Three-Month-Old Waking Every 2-3 Hours All Night Long-Help!

[dallinsmommy]

My three-month-old seems to be on a very good schedule; the only thing is he continues it throughout the nighttime as well! During the day he eats every two-three hours (ususally every 2 1/2). He takes good naps and always falls asleep on his own. He goes down to bed well and is overall a very good baby. However, at night he really struggles.

Every two-three hours he turns up on his left side and cries and cries. The cries don't ever start as a whimper; they're all out blood-curling screams. I know it's not hunger; last night we tried just picking him up and patting his back and after fussing a little he went back to sleep. However, two hours later he was up at it again. He's never slept through the night, we're usually lucky to get a stretch of four hours. He goes down at 7 and takes a good feed around 1 and then is up at 7. However, he wakes multiple times inbetween the feed. We keep things dark and don't change him. Ususally I'll rock him and offer the pacifier.

He does have reflux and is on Zantac; however he's good size; approx. 14 lbs. so he should be able to go through the night. His crib is propped up so it shouldn't be burning in his throat and the medicine has been working well.

Does anyone have any advice? I thought he might be crying in his sleep, but no-his eyes are open and it escalates. I've asked the pediatrician about this, but it was a few weeks ago during a growth spurt when he really was hungry. If I offer the breast at the wakings he always takes it and goes right back to sleep; however he only nurses for a couple minutes; so I stopped offering it at every waking.

Anyways; sorry there's so much info. And advice would be wonderful. My husband and I are so exhausted; and I'm sure my little guy is too. Thank you so much.

[SandyGal]

Has your pediatrician adjusted his reflux medication since he started? I believe (but ask your doctor) that those medication are very weight dependent and he may be needing a higher dose now. It doesn't sound like he is hungry now since he doesn't take a full feeding. Ask your pediatrician about increasing the Zantac and if you are sure that it isn't his reflux causing the problem, we'll see if we can figure out what else might be going on.

[FutureMKD@surfmk.com]

We'r using Prevacid.  It's only once a day and its much stronger.  Works better because its slow release instead of short-term.

[dallinsmommy]

Thanks for the quick response; we just had the Zantac dosage increased about two weeks ago. He has the largest dose they can give him for his weight and age; 2 mL twice a day. Unfortunately we're going out of town for the next week and a half; or I'd take him back into the pediatrician and see about the Prevacid. I really don't think it's the reflux though; he seems to be doing okay during the day. He fusses; but it's not continual.

Last night he fell asleep at 9:00 and like clock-work he was awake at 11:30, 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, and 7:00. It's like his little body has a clock set inside of it that goes off every two hours. My husband took him at 11:30 and 1:30; he tried calming in the crib, but the little guy wouldn't have it. After holding him on his shoulder and trying to burp/pat his back he settled back down and went to sleep. I fed him at 3:30 (his last good feeding was at 8:00 p.m.), I wondered if he was hungry. He took a pretty good feed; but I could tell he wasn't that hungry-he didn't eat as long as he usually does. At 5:30 I took him again and he took a pretty good feed. I hope it's not accidental parenting; but I fed him in my bed so we both could rest for another hour or so . . . I've been so exhausted since this has been going on.

The two hour wakings have been going on for about two-three weeks now; however, we've never gotten a good stretch out of him. Previous to the wakings his longest stretch was 4-5 hours. I'm a FTM so I think I started all wrong from the beginning. When we brought him home from the hospital I was instructed to feed him every 2-3 hours round the clock; if he even so much as stirred in his sleep as a newborn; I fed him. I know this night sleeping isn't the greatest from this; but he was increasing his stretches slowly at least. Now it seems as though he's regressing.

My mom and friends tell me to let him cry it out and he'll learn; but I just can't do it. We do need to do something though; none of us are getting any rest. If it was just a whimper cry I'd leave him; but it really is a sincere, 'something is wrong' cry.  He always turns up on his left side; I don't know if this has something to do with it; but possibly?

When we put him down to sleep we swaddle (except at night, we use a sleep sack-he's always been fine with this), turn on an Enya cd, cuddle a little, and give him a pacifier. He ususally just sucks the pacifier to calm himself and spits it out. In the beginning I wondered if it was the pacifier causing the problem-but, I don't think so. He spits it out within five minutes or so of falling asleep and when he does wake screaming the pacifier isn't what he wants, it doesn't calm him at all.

Okay, sorry so much info-I just wanted to share everything that's going on. Hopefully someone will have some idea or have heard of something like this before? I feel so bad for him that he's waking screaming so much; and we really need to get some rest too. . . Thank you soooo much for your help. I feel like such a clueless mom.

[mommycarrie]

If you're not already doing a dreamfeed btwn 10 & 11, start now.  It gives them a top off for the night.  I was just posting to someone else that even though putting to bed early sounds crazy, it works.  I was having a nightwaking problem until I tried it (11 nights now wake-free).  He wasn't up every 2 hours though....I think that might be habitual now because of how you were instructed on feeding.   He's also probably using you/your breast as a prop.

How much does he sleep during the day (from when you start to have wake time until he goes to bed)?  I think 5-6 hours is the norm (more will cut into night sleep).....but no more than 2 hour naps at a time (per the book).  If he's waking like clockwork, have you ever gone in to see how he behaves before he wakes?  How do you handle the wakings?.....do you talk to him, change him, or offer your breast?  You might want to avoid any of these as they will probably stimulate him too much.

Try the following for a couple of days and see what happens....

-> give d/f btwn 10 & 11 (give breastmilk in bottle works better than giving breast)...try 11 before he wakes at 11:30.
->  try using a wedge of some kind to keep him from rolling on his side (if that's what's causing the wake-ups)
->  he still might be hungry in the night so I would still feed him at the 3:30/4am waking, but do what you can to settle him without stimulating him for the 1:30 and 5:30 times.
->  I've read before that you can try to give him the soother in his sleep before he wakes up.  I didn't have to do this so I don't know.

According to the book, it takes 3 days to break habits and for new routines to form.  It's worth a try since you know you're already going to be up anyway.  And if anything listed here works, you and your DH will finally start getting rest.
 :wink:
Carrie

[FutureMKD@surfmk.com]

Your story sounds just like mine one month ago.  We're better  now.  He is waking every 4 hours or so and takes a full feed.  I was trying everything to get him to go back to sleep (nurse, paci, rock, hold, sway,etc.) I think he never knew what to expect when he woke.  Now we feed when hungry, moved to a 4 hr routine as he got closer to 4months, and when he wakes in between feeds I shush/pat until he settles down.  Pu/pd never seems to settle him or comfort him.  Getting up 2 times at night is so much better than every hour or so.