How can we be goind BACKWARDS?

[heather10]

My son is 12 weeks old next Monday, and we have been on the EASY routine for 7 weeks.  I started him at 5 weeks old, right as he started the 45 min nap issue which had seem resolved for a week only to return and still remains unresolved.

We wake between 7 and 7:30 every day, and if he is not awake by then, I wake him to set his clock, so to speak.  He goes down easily for naps and bedtime, provided I get him in his window.  I simply swaddle him, lay him down and leave the room, popping back in from time to time so that he knows I am around (this avoids him calling out for a paci after being alone for a while)

He has been receiving dreamfeeds since 7 weeks old, at 10:30 or so.  Some nights it is earlier if he starts to wake.  This past week, he's woken at 9:15 and 9:45 for it which was shocking since I prefer to feed him as close to 10:30 or 11 as possible to avoid two night wakings.

Well, regardless of my efforts, it seems we've gone backwards from waking once at about 3 and then at 7am to waking at 2:00 and 4:00 with some night also seeing a wake at 5 or 6am as well.  This last one is likely just for soothing with a paci which I give him in the middle of the night if he wakes when a feed is likely not the issue. 

The last 5 nights have been horrible, and last night was

10:30 DF
1:15 wake and given paci
1:45 wake and replaced paci then decided to feed
1:45 feed
2:00 swaddle and night night
2:15 replace paci and checked diaper which was clean
2:45 cried out and I came back to replace paci - thought he might be too warm so removed one layer of clothing and checked diaper again - clean

I decided I would give him a little feed then, since it was nearing 3am and it would hopefully avoid the 4am feed, and I could buy myself more sleep.  So he ate again at 3:00

3:00 feed
3:15 swaddle and night night
3:15 moments later he calls out - can't settle with paci, been awake too long and likely overtired and needs help
3:20 rock in chair with paci and blankie, asleep within seconds
3:30 swaddle and night night, me back to bed too
5:00 wakes - in my disoriented state, I can't problem solve so I whip out the book
5:00 feed
5:05 asleep at breast (we NEVER do this btw) swaddle and night night
7:30 I wake him up to start the day

Today has been brutal with 45 min naps which he won't resettle for.  He is not cranky though when he wakes, wants to interact, but then is tired again within the half hour.

It seems lately we have a EASASAE schedule where he naps twice in the time he would usually nap once.  What a mess.

I feel like we've taken a huge step back, and I know we are a week away from a growth spurt, but he is not feeding more than usual, it is just these frequent night wakings and poor naps are driving me nuts.

I don't know if there is a solution, although I welcome comments and help.  If not, consider this a vent from an overtired mom.


 at 1:15 for paci, it fell out and he cried again at 1:45, I decided to feed since it was close to 2:00 which has, as above, suddenly become a feed time - where did 3am go? - and so he ate.  I put him back down at

[GraceKellysmom]

It kinda sounds like he is waking and unable to put himself back to sleep - aka pacifier. Does he show any interest in sucking his own thumb yet? Could you encourage that during the day? Otherwise, you will be constantly popping that pacifier every time he wakes up (day and night) and night sleep and day sleep go hand in hand. If they don't get decent naps, they wake too much during the night, and are overtired, and in hand don't nap well the next day.

Sometimes to get back on track I'd do whatever it took to get a decent nap in (if that meant taking a two hour walk while dd slept in the stroller  :oops: ). Then she would feel better and the next night would go better.

Also, with the frequent night feeding, you set yourself up for a cycle of him not being hungry during the day, and then he really does wake up to eat at night. Make sense? So you gotta find a way to get him back to sleep at night. Tracy's books talk about different methods - PU/PD, or Pat/shhh but my favorite method is self-soothing, which for some babies like my ds needs to be taught. (Yes, I taught him to suck his thumb  :roll: )

[GraceKellysmom]

PS 3-6 months is a transition time, where they are working into a different "schedule" and I found myself watching cues more than the clock. If Max took 45 min naps, he needed 3 plus a 20-30 min cat nap in the evening. If he took longer naps 1-1.5 hr, then he only needed two plus cat nap.

And 3-6 months brings new night wakings, for developmental reasons. For some reason, they wake several times a night prior to learning how to do something - like rolling over, or sitting up, or crawling. And teething causes night wakings from 5 months - 2+ years.

[heather10]

I would LOVE to show him how to suck his thumb.  I can't seem to do it though.  He is awake for about 45 mins each A cycle and so that includes 15 min feeds, so we have 30 mins to train the thumb suck LOL!

Can you give pointers?

It's as though he has not found his hands yet.  I don't want to start the pu/pd unless I have to since if I can get him to use the thumb that is great!

He puts himself to sleep without a paci for naps and bedtime and only needs it if he wakes and can't resettle or if I miss the window and he is getting overtired.  I do want to omit it though.  We did the frequent re-paci waking with my first son and I am not going there again!

When I bring his hand to his mouth, he resists me directing his hand and pushes back against it.  When he feels his fist approach his face, he turns to it and might lick or suck it and then his hand gets pulled away - he doesn't mind though since he is not, at that time, actively looking for comforting.  Does that make sense? 

Should I be teaching it when he is fussing?

[GraceKellysmom]

Yes you can teach it when he fusses, but he may just be too little to learn which can be frustrating for you. I know there is a post somewhere on the prop board about paci weaning if you want to go that route. Otherwise, just stick it out a couple more weeks and work on that thumb.