Sleeping through the night?

[megbrunskill]

My DD is 12 weeks old. She has been on EASY since 5 weeks. She is a short napper but I have been trying to extend them - successful this morning so we will see. She is on a 3.5 hour EASY right now. We put her to be between 7 and 8pm. We used to do a dreamfeed but she would never take very much (it was EBF - she is exclusively breastfed otherwise). We stopped the DF because I had a really hard time pumping enough milk (and then she would only take 2.5 ounces).
Anyway, she has never slept through the night. I can get 1 4 hour stretch, then a 3, and then she is usually up every hour after that.
I am getting really frustrated...and sleep deprived.
Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Megen and Selah

[sara_derek]

Hi Megen,

I love your daughter's name!  That was one of our choices when we were throwing names around.

How is your daughter at putting herself to sleep?  Can she go to sleep in her crib without assistance?  If not, that might be one reason why she's not sleeping so well at night...she can't put herself back to sleep when she wakes.  How much does she eat when she wakes to feed?  If she's not taking full feedings, she might be waking out of habit insted of hunger.  Twelve weeks is old enough to be going much longer than three and four hours at a time.   So I guess I just need more information before we can figure it out

sara

[megbrunskill]

Hi Sara,
She falls alseep on her own, sometimes. I swaddle her, rock her for around five minutes and put her in the crib sleepy but awake. Usually she falls asleep on her own. Sometimes (especially if she is over tired) she will wake up after her paci falls out and I have to reinsert it. During the night she will wake up and put herself back to sleep occassionally but sometimes I have to go in and give her her pacifier. As I mentioned she doesn't nap well...I am trying to extend them but having little luck.
She feeds for around 8 minutes which is her normal feed time when she gets up...I don't feed her everytime though...just if it has been 3 hours or more since her last feed. Maybe I should try the pacifier every time? Or maybe I should wean the pacifier to get her to sleep without it.
Now I have to confess that I have not waited for her to cry at night or during her naps. I listen to her fussing and can tell when she is awake and when she is still able to fall asleep on her own. Should I wait for full on crying before going in?
Sorry to be so long winded...hope this helps,
Any advice you can give me would be appreciated,
Megen
PS - I have never met anyone with Selah for a name. It is so cool that you had thought of it. We love it!