 00:27:52 am »
Let us know how you go :)

I guess I got spoilt with her doing 12 hr sleeps!!
I can totally understand wanting this to continue! It will be back, just not forever ;)

Offline Sarahmm

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2018, 09:09:13 am »
You are an angel becj86! I have extended her A time to 2 1/2 hours and she has slept for 1 hr 45 mins for the last two days naps! However, she was awake 23.26, 1.51, 4.25 and woke up at 6.45 this morning. I did her dream feed at 22.00 so she's basically waking every 2-3 hours. She seemed to be hungry for each waking and fed for 15-20 mins each time, which is more than she feeds for in the daytime!

Offline becj86

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2018, 00:04:16 am »
Stick with it, it can take a couple of days for nights to settle after a big change to the day. If she's going longer without a feed with the longer A times and longer naps, you can add a topup BF an hour after the main feed which will then be swapped for a solid meal/snack when you start solids. That can help with hunger at night.

Offline Sarahmm

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2018, 22:06:05 pm »
****Update****

The last two nights she’s only woken once at her dream feed and again 4am. Which is a huge improvement! The daytime naps are a bit off still. So her first nap is now 1hr and 30 mins which is great but her second has been ranging from 37 mins- 1 hour. I’ve tried pu/pd but she’s won’t resettle. This is our day:

Wake 6.30-7am
E- 7
A- 7.10
E- 8
S- 9.30 (1.5hrs)
E- 11.30
A- 11.40
E- 12.30
S- 14.00 (37 mins)
E- 16.00
A- 16.10
E- 17.00
Bath 18.00
E- 18.30
Dream feed 22.30/23.00

She’s stopped taking her catnap this week so with the short afternoon nap she’s a bit hyper by bedtime!

Any advice greatfully received x

Offline becj86

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2018, 08:16:13 am »
How close is she to 6 months? Average A time at 6mo is 2:45-3hr, I think you might be looking at that as a reasonable prospect in the next week. I'd try a touch more A time (10-15mins increase) between nap 1 and nap 2 and see if that helps with the length of the second nap.

Is there a big difference in activity level between the first A time and the second? It would be unusual but some babies are quite sensitive to how much physical/intellectual energy they expend. Sometimes the odd short nap can be developmental as well - related to acquisition of new skills and you are heading for a big mental leap at 26 weeks of age so that could be part of it too.

Offline Sarahmm

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2018, 20:25:34 pm »
She’s 23 weeks Thursday so I think it might well the key. We tried increasing the A time today (15 mins) for the second nap. Though she woke at 40mins, she went back to sleep with pu/pd after 5 mins and then slept for an hour. I will keep trying!

Her A before first nap is usually quite sedate whilst I get showered and dressed. Whereas her second nap is after a baby group... I’ll see how the above goes first I guess.

At the end of the day her sleeping has improved so much from two weeks ago. So thank you for your advice and guidance x

Offline becj86

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2018, 06:43:09 am »
We tried increasing the A time today (15 mins) for the second nap. Though she woke at 40mins, she went back to sleep with pu/pd after 5 mins and then slept for an hour.
So keep it at the new time for 3-4 days - she will either settle into that new time and sleep the whole nap without needing resettling in which case leave it as is, or she will keep waking at 40min and needing resettling in which case, you can increase a touch more.

Offline Sarahmm

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #11 on: June 07, 2018, 09:27:52 am »
I need more help!!

I followed your advice and for two days both naps where great but she was still waking. Then for the last 6 days her first nap is 1hr and 20/30mins and then her second nap is 35-40 mins. Sometimes I can pu/pd and she'll go back to sleep for an hour and then sometimes not. Now at bedtime she's not going down as easily and she still waking three times a night. This is yesterday....

WU- 7
E- 7.10
A
E- 8
S- 9.45- 11.00
E- 11.45
A
E- 12.45
S- 2.45- 3.30 (she resettled for a further 2 mins)
E- 4.45
A
E- 5.45
Bath- 6
E- 6.30
S- 7.30
WU- 9.35 (she woke up screaming and we had to take her out of our bedroom as she was so upset. Once calm I fed her for 15 mins)
WU- 01.30 (woke up grumbling so I fed her for 20mins)
WU- 3.30 (woke up grumbling and I fed her for 10mins)

When she wakes she often lifts her legs and slams them into the bed like she says trying to resettle herself. Is me feeding her messing that up? Also when should I think about moving her into her own room? I wonder if she wasn't next to me I wouldn't wake up and feed her.

Thank you.


Offline becj86

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Re: 5 month night wakings and poor first nap
« Reply #12 on: June 07, 2018, 21:20:58 pm »
WU- 7E- 7.10AE- 8S- 9.45- 11.00
A little UT here - probably can go to 3hr A time.

S- 2.45- 3.30 (she resettled for a further 2 mins)E- 4.45AE- 5.45Bath- 6E- 6.30S- 7.30
4hr A time to bedtime off a 45min nap is making her OT which is why she's woken at 9:30 all cranky.

WU- 01.30 (woke up grumbling so I fed her for 20mins)WU- 3.30 (woke up grumbling and I fed her for 10mins)
It is still normal for a baby this age to need a NF or 2 overnight however, you may be 'rushing' in - going in to assist before she needs it. Listen to the cry - is it escalating or is she just trying to get back to sleep herself?

WRT having LO in your room vs. elsewhere - SIDS recommendation is to have baby in your room for the first 6 months, ideally 12 months as it reduces risk (as does not smoking, not drinking and not sleeping with your baby on a couch, etc. Its about finding a balance that works for your family. My son slept in his own room from 2 weeks of age (no space in our room for the cot) across the hall from our room.