Good sleeper regresses at 12 weeks

[newbymommy]

My Textbook lo is almost 12 weeks and is suddenly waking every few hours at night when he previously would go from 8:30/9pm-4/5am and then back to sleep until 7am since 8 weeks or so. His daytime naps have also shrunk to 45 minutes (read lots of good advice on this in the nap forum I'll try but welcome any other advice too!). He is on a 3 hour routine with cluster feedings around 6 and 8 and a dream feed at 10pm. The last four nights he has gone back to waking at 1:30am and seems genuinely hungry. I've been feeding him but last night decided to try and give him the paci to see if he is just in the habit now. After 15 minutes or so of that I realized it was no good, so I fed him and he fell right back to sleep only to wake again two hours later and feed again. With the 45 minute naps in the day I'm now exhausted and I know he is too! He has been fighting a little cold but I think it may be more related to a growth spurt. How long does this last and how do I know when I'm feeding a bad habit and not just a hungry baby?

[Kimberly®]

How much and how often is your LO eating? both at night and during the day? Can you write out an example of a tipical day and night routine?

[Deb_in_oz]

sounds like growth spurt to me - 3 mo / 12 weeks is right on time. they can regress to feeding as frequently as 2-3 hrly all night for a day or so - try to offer more feeds in the daytime but if lo does not feed for longer (and even if does take more n day) may still wake 1-2 times at night.  afetr GS is over shoudl revert to sleeping as pre-GS

[Emma1]

I am in exactly the same position with my 12 week old who, after sleeping from 6pm - 3am, has been waking every couple of hrs.

Just one question so I can see there is light at the end of the tunnel: How long do growth spurts last??

[Deb_in_oz]

it totally depends on the child - i think average is 3 days but a week is totally normal for some - they can really have huge leaps in weigt, height, mental development, physical development etc and it all comes in a short period so they need the extra fuel (helps put it in perspective...)

it might take a few days and all goes back to normal or it could take longer to get back to sleeping as before GS...i have experienced a bit of both with 2 kids x many GS  :lol:  3 months was the biggie for both of mine - 6 mo Olivia only had 1 nightwaking and then just ate more solids in the daytime and drank a ton of formula    then 9 mo was a biggie again