Very Confused!!!!

[melbrad]

Mt dd is 14 weeks.  At about 13 weeks she started to sleep later at night (from 730-2) then feed and 230-7am.  She was napping about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs each time.  Without warning she started to wake up within 30 minute of her naps.  I have been trying the wake to sleep with not much success (it works sometimes and other times it does not).  I'm putting her down about 1 hr 30-45 minutes after she wakes.  She seems drowsy and goes right down but within 5 minutes she awake and crying, I give paci and soothe with patting and shushing and she goes to sleep again for anothr 5 minutes.  This is happening the whole nap time.  What is going on?  Do I need to extend her waketime? 

Also, out of the blue last night she woke at 8, 930, 1030, 130, 3, 4, 5, 6.  I fed her at the 1030 and 130 times with hopes she would sleep.  As you can see she did not.  What is going on?  We are on a 3hr EASY.  I don't DF, but choose to let her wake me up (usually at 2am) for the last feed.  Is she going through a growth spurt?  Do I need to cluster or do I need to extend her EASY routine?  I'm at a loss.

Thanks!

[jules_is_cute]

Hi Melbrad,

I would wonder if her bed time is too late and your wake intervals too long.  If she's crying at bedtime that's a sign she's already had enough and she's uncomfortable.  My DD is 12 weeks yesterday and can only stay awake for about 45-70 minutes, less in the morning and longer in the evening...mind you she needs to nap one more time @ 3-4 pm but has much trouble with it still and often skips it or takes a quick 30 minute catnap. 

The other reason I suspect she needs to go to bed earlier and nap sooner after waking is that she first had trouble with her naps being disrupted?? Then her evenings went kaput?  Is that right?  If so that's classic signs of staying up too late and being sleep deprived.  With babies, sleep begets sleep.  Try just 30-45 minutes earlier for bedtime and start her nap sequence the first time she avoids your gaze or stares off into space or if she yawns before this happens do it at the first yawn, and see what happens.  If I wait for Jules to yawn, we're too close and we only sit and rock for 3-5 minutes instead of 7-10.  I put her down awake but very drowsy.  Of course as soon as she hits (the bed until yesterday) the Amby, she's bing wide awake, but don't be fooled, she's tired and will fall back into a drowsy state with a few strokes on her cheek or forehead.

My little one wasn't napping or was taking very short naps in the morning, to my dismay, the overtired state would drag into early afternoon and ruin this nap as well.  I realized she was being allowed to sleep in too late, I loved the 9 am wake time until I realized it was causing a problem.  The last 2 days I've changed 2 things; one, she's out of my bed, in her own room, and falling asleep with a modified bounce shush in her Amby Hammock.  (I mention this so as to avoid misleading you, it's not right to only tell you part of what is going on if I hope to give you real insight into what may or may not help.)  Two, we've gotten up around 7-7:30 and then back down within 45-60 minutes...all of a sudden she's napping very well.  Who knew??

Her bedtime is around 6-6:30pm and she's asleep by 7 pm she wakes to eat @ 11, at 2-3 am, then again @ 5 and @ 7am.  So far she naps @ 8-8:30 am, then again @ 11-12 depending on the length of the 1st nap and then I try again @ 3-4 pm.  We start bedtime sequence from 6-6:45, and even earlier if the late nap was skipped.  I try to have her asleep by 7-7:30 at the latest. 

Sorry to be so long winded.       I hope this helps. 

~patty

[melbrad]

I'll start with a 3.5 EASY tomorrow.  Should I cluster feed just in case she is in a growth spurt?  If so, when?  We usually start the day around 7.  So that would be a feed at 7, 1030, 200, 530, 730 -where would the 2nd cluster feed be?  I try to have her in bed between by 730