Nightwaking and he's happy- still pu pd? Laughing in his crib.

[Elphyrafire]

We have been on a 4 hour EASY for 3 days now (2 nights) with my BF'd 4.5 month old. The first night  there seemed to be hope but last night we were back to the same old nightwaking routines again- every 2 hours with a couple times that he is wideawake and laughing in his crib (loudly). I feel like DS has a biologiocal clock that got programmed badly and there's nothing I can do to stop it. He wakes at the same time each night for a party in his crib (4:00am). Waaaahhhhh! I am ready to explode!
Do I still try pu/pd with him? Or do I let him be? How do I teach him that it's not a social time at 4:00am?
 Do you ever feel like your kid is the only one who can't sleep thorugh the night yet? I am lucky to have a healthy child and all but I am getting so fed up with hearing about friends' babies who sleep through at 6 weeks old. I am so tired. But I like coming on this board because it's nice to see others with the same problems.
Thanls E

[teezee]

now that you have lo on 4 hr easy could you possibly post the routine please?

[Elphyrafire]

Hi again- Teezee.
Baby took pretty well to the 4 hour EASY routine you suggested a few days ago but the nighwakings continue. I know it's still early to expect him to sleep better as we only started 3 nights ago but maybe I need to tweak it a bit? Or just be patient?

Here's yesterday:
6:40am- he awoke in his bed and I left him there
7:00 fed
light activity
8:30- lay him down in his bed for a nap 8:36- asleep
10:30- I woke him up ...(at 9:30 I had shushed him back into his nap)
light activity
11:00 fed
jolly jumper, exersaucer
12:00- 1:45 nap- fell asleep by himself
3:00 fed
went for a walk
4:00-4:20 fell asleep on the walk
6:00 bath, story
6:20- fed the quiet time
6:30- he was sleeping in bed
___________________here's where it gets rough_______
7:18pm - crying- pu/pd for 15 mins
10:00 dreamfed
12:30- awake briefly- hummed him to sleep in crib
1:30- awake in crib laughing and giggling- very hard to get him to settle- after 30- mins I ended up BF-ing him to sleep eventhough he wasn't hungry
4:00- up again-laughing and giggling again- eyes wide open- not hungry-  I patted his tummy for 20 mins
5:30- stirred in crib about to wake up and I was fed up so I put him in his swing and he slept another hour
6:40- up for the day
7:00 am fed


On the plus side yesterday and today he has been a much happier baby!

My question: at night when he's lying awake playing- should I pu/pd? Is there a point? He's not unhappy.

[teezee]

well if lo is happy by himself in the crib playing - have you just left him to see what he will do?? a lot of lo's wake between 4 and 6 am to play and then go back to sleep...if he is just playing don't interupt and see if he will go back to sleep on his own.  have you ruled out everything that it could be - gas? belly ache? teething?

you could try limiting the am nap a little and get a longer nap in the afternoon- if lo's are getting a lot of sleep in the morning nap then they may not sleep so well at night as they know they can 'make up' that sleep in the morning - morning naps are best looked at as an extension of night sleep - and since lo's are/should be well rested, then they shouldn't NEED that long of an am nap kwim? i am def not saying that i had things right when my lo was 4.5months old - she was taking 2x2hrs naps (sometimes up to 2.5hrs!!) and a half hr to 45 min catnap in the evening - no wonder i had sooo many wakeups - that i totally did accidental parenting for (feeding her back to sleep, bringing her in my bed...) b/c i couldn't figure out what was wrong, and as you are - i was TIRED!! do remember it's only 'accidental' if you don't want to continue doing it - which i didn't...and had to have a few long months of breaking those habits that i reinforced - we are only human and learn as we go, but before you get to the point i was at - pls take the time to try something new (which you are!) and if that doesn't work - re-evaluate it and see if it's something else that was overlooked! don't give up - you will get there!!

i do know how hard it is when you aren't getting enough sleep b/c lo is up all the time but i do want to stress that if you do start something (a technique..) be sure you are prepared to stick with it otherwise you will just confuse lo if you 'cave' and it will take much longer to achieve the results you want. i know the 'easy out' looks WONDERFUL in the wee hrs of the morning - but sticking with whatever you are going to try 'short term' is much better for long term results. good luck! let me know your thoughts!

[Elphyrafire]

Thanks again for taking the time to reply to my post. i really appreciate it.
I have let him play in his crib... twice. Both times at the 40 min mark, the laughing turned to crying and then hysteria. So I would love to nip this one in the bud.
You are so right, this parenting thing is so hard sometimes. I truly thought I was a patient person until I had a baby. i am a Kindergarten teacher and I know I can be consistent because my classroom kids aren't out of control. However, at 1 and rhen 2 and then 4 in the morning and no sleep for 4 months (plus the pregnant months) you are almost willing to do anything to get him back to sleep. I have tried to be strong the past few nights . I have a Dh who is supportive but the guy sleeps through everything. LAst night I tred the "wake him before he wakes me" technique and although exhausting trying to wake up before he does,  it worked. I will persevere with it. It's better than having him wide awake.
I will try making the morning nap shorter. i mean, in a way, the morning nap was a fake anyway b/c I was helping him so much to go 2 hours. I was beating myself up over the fact that he wouldn't go more than 45 mins tioday but maybe he didn't need it that bad.
It's all hit and miss. Thanks for telling me what worked for you. Did it evetually get better? Do you think it was your techniques that made your DD sleep better or the fact that she grew out of it?
Thanks

[teezee]

what is your bedtime routine like?

with my lo is was def b/c she was getting too much daysleep..and took a couple months to break all the 'wonderful' bad habits i had created - hard work - but worth every second!..now the results have paid off over the last few months

[Elphyrafire]

Hi
My bedtime routine is pretty much textbook.
Bath
Change for bed
Feed
Story
Swaddle
Bed
Total of 45 minutes

Thanks

[teezee]

the bedtime routine does look pretty straightforward...let me know how things are coming along in the next couple days!